Julie Bélanger Leaves 24 en 24 as Chuck Hughes Leads Season Two

Quebec television host Julie Bélanger will not return for the second season of TVA's culinary competition 24 en 24, scheduled to air in spring 2027. Announced on October 8, 2026, her departure leaves chef Chuck Hughes as the show's sole host as the production prepares for another 24-hour cooking marathon.

According to reports from La Presse, Showbizz.net and Vedette Québec, Bélanger decided to step away to concentrate on Génération J, her daily radio program on Rythme. The second season will again feature 24 chefs competing across 24 challenges for a $24,000 grand prize, with filming scheduled for January 2027.

Bélanger explained her decision in a social media statement, emphasizing her positive experience during the inaugural season while outlining her priorities for the coming year.

"You may have seen the news that 24 en 24 will have a second season! Although I was delighted to be part of the first edition, pushed myself in this completely crazy challenge, and loved the show, I have decided not to renew the experience. This year, I want to dedicate myself completely to my radio show, Génération J on Rythme.

It is a major responsibility, and I am putting all my heart and energy into building a show you will enjoy, focused on honesty and the pleasure of exchanging ideas with a wonderful team. I have worked a lot over the past few years, and now I want to do one thing at a time. I wish the entire 24 en 24 team the very best of luck!

From now on, I will watch the show as a viewer, comfortably from my living room." Bélanger said.

Her decision follows another significant change in her television career. Bélanger left TVA's talk show Ça finit bien la semaine after cohosting it for 13 years. Anouk Meunier took over in September 2026, joining Jean-Michel Anctil as cohost.

In an earlier interview with La Presse, Bélanger described her departure from the talk show as a personal decision and said she felt she had reached the end of what she could accomplish with the project. Her latest announcement similarly centers on managing her professional commitments by focusing on one major undertaking at a time.

Génération J airs daily on Rythme and features discussions about current events and personal topics with Bélanger and her team of contributors. Showbizz.net reported that she intends to devote her attention to developing the program and engaging with its audience.

TVA, Québecor Contenu and Pixcom have confirmed the return of 24 en 24 for spring 2027. According to Showbizz.net, registration for prospective contestants opened on October 8, while Vedette Québec reported that applications would remain open until November 11, 2026.

The competition challenges professional chefs to sustain their performance through an extended sequence of cooking tests. According to Vedette Québec, one contestant is eliminated each hour during the 24-hour event, with participants required to demonstrate endurance, persistence and creativity to remain in the running.

Guillaume Caron won the inaugural season in June 2026, earning the $24,000 prize after defeating Gilles Tolen in the final duel. The first season consisted of 12 episodes and adapted the American format 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, according to Vedette Québec.

With filming planned for January 2027, the upcoming season will introduce a revised hosting arrangement, with Hughes taking sole responsibility for presenting the competition when the program returns to TVA in the spring.