Georgie Parker has been on Home and Away since 2010. She plays the much-loved character of Roo Stewart, daughter of Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) and close friend of Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons). However, it looks like she’s departing Summer Bay for a new project, an Australian show called Dalliance.
With the new trailer released this month, Home and Away fans are all asking the same question: has Roo left Summer Bay for good?
In April, Emily shared a photo of herself and Ray from set, saying they were “missing” Georgie.
In a Facebook group, one person asked: “How is Roo leaving Home and Away?”
However, it looks like Georgie just took a break from filming to be part of Dalliance. On June 30, the actor shared some photos on Instagram showing she was back out at Palm Beach, where Home and Away is filmed. “Magic hour,” she captioned the photos.
One eagle-eyed fan noted this means Roo sticks around and “doesn’t die” in this year’s cliffhanger.
What do we know about Georgie Parker’s new show Dalliance?
Dalliance is an Australian TV show coming to Paramount in August 2026. It stars Hugo Weaving, Heather Mitchell, David Wenham, Ryan Panizza, Georgie Parker, Wayne Blair, Carolyn Bock, Catherine McClements, Russel Dykstra, Kate Winter and John Doyle.
The six-episode series follows a close-knit friend group in their 60s as they figure out what life is meant to be. When one of their own passes away, the group of friends start to embrace life.
Home and Away fans are excited for it, with one saying the casting was “fire”.
“Another great-looking Aussie show,” another added.
Georgie Parker as Roo Stewart in Home and Away. Image: Seven
How does Georgie Parker get to appear in other projects?
Georgie Parker appears to have an agreement with Home and Away producers that allows her to pursue other acting projects. This includes plays, films and TV shows. Her character Roo can be written off for a period as she goes to visit a relative or friend, meaning she doesn’t have to quit Home and Away for good.
Home and Away airs Mondays – Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
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The reality star opened up about her fertility journey in an Instagram story, saying she’s just started the process and is working on getting in a healthy routine ahead of her upcoming appointments.
“I’m going ahead with egg freezing,” she said. “I’ve got my consultation in less than a month, and I’m preparing my body as best I can. So I’m seeing my Chinese medicine doctor on Monday to get the ball rolling there with all the acupuncture, and then my friend Mon, she’s a nutritionist. She is putting me on a few sups which she’s recommended, I’ll let you know what they are.
“But the ball is rolling, and I’m so, so excited,” she added, before asking her followers for any advice they had about egg freezing.
Rhi later shared a screenshot of the advice she’d received from followers, with many recommending she speak to a naturopath about supplements, while others stressed the importance of staying well rested and hydrated.
Rhi on MAFS 2025. Image: Nine.
Rhi explains why she wants to freeze her eggs
In a follow-up story, Rhi, who’s 36, added that her initial post had sparked a lot of questions from her followers, and said she wanted to share why she decided to go ahead with egg freezing.
“I’ve had a lot of people reach out who are in the exact same boat as me and curious about egg freezing and whether to do it or not, and I really do feel you. I think being the age I’m at you go through roller coaster of emotions where you’re like feel empowered and really good about this stage in my life, and then there’s other days where I’m like, “Where did I go wrong? Why am I here right now?” she began.
“And everyone’s timeline is so, so different, and I think it’s good to take the pressure off yourself. You know, relationships sometimes don’t work out, and what you thought doesn’t always go to plan. Well, a lot of the time, it doesn’t go to plan.”
Rhi explained that she knows freezing her eggs doesn’t guarantee that she’ll be able to conceive later, but said she was hoping for a good result.
“I am very well aware that it doesn’t always work for everyone, and fingers crossed that it works for me. And if not, I might have to do around two or round three. We’ll see how it goes. But yeah, I just want to say I feel for the people who put pressure on themselves because I know what that’s like.”
Stream Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2026 on 9Now.
MasterChef Australia 2026’s Casper Kenworthy was sent home after being tasked with heroing grapes in an elimination challenge dish — an ingredient chosen by his own family.
While the other contestants‘ hand-picked ingredients were easier to incorporate, like Aaron’s garlic and Vinnie’s sardines, many fans argued Casper was at an immediate disadvantage after being assigned grapes.
Casper was ultimately sent home from the competition, with the judges finding that the grapes didn’t shine enough in his dish.
“Can you imagine how his parents must feel? I’m not sure it’s fair to have the contestant’s loved ones pick a hero ingredient like that. I would be so totally devastated if I was ‘responsible’ for my son, brother or partner being eliminated,” one person wrote on Reddit.
But, in a post-elimination interview with Chattr, he said he doesn’t blame his family for choosing the ingredient.
“They’re definitely not an easy ingredient,” he said. “I think [my parents] were a bit sad that an ingredient that they picked was the one that sent me home, but you know, I’m always sort of looking on the bright side,” he explained.
“They definitely were sad, but also we’re a family where we like to have a laugh and stuff too. So there were plenty of things we were having a laugh about, and I was reassuring them that, you know, it’s not their fault. They weren’t the one cooking with [grapes] at the end of the day,” Casper added.
Casper added that he would have loved to have proven himself by blowing the judges away with a grape dish, adding that that would have given him a lot of confidence moving forward.
“It’s that challenge you need before the semi-finals to really dig deep and get creative to show that you can beat it. If I nailed putting up a dish with the grapes, then that sets you up for semi-finals and even the finale, so I think it was a really good final test. But I’m not going to say that I failed it either, because I still managed to get up a dish that I’m proud of, and my parents were proud of it too.”
Casper on MasterChef. Image: Ten.
Casper explains why his family picked grapes for the MasterChef challenge
Casper explained that, unlike Aaron and Vinnie, whose ingredients reflected strong family food traditions, his own family didn’t have the same culinary heritage to draw from when choosing an ingredient.
“Being from a very white Anglo family, we don’t have a whole lot of food culture, so there’s not a whole lot they could have sent me anyway. It’s been up to me to make my own food culture for us, and grapes have such strong memories for me,” he said.
“I think it’d be no surprise to people as well. You probably saw some of the reactions on the gantry. I always had grapes in my fridge. I was always eating grape lollies in the green room and stuff. So yeah, it would be no surprise to a lot of people to see grapes under there.”
Casper admitted grapes may have seemed like an unusual choice, but he said he never viewed it as an unfair one.
“But you know, at face value, it does seem like a funny ingredient to pick, but I wouldn’t say it’s unfair. I think just having that lack of food culture, you probably have that most ingredients they’d send me there would be a bit more difficult to hero.”
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday – Monday on Channel 10 and 10Play.
After a whole season of suspense, Meghan Markle finally made her MasterChef Australia debut and guess what? The world didn’t end. Swell!
Despite weeks of tabloid cynicism and a fabricated feud, Meghan Markle actually won plenty of viewers over as she stepped into her judging shoes.
Meghan made a surprise entrance into the MasterChef Australia kitchen after Poh Ling Yeow teased that they had welcomed “MasterChef royalty” before introducing “the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan.”
Meghan and Poh somehow found themselves in the centre of celebrity beef rumours over the past week, but based on Sunday’s episode, these two couldn’t have hit it off any more. Besties alert!
In the episode, Meghan filled in for Andy Allen to help judge a challenge requiring contestants to celebrate seasonal produce and create a dish “fit for a Duchess.”
She praised the cooks’ creativity and spoke about food as a way of bringing families together. Meghan also joked about Prince Harry’s spice tolerance while tasting Aaron Kher’s fiery dish, saying the sauce might be too hot for him. The Prince himself made a rogue appearance over FaceTime during judging.
Casper tells Chattr exactly what Meghan Markle was like on the MasterChef set
Chattr spoke with recent eliminee Casper about any behind-the-scenes gossip he could share about his day with the Duchess. “She was there the whole time with us. When we were shooting on the floor, she would come and chat and say hi. She was very interactive,” Casper said.
“Then at the end, we all took a photo together. I saw someone online saying, ‘Oh, that’s AI,’ but no, no, she was very, very happy to take a photo with us all at the end, and very keen to chat with Aaron, Petro, Vinny, and I — she had individual words with us. We couldn’t ask for anything more, honestly.”
Casper admits the whole crew were ‘giddy’ over her presence on the show, but didn’t expect the Suits actress to be so personable with everyone.
“She was really nice — she would have you at your bench, very genuine, very clearly interested in what you were doing. She was there for herself because she loves cooking and she is a fan of the show. When she was giving feedback, it was very articulate, well considered. She really knew what she was talking about,” he admitted.
“We all thought it was a pretty great guest judge and I think that’s been echoed in the feelings [from viewers]. It’s been very well-received episode.”
Far removed from the ‘snobby’ and ‘difficult’ woman she’s portrayed in the UK tabloids, Casper said that Meghan is nothing like that. “You see everything that’s been written about her online, and it’s pretty horrible sort of stuff. It was really nice to get to see the real her,” he shared.
“She proved to everyone that she’s not the person that all the British tabloids say she is.”
MasterChef Australia viewers react to Meghan Markle as a guest judge
It was quite the royal affair for this Australian reality TV show, so what did viewers think of the Duchess does MasterChef?
Unsurprisingly, over on X (a famous cynical site), some people were not so happy that Meghan was given a judging spot.
If #MasterChefAU scaled back on its guest chef appearances, service challenges and off set cooks to fund this one Meghan visit… I question whether it is giving return on investment. It's… okay, it's fine. But not great?
However, on Reddit viewers were pleasantly surprised by Meghan Markle. “I was never a fan but I found her charming,” said one convert.
“I’m American so take this for what it’s worth, but I thought MM [Meghan Markle] did a great job. Her comments were actually insightful and you could tell she has some knowledge,” added another, with comments agreeing with this take.
“I’m with you. I don’t follow her at all, probably couldn’t identify her from a photo, but she was way better than, say Katy Perry, who was a guest once,” replied a viewer. “Seemed like a genuinely nice person. Gave seemingly on-target feedback on their dishes, but also made them feel good.”
Other viewers were in agreement that Meghan’s calm demeanour was an improvement on another rogue American celebrity cameo: Katy Perry’s truly chaotic guest judge appearance. “Good episode,” wrote another. “MM was so much more refreshing than when Katy Perry was a guest.”
On MasterChef’s official Instagram, a lot of the comments about MM were overwhelmingly positive. “She is so graceful,” said one. “The people’s princess,” added another.
How much was Meghan Markle paid to be a guest judge on MasterChef Australia?
Meghan Markle appeared in the MasterChef kitchen while visiting Australia with Prince Harry, joining judges Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli for a special challenge.
The highly anticipated MasterChef Australia appearance sparked plenty of heated online discussion, including speculation about whether Network 10 had paid a hefty fee to secure the Duchess of Sussex as a guest judge.
When Meghan’s cameo was announced in April 2026, reports suggested she could receive a six-figure payday. One salary estimate claimed she may have been offered approximately $380,000 for the one-off appearance, although Network 10 never verified the figure at the time.
The speculation was unsurprising considering Meghan’s global profile, television background and connections to the British royal family. However, reports of an enormous appearance fee were ultimately proved incorrect. Network 10 later shut down the rumours and confirmed that Meghan had not been paid a cent for participating in the episode.
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday 7pm and Monday and Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
ICYMI: The Traitors Australia is a high-stakes game of deception in which secretly selected Traitors ‘murder’ their fellow Faithfuls overnight, while the remaining Faithful attempt to expose and banish them at tense round tables.
Those who survive compete to claim the prize money, but a Traitor can steal it if they remain undetected.
Returning for season three after several years off air, the Australian edition has replaced original host Rodger Corser with former Big Brother presenter Gretel Killeen.
The new celebrity cast includes Aussie celebs and iconic reality stars from The Bachelor, Survivor, MAFS and Big Brother, alongside two-time MasterChef fan favourite, 51-year-old Alvin Quah.
Alvin admits that having to be deceitful will be a challenge for him but his authentic vibe will carry him through the competition. Alvin knows he’s sharp and he owns it — he doesn’t have imposter syndrome.
And of course, Alvin will bring his comedy to the house, as he is known from MasterChef for his hilarious commentary. On his Instagram, he describes himself as a “Two-time MasterChef Australia finalist” and “Part time model.”
Alvin can’t wait to sink his teeth into Traitors. “The whole experience has genuinely been thrilling – more thrilling than I expected,” Alvin spilled to Archer.
“I cannot wait for you all to watch it. I binged the UK series, and [host] Claudia Winkleman is my queen. But she might be superseded by Gretel Killeen, I dare say. If you love Claudia, wait till you watch Gretel. You’re gonna be screaming at the television!”
Alvin knows that Traitors is a very different beast to MasterChef. “MasterChef is warm and collaborative, and you’re surrounded by people who support you and genuinely want you to do well, right? The Traitors is not that,” he joked.
The Traitors Australia’s Alvin Quah’s background and career
Born in Kuala Lumpur, with Chinese-Malaysian heritage, Alvin moved to Melbourne in 1994. Alvin is a proud advocate for multiculturalism and Asian-Australian representation in media.
“This is who I am — a product of Peranakan parents,” he wrote for the ABC. “Mum is from Melaka and Dad is from Penang. Ask any Malaysian and they will tell you that Melaka and Penang are arguably the foodie states of Malaysia.”
After MasterChef, Alvin went on to work as a TV host, and he’s raised awareness with organisations such as UN Human Rights Asia and Optometry Australia.
Before getting his TV big break, Alvin spent more than two decades working in health care and pharmaceuticals. This multifaceted man even holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne in biomedical science.
More recently, he contributed to Gourmet Traveller as both a writer and recipe developer.
What is The Traitors Australia’s Alvin Quah known for? His history on MasterChef Australia
Alvin Quah became one of MasterChef Australia’s most memorable contestants when he first entered the kitchen during season two in 2010. A world away from MasterChef, Alvin joked in a Traitors trailer that “being in a cooking show is… nothing like this!”
On MasterChef, the Malaysian-born Sydney cook quickly won viewers over with his quirky personality, sharp sense of humour and distinctive collection of glasses, colourful shirts and bow ties — all while impressing the judges with his bold, punchy flavours.
Alvin was particularly known for celebrating Malaysian and broader South-East Asian cuisine, drawing inspiration from the food cooked by his mother and family. His breakout creations included Drunken Chicken with Bruised Salad and his Caramelised Pork Belly with Chilli Vinegar and Saffron Rice, earning album the position of sixth place.
Putting Malaysian food on the map has always been Alvin’s first passion. “Even back in 2010, when I was first on MasterChef, it’s always been my intention to inspire even one person to cook my dish, or know about Malaysian dishes. That’s my job done, right? I must be the only idiot on the show that didn’t go there to win,” he joked in a recent interview with Archer.
Twelve years later, Alvin returned for MasterChef Australia: Fans & Favourites in 2022. He again reached sixth place (will Traitors be third times a charm?), with Alvin returning with greater confidence and technical skills while staying faithful to his Malaysian heritage.
His standout dishes during his second appearance included Babi Pongteh with Sambal Ikan Bilis, Prawns with Red Sauce and Egg Floss, Nasi Lemak and an updated Drunken Chicken 2.0. Alvin also impressed with his imaginative Plantain Abacus Beads with Gochujang and Fish Sauce Caramel, cementing his reputation as an inventive cook and beloved MasterChef personality.
The third season of Traitors Australia premieres on Network 10 and 10Play on August 4, 2026.
Gia Fleur and Bec Zacharia‘s feud undoubtedly carried much of the 2026 season of Married at First Sight, and the post-show drama didn’t end when filming wrapped. Now, the former TV brides have shared a big update about where their relationship stands today.
Both Bec and Gia continued to call each other out relentlessly on social media and in interviews after the season wrapped — including on Stan’s After the Dinner Party — but they’ve finally reached an unexpected truce.
Gia first publicly announced that their long-running feud was over in a TikTok reel in which she shared her predictions about the gender of her unborn baby.
“I want to say a thank you to her because I did listen to The Ella Era podcast where she did speak about my pregnancy and said kind things,” Gia began.
She added that she reached out to Bec to thank her, and said her former nemesis sent a nice reply back.
“Guys, the war is over for now. No, we are not friends. No, we aren’t going to talk, and everything’s all peaches and cream. I just wanted to say, people can grow,” Gia said. “You can learn to coincide with people and be happy for them, even if you’re not in their life, and I think she is on her own journey and she’s living it up, and I’m really proud of her.”
Following Gia’s unexpected TikTok update, Chattr reached out to both women to find out whether their feud was really over, and it seems they’ve put their differences aside.
“I honestly don’t have anything negative to say,” Bec told Chattr in an exclusive interview. “If Gia feels like it’s time to move on, then I think that’s a positive thing. A year on, I think we’ve both grown from the experience, and I’d much rather focus on what’s ahead than keep revisiting the past.
“I genuinely wish her all the best and hope we can both move forward separately and with respect.”
Gia echoed what she said in the TikTok, while sharing some kind words about Bec.
“I wish Bec nothing but the best, the war has gone on long enough and I’m really proud of us both for making it a year post MAFS and still not in the loony bin. Onwards and upwards!” she told Chattr.
The couple hosted a gender reveal party, sharing the big announcement in a joint post on Instagram. As Gia fired off confetti, an explosion of pink filled the air, confirming the couple were expecting a baby girl.
Gia has received sweet comments from some of her MAFS co-stars. “Omg yay!! Another lil princess,” wrote Mel Akbay. “Another little princess,” added Rebecca Zukowski.
The couple began dating shortly after Gia left MAFS and went public with their romance in February 2026, while her season was still airing.
Gia and Alan, who are 12 weeks along and due in early January, shared their pregnancy news with Woman’s Day, admitting the positive test was a bit of a surprise.
“We weren’t trying, but we weren’t not trying,” Gia explained. “Then I did a test, came out and said, ‘I’m pregnant!’ And Alan was like, ‘Oh my God! What? How?’”
Although the couple weren’t actively trying to conceive, Gia said she and Alan were thrilled to learn they were expecting their first child together.
“I was really excited,” she said of the moment she found out she was pregnant. “My first thought was, ‘Yay!’ because I have a 10-year-old daughter and I thought I’d never have another kid. I didn’t think I’d meet the right person I’d want to have another baby with.”
“We were just on the same page from the start,” Gia said. “We both wanted kids. We just always knew what we wanted.”
Alan agreed, saying that their relationship has been very serious since the start.
“It was a pretty easy thing to be all-in with Gia,” he told the publication. “It wouldn’t have been a shock to anyone we knew that we’d have a baby.”
Gia added: “I mean, we got matching tattoos like a month in. Then we moved in, and moved straight into the reno [of their home]. Like, we were pretty serious early on.”
Gia, who has a 10-year-old daughter with her ex-husband, said that her pregnancy has been a “dream” so far.
“I haven’t even thrown up,” she said. “It’s a very easy pregnancy compared to before, although my cravings are crazy. I want meat all the time, like Bunnings sausages!”
Meanwhile, Alan made it clear that the new baby may not be their last, adding that he is excited for his future with Gia.
“If we have another girl, I’d probably try again for a boy,” Alan joked. “And if she behaves, she might get a ring eventually.”
“We’ll definitely get engaged and married. But right now, I just want to focus on the baby and our relationship,” Gia added.
Gia, who copped a lot of backlash for her behaviour on MAFS while the show was airing, said she knows her pregnancy announcement may spark fresh criticism.
“The people who say, ‘Oh, we’ve moved too fast’, they are the same people that thought this was a PR relationship. But here we are, nearly eight months together,” she said.
“We live together, we have a baby on the way. It doesn’t get much more serious than this.”
Stream Married at First Sight (MAFS) on 9Now.
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Farmer Wants A Wife (FWAW)is almost over for another year, but we’ve still got the best part ahead: the messy reunion where viewers finally learn the fate of these wholesome love stories.
The second finale saw Farmer Jarrad blindsided when Yvonne rejected him before he could deliver his decision, although he later clarified his heart was with his winner, Brodie. Farmer Dylan then let Scarlett go and told his longtime frontrunner Ally that he loved her. And of course, Farmer Alex ended his journey early with Eddy, declaring that he had fallen in love with her.
Ahead of the reunion, a bunch of questions linger over which couples survived outside the show. Did Ally do a runner on Dylan again? Have Zac and Maya managed long distance? Are Jason and Poppy aligned on having/not having children? Are the split rumours surrounding Alex and Eddy true? And are Jarrad and Brodie going to, umm… be at the reunion too?
We’ve dug up everything you need to know about the Farmer Wants A Wife reunion, including which couples we reckon are still together based on the teaser.
Natalie Gruzlewski says the FWAW Reunion may shock fans
With the Reunion creeping up, host Natalie Gruzlewski has teased what’s coming. She told TV WEEK that viewers can expect to see “big emotions, unanswered questions finally being addressed and a few moments no one will see coming”.
The host was careful not to give away any spoilers, but did hint that the final episode may shock fans.
“This season kept surprising me from start to finish – so many twists and unexpected exits that really shifted relationships,” she admitted.
Which couples are still together at the Farmer Wants A Wife reunion?
You’ll have to wait for the Reunion to find out which couples stayed together, but according to our source, the chances of multiple happy endings this year look slim.
“Nearly all of the Farmers have split up with their final picks since filming wrapped; the only couple that are still together to this day are Maya and Farmer Zac,” the source told Chattr,
On top of that, there were quite a few clues left in the trailer that hint that some couples are doing better than others on the outside.
Let’s start with the good stuff: Maya and Zac appear the most ‘together’ out of the 2026 couples. Firstly, they’re not sitting two metres away from each other on the reunion couch — so that’s nice!
They seem to still be together and they’re even talking about future plans. “Wedding bells on the horizon?” host Natalie asks, as Maya grins, turning to Zac to say “I might let you answer that.”
The next clue comes in the form of the teaser’s edit. Channel 7 wants us to think that three couples have gone the distance. “Which romances survived?” Nat asks at the clip flashes to Zac, Jarrod and Jason and their winners.
Jason and Poppy are sitting close-ish to each other, albeit in a way you’d sit next to a stranger on a bus, but they do appear not to hate each other. And that’s beautiful!
In the clip, the host tries to find out if Poppy ever said ‘I love you’ back to Jason after leaving him hanging in the finale. “Has she said it back?” Natalie asks a sheepish Jason. Stay tuned!
Meanwhile, Jarrad’s future with Brodie hangs in the balance. This couple copped the least amount of screen time in the reunion teaser (much like the whole season, hey!), but it was hard to miss just how far apart they were seated on the couch.
Does this look like long-lasting love? Hmm.
Now for the couples who seem to be definitely donezo…
It doesn’t look quite so good for the fate of Alex and Dylan’s post-FWAW relationships. “Who has been left with a broken heart?” Nat ponders. “It’s not what I wanted,” Dylan is heard solemly stating, as Alex says, “I felt as though she recoiled.”
Dylan and Ally are seated at opposite ends of the reunion coach, which doesn’t go unnoticed by host, Nat.
Natalie then confirms, “She broke up with you,” as both Alex and Dylan’s faces flash on screen.
Of course, it won’t come as a shock that Alex and Eddy are over — she’s already moved on with a new French boyfriend, as reports emerged their romance was short-lived outside the show.
But hopefully, both Alex and Eddy will get a chance to shed light on what went wrong. Alex admits in the teaser that he “can’t explain why she did what she did,” as the two exes are seen sitting a metre apart.
When is the Farmer Wants A Wife 2026 reunion airing?
The highly anticipated Farmer Wants A Wife 2026 reunion episode will air on Sunday, August 2 on Channel 7 and stream on 7plus.
Why the long wait? According to the TV Guide, the 2026 Commonwealth Games will be airing in FWAW’s typical timeslot on Sunday, July 26, which means fans might need to wait until the following week (in August!) to watch the reunion. Yelp.
Who will be at the Farmer Wants A Wife 2026 reunion?
As it goes with the previous seasons, all of the Farmer Wants A Wife couples will appear on the reunion. This will include: Farmer Alex and Eddy, Farmer Zac and Maya, Farmer Jason and Poppy, Farmer Dylan and Ally, along with Farmer Jarrad and Brodie.
They will be joined by host Natalie, who will grill the couples on what’s next for them and, if they’ve already split, ask them why it all fell apart after the finale. Bring it on!
In case you missed it, the Duchess of Sussex is set to feature as a guest judge on an upcoming episode of the cooking show, but her much-discussed appearance has been dogged by headlines and rumours ever since it was announced by Channel 10.
One such rumour erupted in April, when the network first announced Meghan’s MasterChef guest slot via a social media teaser. In that clip, judge Poh Ling Yeow welcomed Meghan to the MasterChef kitchen with an introduction that referred to her as “royalty”.
“We’ve had MasterChef royalty in the kitchen before, but nothing like this,” Poh said in the clip. “All the way from California, please welcome to MasterChef Australia, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle!”
The Duchess enters the MasterChef Australia kitchen! Image: Instagram
Soon after the promo teaser was published, an anonymous source claimed to news.com.au that Meghan and her team were “very frustrated” over the use of the word “royalty”.
Why, you ask? Well, the Duchess has apparently tried to avoid fuelling debate over her royal status ever since she and Prince Harry revoked their Royal Highness titles and stepped back from royal duties in 2020.
The unnamed source claimed Meghan and her team “specifically” told MasterChef Australia not to refer to her as “royalty”, adding that the Duchess was unaware she’d been introduced as such because she wasn’t in earshot of Poh’s spiel.
“They were outside the doors when it was filmed, so didn’t know what had been said,” the insider claimed.
Production source refutes Meghan Markle MasterChef rumours
Despite those claims otherwise, a production source close to MasterChef Australia has now denied that any such “frustrations” took place, instead claiming that Poh’s introduction was scripted and cleared ahead of time by Meghan’s team.
“I know for a fact that the producers and the marketing team would have worked hard to make sure everything that was said on camera was aligned with what Meghan’s publicity team would have said,” a production source exclusively told Chattr.
“Obviously, it’s reality [TV], but there’s so much of it that’s scripted. Poh’s line about ‘never having royalty like this before’ was scripted, and she would have had to say that a few times as well. It’s not like she said it candidly,” they added.
The source went on to reiterate that despite rumours of Meghan objecting to her introduction, the reality is that everything was approved on both Meghan and MasterChef‘s end.
“If they had that line scripted and Meghan’s team didn’t agree with it, they would have told them to take it out. The scripted line would have been checked over. At the end of the day, that script would’ve been checked by Megan’s publicity team,” they claimed.
The source went on to refute the broader rumours of tensions and frustrations on the set, saying Meghan’s vibe, and that of the entire MasterChef team, was quite the opposite.
“Everyone was genuinely starstruck and excited that she was there; no matter their stance on the monarchy — she was a big deal.”
Meghan Markle slams MasterChef Australia reports
The production source’s claims add to a recent statement by an insider close to Meghan, who similarly told PEOPLE — a very reputable outlet for celebrity reporting — that the reports are “false”.
“Meghan and the MasterChef judges had a great time on set together,” the insider said. “They immediately had such a great rapport and had a really fun time working with the contestants and crew as well.”
Far from what the rumour mill has been spinning, the insider went on to stress that Meghan “left the set that day with such a positive experience,” adding in a final message that “any reporting otherwise is false.”
Meghan previously cooked up a storm in her 2025 series With Love, Meghan. Image: Netflix
Those comments were also corroborated by the MasterChef production source, who likewise denied any tensions and told Chattr that Meghan “was friendly and she was professional on TV.”
Poh Ling Yeow apparently ‘upset’ over her Meghan Markle MasterChef mix-up
Though we’ve since learned that no mix-up took place during Meghan’s MasterChef episode, New Idea recently published insiders’ claims that Poh was upset by the supposed gaffe.
“It wasn’t about Meghan personally,” the insider told New Idea. “Poh felt she had been unintentionally drawn into a royal protocol issue she never intended to be part of.”
Poh was apparently “willing to reach out immediately” to Meghan’s team to apologise for the moment, but “was advised to leave it for production to handle,” according to New Idea.
All the rumours led to the MasterChef production source’s most recent denial Chattr, which might be the last word we hear until Meghan’s episode airs later this week.
Meghan filmed the guest judge appearance in MasterChef Australia’s Melbourne kitchen in April, during her and Prince Harry’s broader Australian visit, which also included philanthropic pit stops in Sydney and Canberra.
We’ll have to wait and see how it all unfolds in the final edit, with Meghan’s MasterChef Australia episode hitting screens this Sunday on Channel 10.
But based on the production source’s claims, I imagine there won’t be the fireworks that the rumour mill was anticipating.
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday 7pm and Monday and Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
Annabel Lloyd formed a close friendship with Casper Kenworthy on MasterChef Australia, and she has revealed how her nursing background helped her come to his aid when his cystic fibrosis flared up during the show.
Casper was diagnosed with the genetic condition later in life, and he is on medication to manage his symptoms. During a post-elimination interview with Chattr, Annabel revealed that her friendship with Casper deepened after discovering they shared a connection to cystic fibrosis through her work as a nurse.
“I work in heart and lung transplant, and lung transplantation, which is like end treatment options for people with cystic fibrosis, so I have so many beautiful patients that have cystic fibrosis, and so when I found out that Casper had it, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is incredible! I had a really good understanding of sort of the symptoms he does have. He’s really lucky in that he has quite a mild form of it, but it still affects him,” she said.
Annabel reflected on a behind-the-scenes moment when her nurse connections came in handy to help Casper.
“There was one time when he’d run out of his medication, and we were down in Melbourne, and so we were trying to source this really rare sort of CF medication from all over Melbourne,” she explained.
“Obviously, in my head I had my contacts, and I was like, I know the lung transplant unit in Melbourne; I know they’ll have it. So let’s give them a call, and they did! So, that was cool.”
Annabel said her bond with Casper had grown so strong that when it became clear either she or Casper would be eliminated during Poh’s Pressure Test, she hoped he would be the one to stay.
“When I was standing next to Casper, and it was him and I, I was like, ‘Oh my God! I don’t want Casper to go home. I really don’t want him to.’ I don’t want to go home either, but I really don’t want Casper to go home,” she laughed.
Jackie, Aaron, Annabel and Casper on MasterChef 2026. Image: Ten.
Has Annabel followed her dream of becoming a nurse-chef?
In the final moments of Annabel’s elimination episode, which aired on July 22, she revealed that she planned to let her work know that she wanted to cut down her hours a bit, so she could balance a cooking career with nursing, calling her dream role a “nurse-chef”.
Annabel told Chattr that she’d luckily told her boss about reducing her shifts, “literally last week”.
“I don’t know how she would feel if she just had to learn on national TV I wanted to drop my hours,” she laughed. “We had a conversation; my workplace has been so supportive, and you know, dug really deep, and so I’m extremely committed to staying with them. But yes, I will be reducing my hours so that I can really give cooking the time and attention that it needs in order to be able to give this post-MasterChef career a red hot crack.”
While nursing and cooking might not seem like an obvious pairing, Annabel explained how she could see her two passions merging together.
“I would love to combine both and do cooking events and pop-ups raising money, and to then be able to go and do international aid trips and healthcare aid trips and stuff like that. That would be such a cool way to sort of combine the two, and then continue to do my like transplant job part time.”
MasterChef Australia airs on Channel 10 and 10Play on Sunday – Monday on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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Today show host Sarah Abo has given birth to a baby boy after departing the morning news show early for maternity leave.
Sarah shared the exciting news on Instagram and also revealed her son’s adorable name.
“Hi there, you can call me Sonny,” the post began. “What a week with our little man. He came into the world a little early but that gave us a little longer to marvel at you, our beautiful boy.”
“We love you so infinitely darling,” Sarah continued. “And to the incredible doctors and midwives who made hospital home for two weeks – thank you for taking such good care of us, you are all angels and we are forever grateful.”
Sarah was originally meant to start her maternity leave in August 2026, however, on July 15 she announced she’d be leaving early because of health complications related to her pregnancy. By the sounds of it, Sarah gave birth to little Sonny just days after starting her leave.
Sarah makes surprise appearance on Today with Sonny
Sonny may only be a week old, but he’s already in the limelight! Sarah surprised viewers with a visit with her new son during Friday morning’s episode.
“We’re going well. This little man is about a week old,” she told the Today hosts. “He came into the world a week early, our gorgeous boy, but I guess that gave us a week more to love you.”
She shared that Sonny looked just like his dad Cyrus Moran. “We’ve been calling him CJ the whole time,” she said.
Sarah explained that they decided to wait a week to announce the birth publicly because they’ve “been in our own little bubble the past week, which has been such a treat.”
Friends and fans congratulate Sarah Abo on the birth of her son
Sarah’s Instagram announcement was immediately flooded with well-wishes from friends and fans, who were thrilled by the happy news.
“He doesn’t know it yet, but Sonny has hit the jackpot with his mum and dad. Motherhood looks beautiful on you, Sarah. That gorgeous bubba is worth the wait. Sending you and Cyrus all the love. I also promise to be available to answer any 3am feeding time frustration texts (IYKYK)! So happy for you all,” Sarah’s colleague Jayne Azzopardi commented.
“Awww beautiful Sonny!!! Sending you so much love x,” Influencer Nadia Bartel wrote.
Richard Wilkins also joined in the celebrations: “Wonderful… just wonderful! Hearty congratulations and buckets of love,” he wrote.
Both women copped significant backlash during their time on MasterChef, with fans picking on everything from their dishes to their facial expressions and mannerisms. On X, viewers even referred to Annabel as “New Laura” and another comment wrote that “Annabel gives off a Laura vibe.”
Some fans have gone as far as to say that Annabel only made the top five because she was a woman. “If it’s Annabel vs anyone for the bottom two, she’ll go through because there’s no way they’ll let four males in the top four,” a X user posted.
Well… they did. Annabel was eliminated on Wednesday night, leaving Casper, Vinnie, Aaron and Petro to duke it out in the finals.
In an interview with WHO from earlier in the season, Laura showed solidarity with Annabel. “Fans love to pick on the last woman standing, unfortunately… society online still has an issue with confident and successful women,” she said. “I saw this across all of my seasons, and it’s just so sad and says more about the online community commenting these things than anything else.”
In response to Annabel being struck by the same favouritism claims she copped herself, the MasterChef winner wanted to put those allegations to bed. “If she’s a good cook, the judges love that,” Laura said. “It’s not favouritism, it’s celebrating skill and passion!”
In an interview with Chattr, Annabel revealed she had read what Laura said about her. “I actually read the thing that Laura was saying, and it was really nice because I’ve definitely read some [negative] stuff — I’d be lying if I said it didn’t affect me at times,” Annabel reflected.
“I have always been someone who values the opinion of people that I know and love and care about. You can be the juiciest peach in the box, and there’s going to be people that don’t like peaches. The types of people that don’t like the peaches are the ones that never tried a peach before.”
Annabel copped nasty trolling on MasterChef Australia 2026. Image: Ten.
Annabel admits that going into MasterChef, she didn’t quite fathom how the commentary might skew negative, but emphasised how much she respected Laura as a chef.
“I was a bit naive to it. I definitely knew that… Laura copped it. But she’s a force to be reckoned with,” Annabel told Chattr.
“She is an extremely impressive cook and individual, and like a mum, and she’s doing this awesome career. I’m like, why are people hating her? She’s fantastic.”
Like Laura, Annabel wanted to make it clear there was no favouritism in the MasterChef kitchen.
“Guys, there’s literally no favouritism. I promise you — there is none. They just show such small amount. We film for ages and ages, and there’s such a small amount that makes the cut. So it’s people forming a big opinion off such a small part of it.”
But ultimately, Annabel is focusing on all the positive people around her. “There are people with nasty opinions, but it’s the people around me whose opinions really, really matter to me,” Annabel said. “There has been so much support, and that’s what I’m focusing on. The negativity is such a small amount of it.”
What Laura Sharrad has said about MasterChef Australia’s trolls
Laura Sharrad’s long-awaited MasterChef Australia victory in 2025 was slightly overshadowed by cruel online commentary. After finishing runner-up in both 2014 and 2020, Laura returned for Back to Win and defeated Callum Hann in the finale, but some viewers continued to accuse her of favouritism and criticised her for *checks notes* cooking too much pasta and Italian food.
Laura Sharrad was mercilessly trolled in 2025. Image: Ten.
The trolling had followed Laura since her 2020 season, when her friendship with the late judge Jock Zonfrillo became a subject of fan speculation.
Laura’s fellow contestant, Jamie Fleming, previously defended her in an interview with Chattr, calling her a “powerhouse”. He said Laura could appear to be “coasting” only because she operated at such a high level. “She understands the competition. She’s a fantastic cook,” he said.
In response to the mean comments she received, Laura told Perth Now that the trolling had affected her. “I thought I was a fun person to watch on TV,” she said. “I feel a little vilified … people who know me know that I have not one bad bone in my body.”
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday to Wednesday on Channel 10 and 10Play.
Andy Allen was missing from last night’s episode of MasterChef Australia 2026 because his pregnant wife Alex Allen was giving birth to their son, Jude Jackson Allen.
“I’ve got some great news, Andy won’t be joining us today, because his wife Alex is having their first baby,” Jean-Christophe Novelli informed the contestants during the episode.
But while Andy may have been missing last night, the season is filmed way in advance, so their son actually arrived back on April 13, 2026.
Shortly after the birth, Jean-Christophe shared his excitement for Andy and Alex on their new bundle of joy.
“From where I am, I see they are clearly going to both be doting parents. It is always great news when there is a newborn baby. Especially when it is your first one!” he told Chattr.
“I am a very proud dad and this is the only thing that makes me tick in life, to be part of a family. Watching them both create an amazing recipe reminds me of my position 40 years ago with my very first child, my beautiful daughter Christina, who I am extremely proud of!”
Annabel shares an update on how ‘dad life’ is going for Andy
Although Andy was busy with his new family the night of Annabel’s elimination, she told Chattr she’s spoken to him since leaving MasterChef, and said that he loves being a dad.
“He’s reached out, he’s killing it,” she said. “He’s doing dad life, and then he’s balancing so many things in his job. He just opened up that sandwich shop in Sydney, and he’s the guy that can do it all. He really can.
“So I think he’s going awesome [with his new son]. His baby is so, so cute!”
Annabel is, of course, referring to the Florence sandwich shop All’Antico Vinaio. His involvement started two years ago when he posted photos of the sandwiches there, and he was approached to become a business partner with Jonny Stewart and Ali Mattar of Fladgate Hospitality Group, bringing the brand to Australia. The Australian branch opened in Sydney on Pitt Street last week.
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday – Wednesday on Channel 10 and 10Play.
As Farmer Wants A Wife (FWAW) is about to call it a day for 2026 with only the reunion on the horizon, the crew of Farmers and their Ladies will have to go back to their everyday lives.
But some of them have walked away with an Instagram following that could mean big bucks with sponsored content and endorsement deals in their futures. Of course, this isn’t international juggernaut Married at First Sight (MAFS), which often helps contestants kickstart a sizeable Instagram influencer career with a huge boost in followers.
The majority of the FWAW women and men at the helm only have modest followings on Instagram. In fact, a lot of the women’s follower counts range from just 1,000 to around 4,000 people — but there are a few noteworthy exceptions.
Who has the most Instagram followers from Farmer Wants A Wife 2026?
The most popular FWAW winners on Instagram are Maya on 6k and Ally with over 8k followers, and the least followed winner is Poppy on 1.2 thousand followers. Sorry, Pops.
But there is one runner-up with even bigger numbers: living icon, Scarlett. Analysing the numbers with Social Blade, Scarlett has over 9k followers, gaining an extra thousand in the past month when she made the FWAW finale (and stole the show).
Out of all the Farmers, the only one to gain a considerable following from the season is Farmer Dylan, sitting pretty with over 12k followers. This comes as a stark contrast to the other men cast that season, with Zac (6k), Alex (4k), Jarrad (3k) and Jason (2.4k) trailing behind him on Instagram.
Unsurprisingly, series villain Miranda has outperformed them all with over 22k followers. She started off with a decent following, rising from 10k at the start of the season, with Social Blade confirming she’s gained 8.4k new fans in the past month alone. Not too shabby!
But one woman has Miranda beat by a sizeable margin. Farmer Dylan’s former love interest Lily is — by far — the most-followed person from Farmer Wants A Wife 2026 on 126k followers.
According to Social Blade data, Lily has gained a mammoth 96k followers in the past 30 days. However, Chattr spoke to Lily and she claims these numbers have nothing to do with FWAW.
In fact, Lily is a wildlife vet tech and conservationist content creator — and some of her incredible rescue reels have gone viral, sending her follower count skyrocketing.
Farmer Wants A Wife’s Lily reveals the secret to her Instagram success
Lily told Chattr that she got loads of followers as FWAW was airing, but not for the reason you’d expect. “I was at 28k just a week before the show aired, and sitting about 35k after I left the show,” she said.
She claims that when her episodes were airing, this wasn’t getting her any extra Instagram success.
“I actually lost followers while the show was airing. My audience has always followed me for wildlife conservation, animal rescues and behind-the-scenes veterinary work, so some people weren’t interested in the reality TV side of things. The vast majority of my growth has come from sharing wildlife rescues, my birds nesting and raising babies, and educational content about Australian wildlife.”
However, after Lily left Dylan’s farm and she got her Instagram back from Seven, this is when her numbers started to skyrocket. “As soon as I got my account back, I managed to gain it back up again pretty quickly,” she shared.
Thanks to some viral rescue videos, Lily’s numbers just keep on climbing. “I can’t really speak for why people choose to follow me, but I’d like to think it’s because they connected with my genuine passion for wildlife. Everything I share online comes from a place of wanting to educate people and help them appreciate Australia’s incredible native animals,” she said.
“If my platform can inspire even a handful of people to appreciate wildlife, make more environmentally conscious choices, or stop to help an injured animal, then that’s a success. I want my social media to be more than entertainment—I want it to create a genuine positive impact for conservation. Which is why I left [FWAW], but unfortunately my exit speech got almost completely cut and the only bit that was included was ‘the oceans are dying’ which sounds a bit strange with no context!”
Lily already had a massive online following before joining FWAW, confirming to Chattr that she was actually scouted to do the reality dating show. “I was approached and asked to apply,” she shared.
“I was having a bit of a ‘say yes’ year, so I decided to take the opportunity and see where it led.”
Midway through MasterChef Australia2026, rumours of a secret romance between two contestants began swirling after Annabel Lloyd appeared to hint that one had blossomed behind the scenes.
During the episode that aired on June 29, which featured former contestants Declan and Sarah with their newborn twins, Annabel made the comment in a producer-led interview.
“This is wild that they both were on Back to Win and met and fell in love and have twins. Like that is the cutest thing; that’s the most beautiful story I’ve ever heard in my life. Is there anyone in our comp that could be future Sarah and Declan? I’m not allowed to say,” she said in an interview at the time.
After weeks of speculation, with some fans pairing her with Vinnie due to the fact they wore similar necklaces, and then others assuming it was Alyona and Petro after their hug lingered when she was eliminated, Annabel has come clean about the mysterious romance in an interview with Chattr.
“People who don’t know me — which is obviously a lot of the people who are watching this — [don’t know] I am like very jokey, cheeky person, and it’s just like a lot of banter, and so I may have just like accidentally just put my foot in it and just sort of been cheeky more towards Declan and Sarah, and then that’s been like taken with and run,” she told Chattr.
Annabel sadly confirmed that there’s no romance this season, and said the cast are all just close friends.
“But seeing the like online commentary about the supposed romance has been absolutely hilarious. It’s such a laugh. We’ve got a big group chat, and we’re like, ‘Oh my god!’ Firstly, I’m linked with Petro, then I’m linked with Vinny, and then no, it’s Casper… It’s just like hilarious rereading all of the [commentary]. But no, there’s no Declan and Sarah. I’m really sorry.”
The MasterChef Australia cast hanging out BTS. Image: Instagram.
Annabel quashes the ‘chilli necklace’ romance theory between her and Vinnie
One of the strongest theories in the MasterChef 2026 relationship-gate was that the romance was between Annabel and Vinnie because of matching chilli necklaces that eagle-eyed viewers had spotted.
“Since the beginning I thought Annabel and Vinnie had something going on, especially since they were both wearing a little red chilli pepper on a chain,” one person wrote on Facebook.
However, Annabel has completely quashed the theory, revealing that her and Vinnie’s charms are different.
“When it was like, it’s Annabel and Vinnie, he wears a chilli, they both have chillis around their necks, I was like damnit mine’s not even a chilli, but I was like wow, you guys are really good at this [sleuthing],” she laughed.
Vinnie told Chattr in an exclusive interview that the romance rumours are “all fake” adding that Annabel and his girlfriend Bridget are good friends.
“The rumours were just funny because Bridge has gone out with Annabel more than I have, and they’re just such good friends that it’s just funny,” he told Chattr.
Vinnie and Annabel with their (almost matching!) necklaces. Image: Ten.
While there might not be a MasterChef romance this year, Annabel said she was surprised by the strong bonds the cast formed over the season.
“I have heard reports that we are the closest cast they’ve ever had,” she said. “I feel so lucky that I get to be a part of this.”
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday – Wednesday on Channel 10 and 10Play.
With Vinnie safe in the gantry, Aaron, Annabel, Casper and Petro had to compete for their place in the top four in a pressure test set by judge Poh Ling Yeow. They had to replicate three Malaysian dishes passed down through generations of Poh’s family: rainbow coloured Kuih Laipis, crimped Curry Puffs made with spiral dough and Kuih Koci, glutinous rice and coconut balls wrapped up in banana leaves.
Despite Annabel nailing her last pressure test, she made obvious mistakes when she only got her Kuih Koci in the steamer with five minutes to go. The judges are impressed with her curry puffs, but the dough on her Kuih Koci is very undercooked while her Kuih Lapis layers are also underdone — which ended her journey on MasterChef.
Annabel’s departure marks a history-making moment for the cooking show: this is series’ first-ever all-male top four.
The lack of women heading into the finals did not go unnoticed on X. “Annabel was the last woman left in the competition, meaning the Season 18 winner will be a male,” wrote one viewer on X.
In a tweet posted earlier in the month, one fan even claimed that men were being given preferential treatment this season.
They are trying so hard this year to have a male winner and they don't even try to hide after that elimination. #masterchefau
Over on Reddit, fans have also commented on the all-male line-up of cooks. “Is this the first all-male final 4 ever? It must be?” wrote one viewer.
“They want a boy to win,” wrote one commenter on Facebook.
The all-male finale comes as Annabel has had to endure sexist comments all season from people attacking everything from her cooking skills compared to the men to her quirky facial expressions. “She’s not as good as the boys, BUT I bet she makes it to the final,” read one nasty comment online.
Laura Sharrad is familiar with being trolled online for simply being herself, telling WHO that women are often targeted over men by MasterChef fans.
“Fans love to pick on the last woman standing, unfortunately,” Sharrad said. “It’s always been the case, for no reason other than society online still has an issue with confident and successful women over a male.” Amen!
Annabel addresses being the last woman standing on MasterChef Australia
In an interview with Chattr, Annabel reflected on the moment she realised she was the last woman still in the MasterChef kitchen. “I was like looking around, being like, ‘Wait, what?’ But I was very, very proud to represent all the really talented chicks in the comp,” she said.
“I probably felt a little bit more pressure. I was like, ‘Oh God, I’m not just doing it for me anymore.’ I want to stay as long as possible and I’m gonna fly the girl flag.”
Annabel wanted to shout out all the amazing women who made it to the MasterChef kitchen this season. “The girls in this [year] were fiercely good cooks and awesome chicks. I was actually genuinely so surprised [they left].”
With the added ‘pressure’ Annabel was feeling, she was sad to be eliminated as the last woman standing. “I’ve had such an outpouring of support from people being like, ‘We were rooting for you, doing it for the girls,’ and I absolutely love that, but God damn it, I hate that I didn’t do it. That’s probably been the hardest pill to swallow, but I’m also really proud.”
That said, the remaining fellas have Annabel’s full support. “I would be happy if any [won between] Aaron, Petro, Caspar or Vinny. I’m like guys, you’re all legends and you’re all awesome cooks.”
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday 7pm and Monday and Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
Though the pair seemed to form a strong bond at the start of the season, things turned sour towards the tail end when Ally stormed out and temporarily quit FWAW after Farmer Dylan kissing Keeley on a date. Farmer Dylan chased after her, which didn’t sit right with Scarlett, who’d formed a strong connection with him.
Then, things got worse for Scarlett and Ally’s friendship with Ally returned for the Black Tie dinner and made out with Farmer Dylan in front of her and Keeley.
So, now that over six months have passed since the season was filmed, have Scarlett and Ally made amends? Read on to find out everything we know.
Farmer Wants A Wife’s Scarlett and Ally on whether they’re still friends
Ally and Scarlett became fast friends from the moment they were selected to go to Farmer Dylan’s farm, and despite competing as Dylan’s two clear frontrunners, they remained close.
And, it seems that the pair haven’t let the Black Tie dinner feud get in the way of their friendship, with both women telling Chattr that they’re as close as ever.
“Scarlett and I are best friends. We’re practically joined at the hip,” Ally said. “She’s an amazing human being.”
“With the situation with the girls, we weren’t just contestants competing for the same person. We’ve lived together, supported each other, and built genuine friendships. And looking back, I can understand how seeing what unfolded that night for Keeley and Scarlett would have been hurtful and difficult, and I feel sad knowing that. I can’t change what happened, but I can learn from it.”
Scarlett and Ally have remained close friends after Farmer Wants A Wife 2026. Image: Seven.
“Ally is one of my bestest friends,” Scarlett told Chattr, adding that she speaks to her and Dylan “every day”.
“I was literally talking to them just before,” she said, adding: “Dylan is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met. I have no hard feelings towards him. He is one of my best friend still. He and Ally have helped me through my most recent breakup.”
What happened at the Black Tie dinner fall-out on FWAW?
Ally explained that she had returned ‘in a place of clarity’, having realised her feelings for Dylan remained strong. Dylan was visibly shaken to see Ally return and despite initial hesitations in welcoming her back, the pair shared a passionate pash… but awkwardly, the kiss was in full view of several contestants.
This included one of Dylan’s finalists Keeley, who then informed his frontrunner, Scarlett, what had happened. When Scarlett learned about the kiss, she confronted both Dylan and Ally, making it clear she felt their behaviour had been ‘disrespectful’ to her and Keeley.
What followed was a tense exchange as Scarlett told Ally she did not believe it was fair for her to return after walking away, particularly so late in the process. Scarlett saved her harshest scolding for Dylan (it was iconic!), but this moment no doubt affected her friendship with Ally.
Chattr spoke to Ally about the controversial kiss and she maintains that she had no clue the other contestants were watching. “In that moment, I wasn’t thinking about the cameras or anyone watching. I had my back turned to where everyone was, but all I could think about was the fact that I followed my heart, and he was standing there and choosing me too,” Ally said.
“It was a moment of relief and vulnerability and happiness all at once. The kiss wasn’t about making a statement — it was genuinely an expression of how we both felt.”
That said, Ally can see how some would consider the kiss hypocritical, as she literally left the show after Dylan kissed intruder Keeley… and not in front of her face.
“I completely understand how people would see that as hypocritical. I wish that the kiss had been in private. I don’t regret the kiss, but I regret the fact that it happened in front of others and that it was hurtful to others,” she said.
Ally doesn’t regret the kiss but does regret the timing of it. “You can follow your heart and still be considerate of other people around you. I don’t expect to get everything right, and I certainly didn’t get anything right in that moment,” she admitted.
“We did get swept up in the moment. We forgot about the cameras. We forgot about the fact that people could actually see, and I definitely think that with this show it’s a good opportunity to reflect on yourself and your behaviour, and admit to your mistakes… I don’t feel the need to defend myself because I can see my faults.”
Farmer Wants A Wife (FWAW) airs Sundays at 7pm and Mondays at 7:30pm on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
Five new teams are ready to renovate on The Block 2026, and this year they’ll be working on high-end homes in the leafy seaside suburb of Mount Eliza on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. Among the cast is a father and daughter duo, best friends and three couples.
In a new twist, all five teams will not live in the homes they renovate. Instead, they’ll stay together in a shared nearby house renovated by last year’s contestants, Emma and Ben, adding another layer to the competition dynamic.
The teams will pick from houses spread over two separate precincts, known as Uptown and Downtown. Houses one, two and three will sit in the elevated Uptown precinct, overlooking Port Phillip Bay and the Melbourne skyline in a layout that fits this year’s coastal theme. The lower Downtown precinct will contain houses four and five, with House five occupying the season’s largest block at 1435sq m and receiving an additional 50sq m of internal space. As always, the five properties have been designed by Award-winning architect Julian Brenchley. Filming is now nearly complete.
Host Scott Cam said that the views of the ocean will be a major drawcard for buyers this year. Returning judges Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer and Marty Fox will be back alongside him to assess the renovations.
“I came here when it was just a green paddock with the road in the middle,” he said. “The view caught me straight away, and its elevation along with the views of the city is fantastic.
“It is the first time in our history The Block has had water views.”
Read on for the cast details, team backgrounds and the key season changes shaping The Block 2026 in Mount Eliza.
Adam and Jolene
Adam and Jolene. Image: Nine.
Adam and Jolene are Block 2026 contestants from Roxby Downs, South Australia, and a married couple who work as cattle station managers. They met ten years ago and have five adult children between them from their previous marriages. Adam is a qualified carpenter with renovation experience.
The pair love the outdoors and, as the red team, are excited for the new experiences The Block throws their way. They’d applied for The Block once before they were cast on the 2026 season, and their practical background makes them one of the more experienced teams.
“We are huge fans. I have wanted to do this show for years. We watch every episode. It is great to talk about something other than work,” Jolene said.
Chantel and Wyatt
Chantelle and Wyatt. Image: Nine.
Bubbly and confident couple Chantel and Wyatt are the blue team and are from the Gold Coast, Queensland. Fellow Blockheads Lisa and Rosco have already let it slip in an interview with Chattr that the pair could be this season’s villains.
“I don’t know if there’s a villain,” Rosco began, before Lisa interrupted, saying, “Chantel and Wyatt.” However, Rosco was quick to clarify that they’re “not villains.”
Chantel has three children from a previous partner, is a stay-at-home mum and founder of an activewear brand, and the Blockheads met two years ago at the gym. Chantel has also worked on over 100 homes with her father. It’s been Chantel’s lifelong dream to go on The Block. “But I haven’t had a good partner to go on the show with until now,” she said.
Lisa and Rosco
Lisa and Rosco. Image: Nine.
Married couple Lisa, a paramedic and registered nurse, and Rosco, a FIFO worker, are from Perth, Western Australia, have been together for nine years, share a two-year-old son called Lando, and make up the pink team.
The couple have a bit of experience in renovation, having completed their own home over three years. They took it from a shell to installing cabinetry and fixtures throughout, a kitchen, bathrooms, doing the landscaping, and adding cladding.
They also demolished an old 1950s house on a big block and subdivided it into two street front lots, which included the retaining walls, filling, compacting, and underground power, plus submitting all the plans and obtaining the building approvals.
So, the couple may be one to watch this year!
Rick and Tayla
Rick and Tayla. Image: Nine.
Rick and Tayla are a father-daughter team from Melbourne, representing the green team. Tayla, who already has a social media following of over 17,000, works as a personal trainer and beauty business owner. She also runs a brow sanctuary, but it’s her dad who’s the secret weapon on the team, as he’s a builder, with more than 50 years of carpentry experience.
Tayla has a twin sister, and Rick’s actually applied to be on The Block before with her, but wasn’t cast until he applied with Tayla.
“It is a dream I have wanted for so long. I have watched every episode; I just love it,” he said of officially being on The Block 2026
Tayla has a six-year-old son, Hendrix, who she co-parents with her former husband.
“I am doing this for him, for our future so I know it is all going to be worth it,” she said.
Courtney and Sev
Courtney and Sev. Image: Nine.
Brisbane-based Courtney and Sev, the yellow team, have been best friends who admit that they are inseparable.
“Our friendship just works. It’s chaos and calm in one package. We’re total opposites in some ways but somehow always on the same wavelength,” Sev said.
The Block won’t be the first time the friends are living together either. Sev’s husband Nev had a medical episode when they were living in a country town, and Courtney opened her Brisbane house to the couple, which they all shared for about sixteen months.
Courtney is a site manager with strong building credentials in commercial construction, including overseeing work on site. She has also renovated two of her own properties.
Like many of the other couples, Courtney and Sev are huge fans of the show.
“I’m the biggest fan. I have watched the last 11 seasons and in my spare time I stream much older seasons,” Sev said.
Courtney agreed: “We want it so badly and have been dreaming about it for years.”
The Block 2026 premieres on August 2 at 7pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
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There may be a new batch of contestants arriving, but fans of home renovation reality TV show The Block should already be familiar with the 2026 judges. This year, Marty Fox, Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer are back to judge the Blockheads as they renovate their houses, assessing each room week by week and shaping results that can carry through to auction.
There has already been some controversy surrounding The Block Australia judging, with contestant Chantel Green slamming the scoring at a media event in July. “The feedback from the judges is very subjective,” Chantel told hosts Shelley Craft and Scott Cam. “If you have the three judges that we have now, you could take them out, put three new judges [in] and you’ll get a different opinion.”
The judges play an important role on The Block, assessing the rooms on a weekly basis, giving professional critiques and awarding scores. By awarding teams extra money or bonuses to be spent during their renovation, the cast who win the most room reveals have a head start on auction night. More bells and whistles mean more buyers, and attracting the right buyer is often what decides who wins. Together, the judges bring a mix of interior design expertise and high-end real estate knowledge.
Below, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about The Block judges, from their backgrounds and roles on the show to the impact of their scoring and the debate around their calls. In 2026, that means judging new builds from scratch aimed at high-end buyers, with the panel looking each week at layout, style, quality of finish, adherence to the brief, and the balance between practical function and aesthetic appeal.
The Block judge Marty Fox
Marty Fox. Image: Nine
Marty is a real estate expert on The Block judges panel. He started working as a real estate agent at 21 and has been in the industry ever since. He co-founded Whitefox Real Estate, in 2017, which helped reshape the luxury property market.
During its early years, Marty’s agency was associated with over a whopping $1 billion in luxury properties. In 2023, he took the Whitefox brand to New Zealand, further broadening his real estate empire. On the show, his key point is market value, buyer appeal and real estate strategy, with a clear eye for what will attract the right buyer.
Marty was a CEO of the Year finalist and was included on the AFR Young Rich List in 2025. In addition to his real estate and television personality profile, he also partners with brands like Hugo Boss, Range Rover and BMW.
Away from the boardroom, Marty is very much the family man. He is based in Melbourne with his wife Charlotte and their three children, Freddy, Olive and Bonnie. The couple has also been actively involved in property flipping, having successfully flipped 12 properties over the past decade and a half.
The Block judge Shaynna Blaze
Shaynna Blaze. Image: Instagram
Shaynna joined The Block in 2012 for her 17th series, alongside John McGrath and Neale Whitaker.
She’s an award-winning interior designer who has transformed interiors in residential homes and commercial spaces for more than 20 years.
On top of that, she does product design, which includes a line of furniture, artworks, lighting and candles. Shaynna has her own YouTube TV channel and has written two books: Design Your Home and Design with Colour and Style. She brings that interior design expertise to the judging panel.
The media personality has also dipped her toe into the music world. In 2024, she revealed a love for music which she stepped away from while pursuing her TV and interior design career.
When announcing her new single Warrior, she told fans it was about following her dreams. “I have never lost my passion for performing in front of a microphone. It quite simply gives me joy,” she wrote on her website.
Reports have also placed the pay for Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer at about $60,000 to $100,000 per season.
The Block judge Darren Palmer
Darren Palmer. Image: Instagram
Darren Palmer joined The Block in 2013 alongside Shaynna and Neale after appearing as one of the former contestants on the interior design home renovation show homeMADE in 2009 before becoming a full-time Block judge.
He was a guest judge in Season 4 and Season 5 before stepping up to the full-time role, and that background helps him understand what the season’s contestants are experiencing as each team tackles the competition. The judge has over 212,000 followers on Instagram, and has written multiple books, including Easy Luxury, HomeSpace, Dive In and A Design Journey.
Darren married his husband Olivier Duvillard in 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa. The couple share a son named Hugo.
What happened to judge Neale Whitaker?
Neale Whitaker left his role as a judge on The Block after the 2023 season. Neale confirmed that he had to focus on his partner David, who was faced with some serious health issues.
However, Neale still makes the odd appearance on The Block. During last year’s season, the former judge returned for the Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa Challenge. During the episode, Neale judged the spaces and awarded Sonny and Alicia with the biggest prize in The Block’s history: a $260,000 Titanium caravan.
The Block 2026 premieres on August 2 on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Since then, both Bec Zacharia and Gia Fleur have weighed in on the split publicly, giving us more clues about what really happened between the previously engaged couple.
Bec revealed on The Ella Era that she spoke to Stella yesterday morning for over an hour about their broken engagement. While Bec was unwilling to share too many personal details, the MAFS bride admitted it was a “very sad day”.
“Everyone’s pretty devastated. They were our mum and dad… we looked up to them, and they were engaged,” Bec told Ella Ding. “I love Fil, he and I speak on the phone, we catch up maybe every four weeks or so and we have a good chat, we encourage each other, but Stella is my priority, she’s my girl, always will be, and I think that she deserves the world.”
Bec added that it was a “very sad day” for their MAFS season, knowing that Stella and Filip’s relationship was over. “You lose hope. Gia’s f**king pregnant and Stella’s single. What the f**k is going on in the axis of the universe right now?” she exclaimed.
The MAFS star also said there will be more answers to come, but urged fans to respect Stella and Filip’s privacy at the moment.
“It’s really fresh. And people need time to process and work [it] out, [the] what, and how, and why, before they talk,” Bec noted. “I think you will get answers eventually, but all I will say is to respect their privacy just as we’re doing with Rhi and Jeff, and just as we do with other couples.”
Stella’s breakup announcement on Instagram. Image: Instagram
MAFS’ Gia speaks about Stella and Filip’s shock split
During an interview on Fifi, Fev & Nick, Gia said that while she isn’t friends with Stella, she did have a little bit of gossip.
“I did hear a while ago that they weren’t doing well, so it’s not a huge shock, but yeah, I wish her nothing but the best. She’s a gorgeous girl, she’ll find someone else,” Gia spilled.
“I did hear that he moved back to Melbourne ’cause they were living in Sydney, and I think he was going back to Melbourne, and it was too much or something like that, and finances. The usual things people fight about, I think, just got the better of them, unfortunately.”
While Gia is currently overjoyed with her own baby news and romance, she did slam MAFS for failing to create long-lasting couples. “The track record for MAFS right now isn’t great, is it? The last two couples are done,” she noted.
With all of these clues coming out about Stella and Filip’s split, surely there will be more to come.
Stream Married At First Sight (MAFS) on 9Now.
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