Meghan Markle's MasterChef Appearance Breaks Records Amid On-Set Demands
Audience figures soar for Duchess's guest judge role, while production insiders report 'exhaustion' during filming.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Callum Smith
Meghan Markle appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia season 18, an episode that has since broken significant viewership records.
The episode, filmed during Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's April 2024 trip to Australia, featured the Duchess of Sussex joining the culinary competition.
During the intense cooking challenge, contestant Casper Kenworthy cut his finger while peeling ginger, adding a dramatic, unscripted turn to the proceedings.
Meghan Markle praised contestant Aaron Kher's dish, offering specific feedback on his culinary efforts.
She also shared personal insights, stating that her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are 'great eaters' and enjoy Brussels sprouts, a rare glimpse into her family life.
Great eaters and enjoy Brussels sprouts.
The episode achieved the biggest overnight Sunday audience since July 2023, a critical benchmark for the program.
It also recorded a 16% increase in its national Total TV audience compared with the same episode in 2023.
Total TV, an Australian metric, combines linear broadcast television with digital broadcast video-on-demand (BVOD) viewing, providing a comprehensive measure of viewership across screens.
Despite the strong audience figures, reports emerged of a tense moment involving Meghan Markle and Poh Ling Yeow after the Duchess was announced as 'royalty.'
Celebrity journalist Rob Shuter, citing production insiders, claimed Meghan Markle’s appearance left the cast and crew 'exhausted.'
Production insiders further claimed the Duchess of Sussex was 'one of the most demanding celebrity guests the long-running series has ever hosted,' a stark assessment contrasting with the public success of the episode.