MasterChef’s Ben Ungermann is absent from finale after being charged with alleged sexual assault

MasterChef fans notice Ben Ungermann’s absence from the finale after he was charged with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl

The MasterChef 2020 cast returned to the kitchen on Monday night to watch Laura Sharrad and Emelia Jackson compete in the grand finale.

But eagle-eyed viewers were quick to notice that former star Ben Ungermann was nowhere to be seen in the gantry.

The 34-year-old was absent as the 24 other cooks returned to support the two finalists. The only other absentee was Brendan Pang, who couldn’t travel from Perth to Melbourne because of state border closures.

Absent: MasterChef fans noticed Ben Ungermann’s (pictured) absence from the finale on Monday night, after he was charged with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl

‘Everyone is back. Except for Ben,’ one fan tweeted. ‘Anyone had eyes on Ben yet? #MasterChefAU,’ another asked.

‘Just curious…Is Ben Ungermann there?’ a third viewer wrote. ‘Anyone know where Ben Ungermann is?’ a fourth questioned.

Several people asked ‘Where’s Ben?’, but it’s possible they were being facetious as the circumstances of his departure from the competition have been widely reported.

'Where's Ben?' Eagle-eyed viewers were quick to notice and point out Ungermann's absence from the show

‘Where’s Ben?’ Eagle-eyed viewers were quick to notice and point out Ungermann’s absence from the show

Ungermann was charged on March 6 with two counts of sexual assault, following an alleged incident in Melbourne’s Docklands on February 23 involving a 16-year-old girl.

At the time, he was filming the latest series of MasterChef – but was removed from the competition once producers learned of his arrest.

On March 20, it was first reported that Ungermann had been arrested.

At the time, a spokesperson for Endemol Shine described his arrest as being ‘of a personal nature’ but didn’t provide further details. 

Case: Ungermann was charged on March 6 with two counts of sexual assault, following an alleged incident in Melbourne's Docklands on February 23 involving a 16-year-old girl

Case: Ungermann was charged on March 6 with two counts of sexual assault, following an alleged incident in Melbourne’s Docklands on February 23 involving a 16-year-old girl

He was expected to appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on June 25 but he is believed to have been holed-up in Queensland and was not present at the web hearing.

His lawyer Sarah Condon told the Melbourne Magistrates Court via video link that Ungermann intended to fight the charges.

Court documents state police allege Ungermann intentionally touched his alleged child victim without her consent – and he knew it – at least three times. 

Competition: At the time, he was filming the latest series of MasterChef - but was removed from the competition once producers learned of his arrest

Competition: At the time, he was filming the latest series of MasterChef – but was removed from the competition once producers learned of his arrest