'Masterchef' judge may be cooking up show in Tarras

Television New Zealand is not giving anything away, but talk in Tarras last week revealed a star was in town.

The News understands celebrity chef and restaurateur Simon Gault, one of the judges on TV One's popular show Masterchef New Zealand, was filming a new show at Bendigo Station over several days last week.

A helicopter and film crew were spotted by The News and locals spoken to confirmed filming - reputedly for a new cooking show with a possible "wild foods" slant - was taking place in the area.

A publicity spokeswoman at TVNZ declined to comment on the details of the show or its Central Otago filming locations, as it was still "commercially sensitive".

Mr Gault featured in The News last week, after Alexandra-based photographer Jacqui van Dam took photographs at his Auckland wedding.