Is MasterChef coming to a town near you?

Simon Gault. Photo / Supplied

Production has begun for the latest series of the hit TV One cooking show and finalists will be selected from auditions this week.

An expanded third series of MasterChef could be coming to a town near you.

The third series, due to hit TV screens early next year, will be expanded from 13 to 17 episodes.

The companion show, MasterChef Masterclass, will also return.

Judges Simon Gault, Josh Emett and Ray McVinnie are signed up and will be in Auckland this week to critique the contestants' cooking.

TVNZ was tight-lipped about where filming would take place but promised it would be across the country.

"The third season will have fabulous new locations across New Zealand," said publicist Meredith McGrath. "MasterChef is a food show as well, and that will be particularly evident in this series."

Filming will start this month and could continue until the end of October.

McGrath said: "It will be interesting if we get a die-hard rugby fan who has to choose between being in the programme and watching the All Blacks."

Preliminary auditions have been held in Timaru, Wellington and Auckland over the past few weeks.

Finalists will be selected after auditions at Ellerslie Racecourse this week. Once filming begins they will stay in the same North Shore mansion that has housed previous contestants.