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Darrsh reveals what it was like competing on back to back seasons of MasterChef Australia

by Merryana Salem

Last Sunday’s cheesy MasterChef Australia episode saw contestants compete to pull off the gooeyest cheese-pull, and most satisfying slice, but fan favourite Darrsh Clarke’s dishes didn’t make the cut.

For round one, Darrsh’s blue cheese produced a pull that was less than epic. Darrsh used blue cheese in a Dipping Sauce with Buffalo Chicken Tenders. However, even after adding mozzarella and tapioca starch to coax out that signature cheesy pull, it was a flop.

In the elimination round, Darrsh went with a Double-Barrel Choux Pastry for the ‘satisfying slice’ challenge. The choux was stuffed with pistachio praline, then stuffed inside a larger choux bun filled with an orange blossom pastry cream.

“During eliminations, particularly those with two-round ones, you have to rely on your strengths. I’ve made choux so many times before and that’s why I stuck with the concept. Unfortunately, it wasn’t my day,” Darrsh told Chattr.

After adding four eggs, it was clear, even to Darrsh, that something was amiss with his dough. Unfortunately, it was a big swing met with a big miss.

“There was a moment when I was piping my choux, and I knew something was off. I usually go off instinct, but I think in that moment I was stubborn and stuck with my idea. If I had my time again, I would’ve started the choux again.”

MasterChef Australia's Darrsh Clarke.
MasterChef Australia’s Darrsh Clarke. Image: Ten.

What has he learned from a second season on MasterChef?

Back To Win is Darrsh’s second season in a row after being eliminated in the MasterChef Australia 2024 season. Back to back seasons challenged Darrsh creatively.

“The most challenging thing for me this season was finding ways to stay creative. I think coming off last season, it felt like quite a quick turnaround so that aspect of it played on my mind,” he said

But he didn’t let such a demanding schedule and intense season stifle his groove.

“Honestly, I find my attention to detail comes in at the very end of a cook. I’ll let my creativity fly and then find ways to be attentive in plating up or balancing elements.”

Post-MasterChef, Darrsh is teaming up with a familiar face for a delicious dessert endeavour.

“Cookies! David Tan [from Season 16] and I have just launched Crumb Club: chewy, classic and seasonal wildcard cookies with twist. We are hosting our first pop up at CoBake Space in Richmond, Melbourne on Saturday 21 June from 10am until 2pm or until sold out.”

Damn, they look good!

MasterChef Australia season 17 airs in 2025 on 10 and 10Play.

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Home and Away star slams controversial ’00s storyline on the soap

by Tahlia Pritchard

Former Home and Away star Christie Hayes has spoken out about one of the show’s most controversial storylines from the ‘00s, saying that the storyline would not “fly” today. 

Christie played Kirsty Sutherland for almost a decade, with her character becoming entangled in one of the show’s most questionable romance storylines, after she fell for Summer Bay bad boy Kane Phillips (Sam Atwell). The problem? Kane had sexually assaulted Kirsty’s sister Dani (played by Tammin Sursok), but Kirsty and Kane were later depicted as star-crossed lovers.

With Kane undergoing a dramatic transformational story arc, the fictional couple later got married and had a baby. Still, Christie has now reflected on the storyline, saying it was disappointing in retrospect that it didn’t “cop more flack”. 

Kirsty and Kane look into each other's eyes on Home and Away and Kade (Sam Atwell) pictured in court
Kirst and Kane were portrayed as star-crossed lovers. Image: Seven

Home and Away’s Christie Hayes speaks out on controversial Kirsty and Kane romance: ‘Bittersweet’

“It was talked about a lot, and perhaps even disappointingly, did not cop a single ounce of flack,” Christie told Chattr. “And I look at that now and I go, ‘Oh my God, I wish that it had’. I don’t personally wish that upon myself [as an actor] because you’re told to do storylines. But that would never fly these days, and it shouldn’t have.”

Back in the day, Kirsty and Kane’s storyline ended up winning over a legion of fans, something Christie called “bittersweet”. 

“The weird thing is, now that I think about it and have thought about it as an adult… was that Kirsty and Kane were so loved and it was one of the most popular storylines on Home and Away,” Christie said. 

“And from what I’m told, the TV Week cover of Kirsty and Kane on their wedding days was one of the highest-selling copies of TV Week in history.

Christie Hayes as Kirsty Sutherland and Sam Atwell as Kane Phillips on the cover of TV Week in wedding attire

“It’s this bittersweet thing, because, you know, you’re so happy that your storyline was well received and whatnot. But taking all of that aside, I think back and look at it and I often wonder, how many people were traumatised by that, and how many people got hurt by something like that, which is happening just as horrendously, statistically now as it did then.” 

Christie went on to say there was some guilt attached to the storyline, saying her co-star Sam Atwell had some “choice words” thrown at him back in the days of it playing out on TV.

“There’s a bit of guilt attached to that now too, which makes me sad, because it was such a wonderful time of my life. And also Sam, who plays Kane, is just one of the most beautiful men on the planet, and could not be more opposite than than the character Kane,” Christie said. “Sometimes when we were out and about, [he’d] have people say choice words and call him choice things, because of what his character initially was, before the Kirsten and Kane romance flourished.

“We were in this place where we were creating a love story, but from it was so much pain and horror for people. It was a different time and space with storylines on screen and consideration to the real world just didn’t exist. But having said that, the people that are watching on screen are real people who do live in the real world. And so looking back now as a grown woman and with children of my own, I often think, would I ever want my kids to see that storyline? No, not really.”

Where is Christie Hayes now and would she come back to Home and Away as Kirsty Sutherland?

Christie is still acting and currently hosts The Dan & Christie Breakfast Show on HIT FM. She recently announced she’s expecting a baby with her husband Justin Coombes-Pearce. She has two children from a previous relationship.

And in good news for Home and Away lovers, the star wouldn’t rule out a future stint as Kirsty Sutherland again. She had previously reprised her role in 2008 and 2009 after leaving Summer Bay in 2005.

“I would absolutely go back, if they wanted me to come back for a third time!” she said.

Channel Seven, you know what to do.

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Farmer Wants a Wife fans react to Farmer Corey’s shocking choice to send Jadee home: ‘Player’

by Danica Baker

Farmer Wants a Wife (FWAW) 2025 fans were left shocked when Farmer Corey decided to send home the loveable Jadee, straight after she had poured her heart out to him.

The crushing scene saw Jadee open up to Farmer Corey about her feelings for him.

“Instantly, I just felt like you could be the one for me, and I think that you’re someone that I just love to experience life with,” she said.

“From what I’ve seen of you, and how your family speak about you, and your friends, and just how you are with everyone in your community, it’s just something that I would be so proud to be a part of. I would love to be here, and I would pack up and move in a heartbeat.”

Sadly for Jadee, Farmer Corey didn’t see a future with her, and he couldn’t even meet her eyes as he told her she was going home.

“The lady I’m sending home tonight, she’ll have no issues finding a future partner, I believe. She is absolutely amazing,” Farmer Corey said.

Farmer Wants a Wife elimination.
Farmer Wants a Wife elimination. Image: Seven.

Fans react to Farmer Corey’s decision to send home Jadee

Viewers took to social media to express their surprise about Farmer Corey’s choice to send home Jadee, and keep intruder Chloe.

“Who guessed that Corey would be stupid enough to send Jadee home? He obviously doesn’t want Keeley, so the money has to be on show-pony Chloe…. Thinking with his little head obviously!!” One person wrote. They were referring to Farmer Corey’s chat with Keeley that aired in the episode, where he showed concern when Keeley shared that she wouldn’t be ready to move to his farm immediately.

“I thought that Jadee was a great match for him,” another person wrote in a Facebook fan group.

A third called out Corey for the romantic connections he’s made during his journey. Earlier this season eliminated contestant Annie suggested that Keeley had been sleeping in Corey’s bed.

“I’m honestly thinking Corey may be a player, he come off so genuine at the start, but I think it was the player act, he kissed all his girls, lead them on to make them think he wanted them to stay, let them fight over him and enjoyed it and has happily brought the new girl in and given her a lot of the attention,” they wrote.

“Poor Jadee put it all out there, and he made her feel okay, then sent her home. Keeley was honest about how she would move if they end up together and he made her feel shit about it. Think he has tickets on himself,” they added.

Fans react to Corey's choice to eliminate jadee
Fans weren’t happy about Farmer Corey’s choice. Image: Facebook.

A fourth simply said, “I can not believe Cory kept Chloe.”

In fairness to Chloe, she hasn’t had the same amount of time to build a connection with Corey — or the viewers — as she entered the show mid-way through the season as an intruder.

Will the extra time allow her to win fans and Corey over? Stay tuned!

Farmer Wants a Wife airs on Monday and Tuesday nights at 7:30pm on Channel 7 and 7Plus.

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MAFS’ Awhina breaks silence on relationship with Billy after soft launching on Instagram

by Danica Baker

Awhina Rutene left fans buzzing when she appeared to soft-launch her relationship with Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2025 co-star Billy Belcher. Now she’s given some insight into where her relationship with the MAFS groom stands.

“We’re close, we laugh a lot, and we’re enjoying hanging out,” Awhina told Chattr coyly, notably not denying their romantic relationship.

She added that the pair has plans for the upcoming weekend. “It’s my kid-free weekend.”

Awhina and Billy first sparked speculation about their relationship in February, when they were papped cosying up. At the time, she told Chattr that there wasn’t anything romantic between them.

“Billy and I are just really great friends. It was my birthday and with everything that was airing on MAFS, it was very raw to him. So we were in communication, and it was a friendly catch-up, getting ice cream,” she said.

Fast forward to June, and Awhina and Billy shared a joint carousel of photos together on Instagram, looking very much like they were on a date. The post was captioned, “I’ll keep this one”.

Awhina’s twin sister responds to Adrian’s claims that she hooked up with Billy

In typical MAFS fashion, the drama escalates, because Awhina’s ex, Adrian Araouzou previously told Chattr that her twin sister, Cleo Rutene, had a fling with Billy after the season was filmed.

“From my understanding, Cleo and Billy had something going on just after the show, so it’d be weird if that was the case,” he said in an interview after the February photos of Billy and Awhina were published.

However, Cleo told Chattr she’s never been romantically involved with Billy.

“Adrian is a liar – me and Billy are friends and caught up as friends when filming was happening to discuss MAFS and talk about the experience,” she said.

Adrian, Awhina and Cleo on MAFS.
Adrian, Awhina and Cleo on MAFS. Image: Nine.

Oooft, the MAFS drama just never stops. On the upside, it sounds like we’ll be getting more Billy and Awhina content after their weekend together.

Stream MAFS 2025 on 9Now.

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Colin Fassnidge shares his My Kitchen Rules salary: ‘Below minimum wage’

by Danica Baker

My Kitchen Rules (MKR) judge Colin Fassnidge has shared the salary he earned when he first started filming the series, and it’s surprisingly low.

Colin first joined MKR back in Season 4. However, he didn’t take on a full-time role — which may explain his low salary — instead, he was a panel judge, a role he continued until Season 11.

The Irish chef told Confessions of a Reality Star, hosted by Lachlan Guertin and Tahlia Pritchard, how much he earned during his debut appearance on the show.

“My first MKR, I got paid $40,000 for the year,” he said. “That’s below minimum wage, I reckon, but I was still learning. And then after, when I learned and I saw what everyone else was getting paid, I was like, we need to have a chat.”

Colin became a full-time judge on MKR alongside Manu Feildel in 2022, so it’s safe to say that he’s probably earning a whole lot more than $40,000 now.

Colin Fassnidge with MKR 2024 winner Simon Prest.
Colin Fassnidge with MKR 2024 winner Simon Prest. Image: Seven.

Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge’s feud

Manu and Colin have fronted MKR together for years, and even have their own cooking and travel show called Off The Grid. However, the two chefs haven’t always gotten along.

The men talked about their rift during an episode of MKR 2023 at a Home Restaurant, when Manu explained that many chefs gave him a hard time because they thought he’d sold out.

“Colin and I started on the wrong foot,” Manu explained. “Because when I started TV, most chefs in the industry thought I’d sold my soul.”

Colin admitted that he’d written a social media post saying that Manu has “sold out” before he signed up to be a judge on MKR.

“Me and Manu didn’t get on. Twitter was a great tool for just causing trouble, and I was the king of trouble. I think I fired some stuff at Manu – it was all on my end, it wasn’t his end. But then he just got annoying to me,” Colin explained on the pod.

“I think he did Dancing With The Stars and I bagged him out about something, and now I’m like a dancing monkey anyway so it doesn’t matter. Chefs are ego-driven — especially when you’re good, and we were both good.”

The men have since made amends and have put their rift in the past.

Stream MKR on 7Plus.

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Thom Green and Shannon Berry on turning The Survivors book into a Netflix series

by Danica Baker

Netflix‘s latest Australian murder mystery, The Survivors, is based on Jane Harper‘s 2020 novel of the same name. Thom Green, who plays Sean, and Shannon Berry, who plays Bronte, sat down with Chattr and explained what it was like turning a best-seller into a mainstream TV show.

Like any bestseller, The Survivors book had its share of passionate fans — and Thom was actually one of them before he was cast as Sean.

“I read the book and I loved it. I absolutely, absolutely adored it,” he told Chattr. “I had devoured the book and put a lot of people onto it. So being a part of this story was a huge draw card for me.”

He added that translating the character he’d envisioned while reading into a performance on screen was a “really interesting” experience.

“When I got the script, I was like, ‘Oh shit, I’m going to be Sean’. I had a picture of Sean [in my head, and] it wasn’t me. So that’s always very jarring.”

Thom Berry in The Survivors
Charlie Vickers as Kieran Elliot (left) and Thom Green as Sean Gilroy (right) on The Survivors. Image: Netflix.

Meanwhile, Shannon hadn’t read the book until she was cast in the part of Bronte, so she was able to look at her role with a fresh perspective.

“As soon as I booked [the role], I went out and I bought it and I read it on holiday. I read it on the beach,” she said.

“Reading it, there were a lot of moments where I went, ‘That’s me!'” She added. “I think it’s natural to imagine how it’s going to look, or picture yourself in it.”

“[But], you have to put it away and focus on the script and go, ‘Great, that’s in the back of my mind. That’s an amazing piece of reference.”

Yerin Ha and Charlie Vickers in The Survivors.
Yerin Ha and Charlie Vickers in The Survivors. Image: Netflix.

How Thom Green and Shannon Berry decompressed after an emotional day of filming

The Survivors is set in a beach town called Evelyn Bay, where two people drowned and a young girl went missing. Fifteen years after the event, Keiran Elliot returns to the town and the body of another young woman is found.

The gripping series follows the fallout from the original deaths, as well as the investigation surrounding the latest.

Thom and Shannon told Chattr that they had an intimacy coordinator on set to help them detach from the heavy emotional load of playing their characters.

“The intimacy coordinator we had on set used to have these whole-body exercises to kind of shake it all out,” Thom explained.

Detectives in The Survivors.
Detectives in The Survivors. Image: Netflix.

Shannon added that she was her own “process” to step away from her character’s emotions after filming her scenes.

“Sometimes it’s hard not to take it home with you, especially when you have to do a lot of physical stuff as well a lot of emotional stuff,” Shannon explained.

“As an actor, when you finish the day, you have things that you do where you get out of it. Getting my makeup taken off is very therapeutic to me. And once that’s gone, I have a cup of tea, and I’m like, Okay, that’s great. I can leave that for today, and now I can step back into myself,” she said.

Thom said that he’d use light-hearted TV shows to decompress from the day.

“For me, I would go sit in my hotel room and just stare at the wall for a long time, before I take a shower. Afterwards, maybe a beer, and then a sitcom, and then bed.”

Stream The Survivors on Netflix from June 6.

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Billion Dollar Playground Episode 4: Shirtless crew, Wilbur the pig, and the kiss we’ve been waiting for

by Dilek Saticieli

Chattr’s resident Billion Dollar Playground insider is back to break down another episode of Binge’s new reality TV show. You can read about my experience being a guest on episodes 1 and 2 here.  Here is my take on episode 4. 

Sweven Estate continues this week as Curtis’ guest group lap up the luxurious countryside experience – and the concierge crew attempt to keep their cool while things get fiery behind the scenes.

First up, a pig on the spit affectionately named Wilbur (RIP) took centre stage – slowly roasted over three hours by our resident food artist George. Although, George did confess to never having prepared a pig on the spit before, he was clearly up for the challenge. An added bonus was later on when the shirtless George and Jay were carrying the spit tray, viewers weren’t the only ones enjoying the show with female crew admiring the view. I am sure many viewers were grateful.

But it’s wasn’t just the roast that was heating up — tensions between Jasmin and JB reached boiling point this episode. After she caught JB’s call to Alex behind her back last week, Jasmin was clearly worried about losing her manager role. Cue Alex sending in a new concierge, Grace, to balance Jasmin’s workload. 

When Jasmin called a meeting with the crew to announce Grace’s arrival the response was mixed. Whilst Jasmin and Heaven were happy to have extra help, JB was less than thrilled and clearly felt threatened and Elsie was exasperated about the number of concierges while she was drowning in laundry in the basement on her own. 

Meanwhile, the guests are treated to Jay’s bootcamp-meets-wellness itinerary with a fitness session followed by ice baths. However, nothing  could prepare the crew for the sound bath experience Heaven had organised for the crew with a Sound Healer. Think chanting, moaning and physical vibrations echoing through the estate. The crew was seen giggling behind the scenes, with Elsie throwing her now-signature shade: “Rich people are strange.” 

In the midst of the chaos, Jasmin diplomatically announced Grace’s had arrived – a polished, globally seasoned and self-declared “billion dollar girlie.” “I’m not there to make friends,” she says in her piece-to-camera debut. “I’m there to do a job.”  

Billion Dollar Playgrounds new cast member, Grace.
Grace arrives

The first point of call for Grace was to ensure the lunch service was on time. After last week’s rant by Curtis about prompt service, the pressure was on. Grace and Jasmin sent JB on a cocktail supply run and he was fuming about it — but returned in time to pull off a smooth lunchtime drinks service. Small wins.

Grace didn’t stop there. She helped Elsie – teaching her how to fold toilet paper and stack laundry properly but Elsie wasn’t having it: she wanted “Less talking, more doing.”

Romance was also brewing in the countryside paradise. Matt and Nicole were giving us soft slow- vibes — glances, coffee banter and shy blushing. Heaven, Elsie, and Nicole had a girlie gossip session about it. Elsie declared, “Matt’s in love with Nicole!”. Nicole, visibly flustered, admitted she’s from a strict background and hadn’t dated much. “I’d kiss him,” she giggled.

Nicole touching Matt's arm on Billion Dollar PLayground
Nicole getting friendly with Matt

While the guests went out for dinner at nearby fine dining restaurant Cricca, JB and Grace prepared for an after dinner cocktails and cigar experience (Grace’s idea). Curtis and the guests were delighted with this sophisticated experience on their last night of the stay.

Billion Dollar Playground hosts after dinner cocktails and cigar experience
After dinner cocktails and cigar experience

The next morning the guests said their goodbyes to the crew with warmth and smiles and Heaven got teary and emotional.

Back to business for the guest review, Heaven received glowing feedback – “a beacon of light and love.” Chefs Matt and George had also impressed.

Nicole copped criticism for getting guest names wrong and walked off teary-eyed, feeling scapegoated for laundry issues that were clearly a shared effort. She eventually returned to apologise, showing class under pressure. Alex noted it was also a management problem, and Jasmin agreed the team had let her down. 

Grace, however, was praised for “completely turning the stay around” with next-level service. JB, of course, didn’t take that well.

That night the crew went out for drinks to celebrate. Matt and Nicole snuck outside and Matt finally made his move and they shared a kiss – Sweet, awkward and real.

Matt making his move on Nicole on Billion Dollar Playground
Matt making his move

Next week’s preview? A brand-new group led by a fashion entrepreneur — total foodies. We hear someone complain the food is cold (gasp), Jasmin finally steps into “Boss Bitch” mode, and Grace polarises the team while trying to co-lead. George isn’t loving her taking the reins, and JB looks ready to explode. Buckle up.

Billion Dollar Playground episodes drop weekly from May 13 on BINGE and Foxtel.

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Liam on whether the boys get recognised filming The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers

by Danica Baker

Matt ‘Falcon’ Ford, Jack Steele, Liam Moore and Dom Littrich are returning for The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers Season 3, but with the success of the show and their growing social profiles, how are they still getting away with their tricks?

Without a doubt, Falcon and Jack are the most recognisable among the bunch, they’ve grown a following of almost 4 million users across TikTok and Instagram on their joint parody account The Inspired Unemployed. Meanwhile, Dom and Liam’s followings have also been skyrocketing since the show was first released in 2023.

The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers sees the four men complete embarrassing tasks in public together, with the aim of avoiding the dreaded punishment, which is an even more anxiety-inducing task. Think going undercover as a Teppanyaki Chef while being fed lines through an ear mic, and obnoxiously disrupting the local bingo night.

Falcon, Jack, Liam and Dom as Teppanyaki Chefs on The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers.
Falcon, Jack, Liam and Dom as Teppanyaki Chefs. Image: Ten.

But, while Falcon, Jack, Liam and Dom are practically household names these days, Liam told Chattr that it’s actually a lot easier to avoid being recognised than people would think.

“You’d be surprised,” he said. “We’ve even done pranks to people on the show that after it have been like, Oh, I’ve seen the show, and I still didn’t even know that I was I was on it,” he explained.

“Everything is really hidden camera. You’re literally in almost a disguise. And I guess people are so used to seeing like Matt and Jack together, or, like, everyone together, rather than just walking into like a bakery and seeing us just standing behind the till — they just don’t put two and two together,” he added.

“You get away with it a lot more than you’d think. But I guess it’s going to get harder and harder as we go on.”

Jack, Dom, Falcon and Liam on The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers Season 3. Image: Ten.
Jack, Dom, Falcon and Liam on The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers Season 3. Image: Ten.

What is it like filming The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers pranks?

While the boys barely seemed phased when they’re completing some seriously daunting challenges, Liam told Chattr that it’s actually “terrifying”. He added that when he, Dom, Falcon and Jack get home to the house that they share together, they can barely remember what happened that day.

“When we will come home from a day of filming — we’re all sitting on the lounge — and you’re exhausted, because it feels like you’ve been skydiving all day.

“It feels like your adrenaline’s been so high, you’ve been so nervous and then you get back home, and by the time you get back, you don’t remember what you did. Even now, we’ve had to go back and look at what we did, and we’ve rewatched Season 3, and, we look at it, we’re like, I don’t remember doing that.”

But regardless of being scared about what tasks will be thrown his way, Liam said he thinks that Dom and Falcon are even more petrified about what pranks they’ll be given to do.

“Jack and I are very similar in personality, because Dom and Matt get very scared doing some of the tasks, and Jack and I are always there, just, like, ‘No, don’t worry about just go, go, go, go.’ So, yeah, I’d say Jack and I are always pushing.”

The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers returns Monday, 9 June at 9.40pm on 10 and 10 Play, or stream the entire series on Paramount.

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MasterChef Australia fans slam Sooshi Mango episode: ‘Cultural appropriation’

by Danica Baker

Mega influencers Sooshi Mango joined the MasterChef Australia 2025 judging panel for Viral Week, but viewers were left less than impressed at their cameo.

The trio of comedians — made up of brothers, Joe and Carlo Salanitri, and their best friend, Andrew Manfre — impersonate “Italian Nonnas” on their social media accounts, and have racked up over 4.5 million followers across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. The men also opened an Italian eatery called Johnny Vince & Sam’s Ristorante in Melbourne in 2023.

Sooshi Mango stepped in as judges for Episode 21 of MasterChef Australia 2025. They judged the Mystery Box Challenge and asked the contestants to cook their version of an Italian dish. However, the home cooks weren’t told who had set the challenge, and Joe, Carlo and Andrew watched them make their creations from a private room with a TV screen.

During the cook, Sooshi Mango weighed in on the happenings in their typical “Italian nonna” characters, which they broadcast online. Once the dishes were ready, they entered the MasterChef kitchen and gave feedback to the contestants. However, viewers quickly took to social media to share that they found the men’s appearance “hard to watch.”

Fans criticise the MasterChef Australia Sooshi Mango episode

The online feedback from viewers ranges from some people just straight out calling the trio “unfunny”, to others accusing them of “cultural appropriation”.

“Horrible episode. Major fail by the producers. How is this cultural appropriation OK today?” One person wrote on Reddit.

However, another user pointed out that Joe, Carlo and Andrew are Italian, and making fun of their own culture.

“I’m Italian and it’s funny AF,” they wrote.

Viewers respond to the MasterChef episode on Reddit.
Viewers respond to the MasterChef episode. Image: Reddit.

Meanwhile, another person said that they think that Sooshi Mango’s humour is better suited to shorter clips.

“I think their humour is totally fine in the short video format it was created for, it just seemed a stretch over a whole MasterChef episode, as it is fairly one note. It was definitely a bit cringe, but I wasn’t as riled up as some,” they wrote.

Then there were some people who straight up hated the episode.

“Imagine if you decided to watch MasterChef for the first time tonight. If you are, I promise, it’s usually better than this,” one person wrote, with another responding: “Probably the worst episode I’ve seen, I’ve been watching since season 1 episode 1.”

Well, the men must be doing something right, because they’ve got a helluva an online following, as well as a successful restaurant.

MasterChef Australia airs on Sunday at 7pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.

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MAFS stars speak out about being snubbed from the Logies: ‘Excluded from every event’

by Danica Baker

The Logies are approaching, but not all of the Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2025 cast have had an invitation extended.

Sierah Swepstone, Adrian Araouzou and Morena Farina told Chattr they haven’t been asked to attend the prestigious entertainment event yet.

Adrian said he’s been consciously distancing himself from the show, but added that he’d be interested in attending the event if he did receive an invite.

“I have removed myself from anything MAFS-related or TV-related. From MAFS Insta to all things MAFS social as well,” he said. “Nor have I spoken to any of the cast about that sort of stuff, so I have no clue! I haven’t been [invited]. I mean, yeah, I’d go for the social side, to meet people for sure.”

Meanwhile, Morena told Chattr that she isn’t surprised that she hasn’t been asked to go.

“I haven’t been invited, just as I’ve been excluded from every event, even during filming. That hasn’t changed,” she said.

MAFS Morena and Tony at their wedding.
Morena and Tony at their MAFS wedding. Image: Nine.

The fitness instructor said she’d be open to attending the Logies, but wouldn’t want to sit near her co-stars.

“Attending the Logies would be an honour and a privilege, though I’ll be honest, I’d prefer not to be seated at the table with the MAFS cast season 12.

“I have no issue sharing a room with them, but I won’t waste my energy on people who unfairly shut me out.”

Sierah, who found herself embroiled in a ‘cheating’ scandal with Adrian on the show, after she went out to dinner with him and their castmate Tony Mojanovski, said she hasn’t been asked to go to the Logie Awards either.

“I didn’t know anything about it. Channel 9 completely barred me from any media opportunities and anything associated with it because of what they allowed to happen to me while I was there. It was essentially victim silencing,” she said.

Sierah has spoken out on Instagram about the cheating storyline and stated that she and Adrian were never anything more than friends. She claimed that production created a fake storyline and took her words out of context.

Former MAFS participants Evelyn Ellis and Duncan James at The Logies in 2023.
Former MAFS participants Evelyn Ellis and Duncan James at The Logies in 2023. Image: Instagram.

Which of the MAFS cast are invited to the 2025 Logie Awards?

In the past Channel 9 has cherry-picked a few of the contestants from the latest season to invite to the awards ceremony.

According to Daily Mail Australia, ten of the cast are “tipped to attend.” They are Jamie Marinos, Awhina Rutene, Rhi Disljenkovic, Jeff Gobbels, Tony Mojanovski, Ryan Donnelly, Carina Mirabile, Eliot Donovan, Beth Kelly and Teejay Halkias.

The publication added that there is a possibility that Katie Johnston and Ashleigh Ackerman may be invited to the event, which takes place in August.

That means that along with Sierah, Adrian and Morena, Veronica Cloherty, Lauren Hall, Jacqui Burfoot, Clint Rice, Dave Hand, Paul Antoine, Billy Belcher, Jake Luik and Tim Gromie have all been snubbed from the Logies list. Ouch!

Stream Married at First Sight 2025 on 9Now.

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Meet the Dancing With The Stars Australia 2025 judges who will get the celebs to step up

by Saskia Morrison-Thiagu

The date for Dancing With The Stars Australia 2025 has officially been set, and you can expect to see some familiar faces from June 15.

DWTS veterans Craig Revel Horwood, Sharna Burgess, Mark Wilson and Helen Richey are all returning to the judges’ bench this season. Beloved hosts Sonia Kruger and Dr Chris Brown will also be returning to bring 12 new contestants to the dance floor.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 Dancing With The Stars judges.

Craig

Craig on Dancing With The Stars Australia
Craig Revel Horwood. Instagram.

Craig Revel Horwood is best known for being a judge on the British dance show Strictly Come Dancing. The Aussie-born has had a thriving career in UK theatre and was the associate director and choreographer of West Side Story, and choreographer of Calamity Jane.

On top of that, in 2024 he starred in the UK tour of the musical The Wizard of Oz as the Wicked Witch of the West.

As for Dancing With The Stars, he joined the New Zealand iteration as a judge in seasons three, four and five, before crossing over to the Australian version in 2023.

Sharna

Sharna on Dancing With the Stars Australia
Sharna Burgess. Instagram.

Sharna Burgess has been dancing since she was five, and worked as a professional dancing on the US iteration of DWTS from season 18 until season 30. During that time she’s been partnered with some very well known celebrities, including Nick Carter, Jesse Metcalfe and Brian Austin Greene, the latter of who is her real life partner.

The NSW-born dancer became a judge on the Australian version of Dancing With The Stars in 2019, and has remained on the panel ever since.

Mark

Mark on Dancing With the Stars Australia
Mark Wilson. Instagram.

Mark Wilson was a judge on the very first season of Dancing With The Stars Australia, way back in 2004. He stayed on in the role until 2010 and stepped away for seven seasons before returning in 2021.

Mark has a strong background in dancing and was crowned the Australian Dancesport Champion on five occasions – four times in New Vogue and once in Modern.

When he isn’t busy critiquing celebrities dancing on DWTS, Mark acts as a junior development officer for Dancesport Victoria and teaches students of all ages at his studio.

Helen

Helen on Dancing With the Stars
Helen Richey. Seven.

Helen Richey was an extremely successful competitive dancer, and won the coveted Lily Ellison Award at age 15.

She went on to become the undefeated All England Latin Champion as well as the South of England Latin Champion and the Imperial Latin Champion and was Australia’s official representative in the World Championships in both the Ballroom and Latin Styles for over 10 years.

Helen joined DWTS Australia as a judge in season 18 ,19 and 21, and is now back again for season 22.

Dancing with the Stars premieres on June 15 at 7pm on Channel 7 and 7Plus.

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Meet viral MasterChef Australia guest judges Sooshi Mango

by Danica Baker

If you haven’t already stumbled across Sooshi Mango on your For You Page, you’re about to get familiar with them during MasterChef Australia 2025’s Viral Week.

The hilarious trio have a whopping 2 million followers on Instagram and another 2 million on TikTok. On top of that, they have 322,000 subscribers on YouTube. So, it’s safe to say that they’re one of the biggest things to come out of Australia in recent times.

But, what does their comedy group have to do with cooking? Read on to find out!

Who are Sooshi Mango?

Sooshi Mango are a comedy group made up of two brothers, Joe and Carlo Salanitri, and their best friend, Andrew Manfre, who are Italian and from Melbourne.

They began to gain popularity back in 2015 after posting videos online poking fun at their culture.

“The internet views happened when my brother posted a rant video, and it was shared so many times after the initial post,” Joe told The Suburban.

“After that we decided to install a camera in the car and have it film our stupidities, we then chopped it up and posted it online and once you get all that love from people you get addicted to that feeling; it’s almost like a drug. Following that video we released one called “Italian vs. Greeks”, and that’s what put us on the map. It was viewed so many times online, it was crazy!”

What do Sooshi Mango have to do with cooking?

Prior to becoming viral successes, Joe was a scrap metal merchant, Carlo owned a lighting shop and Joe was a salesman. So, the boys don’t exactly come from a cooking background.

However, they’ve recently gotten into the restaurant business. Johnny Vince & Sam’s Ristorante is an Italian eatery in Carlton, Victoria, owned by the men.

On top of that, they regularly share skit videos of them cooking traditional Italian food — which is where the cooking element comes in.

In 2021, Sooshi Mango released a podcast called Saucy Meatballs. However, their podcast description specifically notes that it’s “not about meatballs”. Touche.

The podcast has been thriving ever since and has racked up over 800 million views.

MasterChef Australia airs on Sunday at 7pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.

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MasterChef Australia 2025’s Tim Bone saw his elimination coming: ‘Hanging on for dear life’

by Danica Baker

Tim Bone was the eighth contestant eliminated from MasterChef Australia 2025: Back to Win, and the toastie king told Chattr that he wasn’t surprised to be sent home.

Tim found himself in two of the three Pressure Tests this season, and his last cook was in an Elimination Challenge based around butter after presenting an undercooked duck dish to the judges. Tim said that while he wasn’t shocked to be eliminated, he’s grateful to have the opportunity to compete alongside the other returning contestants.

“I was sort of feeling like I was just hanging on for dear life, like just trying to stay in it,” he told Chattr.

“But, it was just an honour to be asked to come to Back to Win and to even be mentioned in the same breath as my fellow competitors. I mean, they’re absolute, absolute rock stars, and just to be alongside them was an absolute honour and I’m forever grateful.”

Tim Bone in a MasterChef challenge with Ben, Jimmy and Rue.
Tim Bone in a MasterChef challenge with Ben, Jimmy and Rue. Image: Ten.

Tim Bone was disappointed he didn’t win any solo MasterChef Australia challenges

Tim said the fact that he regularly found himself in a position where he had to cook for his life in the competition took a hit on his confidence.

“You try your best, you study hard, and if a challenge falls your way, that’s all it can take to build that confidence,” he explained.

“I feel like I was just lacking in a bit of confidence, because I’d never really got that win, or cooked the best dish of the day. So I was a bit low on confidence. I guess that plays on your mind.”

“I was putting so much pressure on myself, I think, to try and put up amazing food. And I think I, if I look back in hindsight, maybe I should have relaxed a bit more and just had fun with the whole process, and maybe that would have shown on the plate.

Tim Bone in a MasterChef Pressure Test.
Tim Bone in a MasterChef Pressure Test. Image: Ten.

“But it’s a tough one. You never know what’s going to come up, and it only takes one bad cook for your time in the MasterChef kitchen to be over.”

However, while Tim didn’t win any solo challenges, he told Chattr that he was really proud of his performance in some of the Pressure Tests.

“My biggest thing was surviving a couple of epic Pressure Tests,” he said.

“And I think that really helps build your confidence, too, because it’s like, well, if I can make it through this, I can, I can make it through anything, which really helped.

“There was one three-hour pressure test where we had to recreate a tempered chocolate, blue chocolate puppy, which was absolutely epic. And I managed to make it through that and do pretty well. So that was a bit of a notch on the belt.”

MasterChef Australia airs on Sunday at 7pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.

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Dave Hand is the latest MAFS contestant to sign with a talent agency: ‘Incredibly blessed’

by Danica Baker

Dave Hand has signed with a talent agency, following in the footsteps of many of his fellow Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2025 castmates.

Dave has joined ASM, whose clients include Life Uncut’s Brittany Hockley and actor and comedian Lyanna Kea.

While Dave has mostly steered clear of the post-MAFS drama, that obviously doesn’t mean he’ll be shying away from the spotlight. Dave teased that he has something exciting coming now that he’s officially signed to an agency.

“I very much looking forward to what this next chapter in my career might look like for me and can’t wait to share upcoming projects with my followers soon. I feel incredibly blessed to be working with ASM, who have a range of clients that I admire,” he told Chattr.

The agency’s Director and Talent Manager, Alyssa Stevenson, also teased that something exciting is in the works for Dave.

“We are beyond excited about working with Dave. We believe he will be a great asset to ASM and have some very exciting projects in the pipeline and look forward to what the future holds,” she told Chattr.

Dave and Jamie on Married at first sight (MAFS) 2025. Image: Nine.d
Dave and Jamie on MAFS 2025. Image: Nine.

All the other MAFS 2025 stars who have signed with talent agencies

Carina Mirable, Jamie Marinos, Eliot Donovan, Adrian Araouzou, Jacqui Burfoot and Clint Rice have all signed with an agency.

Carina is with 22 MGMT, Jamie and Eliot are signed to One Daydream, and Adrian joined Roxy Jacenko‘s Ministry of Talent. However, he was dropped just a week later.

Meanwhile, Jacqui and Clint are with Markson Sparks, and told Chattr that they plan on expanding their brand outside of reality TV.

“Joining Max and Marta at Markson Sparks was an easy decision — they’re Australia’s most well-renowned PR and media titans, known for representing some of the country’s most recognised talent across all industries, including our key ones — sport (golf) and television. We’re delighted to be joining a legacy team,” Jacqui said.

Get that money, honey!

Stream MAFS 2025 on 9Now.

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Airport 24/7’s Traffic Controller Melissa reveals what the high stakes job really entails

by Saskia Morrison-Thiagu

If you’re a nervous flyer who panics at the thought of turbulence, then Channel 10’s new show Airport 24/7 about the life of an air traffic controller may actually settle your nerves. The life of an air traffic controller certainly isn’t easy, but ensuring that flights land and take off without a hitch is “so routine” for these men and women that it barely raises an eyebrow.

Melissa Lindsay has been an air traffic controller for 14 years and is one of the friendly faces you’ll come to love in this new doco-series. But she didn’t always have her sights set on this interesting profession, she was initially studying occupational therapy.

“It was, like, week one or two [of my occupational therapy course], and I already wanted to drop out,” Melissa tells Chattr.

The big pivot? A bit of reverse psychology. “Mum suggested air traffic control, and before I could say no, [my step dad] goes, ‘you won’t get in.’”

While it might seem harsh, Melissa had been watching her step dad work as an air traffic controller for years with very little interest.

“Initially I was like, I’m only doing it in spite of him. I’m still not going to do it. I’m just going to get in to prove him wrong,” she says.

But then Melissa started to look into it, and by day one of Air Traffic School, she was completely hooked. “It’s hands down the hardest thing I’ve ever done and the learning curve is steep, but I love the practical element of it.”

Melissa on Airport 24/7. Image: Ten.

“I feel like most people go through the same thing growing up in Australia, follow the bouncing ball and you’ll finish school, you’ll get a grade, you’ll pick a uni course, you’ll go to uni. And so when I was at the uni part of following the ball, I was like, I don’t like the idea of writing 2000 words to describe something that I can show you in a minute.”

And that’s a key part of the appeal for anyone considering the career, because it involves real-time problem solving and having a flair for focus. “It’s not about a specific personality type,” Melissa explains. “I’ve worked all over the country with all sorts of people and everyone is so different. You don’t look at someone and be like, you’d be a good controller.”

“It really is a confidence thing,” she explains. “It’s a confidence to just come in and look at the big puzzle and say well I can solve this, and I can keep working and keep grinding, and keep applying to do your job.”

How common are close calls in air traffic control?

In terms of close calls though, it’s not as crazy as you might think. “Honestly, 99% of my job is routine. If plan A doesn’t happen for whatever reason, whether it’s initiated by air traffic or by a pilot, you’ve already considered Plan B, C, D and E.”

“We’ve got a crash button that activates all the services that we’d need. But from there you’re just following a checklist.”

A passenger at Melbourne airport. Image: Ten.
A passenger at Melbourne airport. Image: Ten.

With all this pressure, you’d think cameras and crew would only add to it. However, while Melissa was initially nervous in the first five minutes of filming, she quickly forgot the cameras were even there. “You just focus. Everything else fades out.”

Melissa explains that the job requires so much focus and attention that “phones are locked away downstairs”. And in the age of everyone being chronically online, pure focus without phones as a distraction seems quite refreshing.

“You just lock in, no matter what’s happening in your personal life, what’s happening away – you just kind of lock into your your job and the people around you.”

So is there anything that us regular people can learn from a high-pressure, high-stakes job like an air traffic controller? “Lean in,” laughs Melissa. “I think you’ll be better for it, because you’ll embrace it head on.”

“And if you’re just at a crossroads and you’re not sure what you want to do career wise, or you’re just a bit bored. Just come, come to air traffic. If you’re good, they’ll recruit you.”

Airport 24/7 comes to 10 and 10 Play on June 5 at 7.30pm

Find out more about a career in air traffic here.

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Ella Ding on her pregnancy journey and whether she’ll post her baby on social media

by Danica Baker

Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2025 star Ella Ding took to Instagram on May 20th to announce that she was expecting her first child with husband Guy Palermo. Unfortunately, the news was somewhat overshadowed by followers criticising her for announcing it in a sponsored post, as well as by some harsh comments shared by her former bestie, Domenica Calarco.

However, despite the buzz surrounding Ella’s baby announcement, she told Chattr that she’s feeling “really grateful”.

Ella explained that she’s “well and truly over the first trimester” and only shared the announcement because she knew viewers would notice her bump in her new podcast, The Ella Era.

“I would have loved to have done a Kylie Jenner and not told anyone until the baby was born. That was what I really wanted to do and we announced at a point where I actually just couldn’t physically hide it anymore,” she said.

“I have kept the gender to us, as well as the due date,” she added.

Ella explained that she would have preferred to keep her pregnancy out of the spotlight in a move to protect herself from unnecessary stress.

“As you know, social media can be pretty crazy and pretty negative. I think you’ve just gotta really try to protect yourself during this time because your hormones, they’re so sensitive, your emotions are heightened. The only person that you’re going to be hurting is you and the baby, if you are reading and absorbing really horrible things online.”

Ella said that she’s been lucky enough to have a pretty smooth pregnancy so far.

“I’ve had — touch wood — no sickness. I’ve had no pregnancy symptoms yet, I’ve just felt like a bit tired and, you know, really weird things. Eating whatever I want, whenever I want, and really just like leaning into that whole experience and embracing it. But no, I haven’t had any symptoms really, which I’m very grateful for.”

Will Ella Ding share her baby on social media?

As mentioned, Ella faced backlash for announcing her pregnancy in a sponsored post with Clear Blue pregnancy tests.

“Disappointing that this post is an #ad. Already making money from your child who is unborn!” One person wrote.

Some users even went as far as to speculate that Ella will splash her newborn baby over social media in monetized posts. However, those assumptions may be premature—Ella told us she hasn’t decided whether her child will appear on her socials.

“I have been seeing this a lot more, and it’s been spoken a lot more, even on the news. Recently, I saw this whole thing about digital footprints,” she explained.

“It’s definitely something that, when that time comes, you know, that’s something me and my partner will will need to have a conversation about, because I do think that there is a level of respect that we need to have for our baby as well, because they are kind of put in this situation where they don’t get to decide.

“It’s something that we will definitely have a conversation about and think about carefully.”

Social media can be a strange place, where other people’s personal decisions often become public debate.

The Ella Era is available to stream on Spotify.

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Domenica claps back AGAIN after Ella defends her sponsored pregnancy post: ‘Money hungry loser’

by CHATTR Team

Former Married At First Sight (MAFS) star Ella Ding recently announced her pregnancy in a sponsored Instagram post, but what should have been a joyful reveal quickly sparked an online backlash.

One of the most prominent figures slamming Ella’s choice to make the announcement as a sponsored ad was her ex-bestie Domenica Calarco. Ella defended her decision to Chattr, saying that every woman should have the right to announce their pregnancy news in the way that they want to.

Now, Dom has taken aim again, dragging Ella’s brother into the mess in a bombshell Instagram comment under a post Pedestrian.TV published about the whole ordeal.

“Nah just pissed cos she needs MORE money after her and her brother stole from me. It’s okay, the story is coming,” Domenica wrote, without sharing any more insight on the allegations.

Dom's comment on a post about Ella.
Dom’s comment on the post in red. Image: Instagram.

Ella defends her choice to do a sponsored pregnancy announcement

In Ella’s original pregnancy announcement, she included a photo of a Clear Blue pregnancy test, and her followers noticed that she’d used the hashtag #Ad, which is a disclosure meaning that it’s a paid partnership. Some of her followers criticised her choice to make money off the announcement, and Domenica jumped in on the pile-on (more on that below).

Ella told Chattr that she was surprised by the negative reaction she received over the post.

“I wasn’t even expecting that kind of response, because I think that every woman or mum-to-be is entitled to whatever way that they want to announce, and people announce in the craziest ways,” she said.

“I feel like doing a partnership with Clear Blue is not really like that shocking, because it’s been something in the magazines for years, but also when the opportunity did come to me, Clear Blue were the ones who genuinely told me that I was, we were having a baby. So it just felt like it really aligned for me,” she explained.

“I really hope that people can respect that, and everybody’s entitled to their own ways of announcing,” Ella added.

What else did Dom say about Ella’s sponsored pregnancy announcement?

Ella, who shared the happy news on May 20, faced trolls online for deciding to make the announcement with a sponsored post in collaboration with the pregnancy test brand.

Among the many critics was Domenica, who in a comment said: “Even has to monetise her pregnancy announcement. Some people will never change. Wow.”

Dom Calarco's comment on Ella's pregnancy post
Image: Influencer.update.au

When asked for the tea, Domenica responded: “Oh it’s coming don’t worry, just putting it all together”.

Other commenters were quick to criticise the post too, saying: “Doing a sponsored ad to announce a pregnancy is the most embarrassing thing I may have ever seen on Instagram.”

Domenica hasn’t held back on her feelings about Ella’s sponsored post. On her own page a follower called Domenica for “slagging off Ella”, saying that she would be supporting Ella if they were still friends.

“Before I knew what a money hungry loser she was,” Domenica responded. Ooft.

Dom’s comment. Image: Instagram.

We reached out to Domenica for comment, but she did not respond.

Ella Ding shares a pregnancy post with Courtney Stubbs

Another twist in the MAFS pregnancy war between Ella Ding and Domenica Calarco is that Love Island’s Courtney Stubbs and MAFS’ Evelyn Ellis have popped out of the woodwork to support Ella. It’s even more awkward when you realise Courtney is engaged to Dom’s ex MAFS husband, Jack Millar. Messy, messy.

ICYMI, Ella announced her first pregnancy on May 20 but faced criticism for raking in some cash from pregnancy test brand Clear Blue at the same time. One of the loudest critics was her ex-best friend, Dom, who is also pregnant.

However, in a show of support (or shady move, it’s up to interpretation), Courtney and Ella posted an Instagram reel showing off their pregnant bellies paired with Clear Blue tests.

“Can’t believe we get to do this together,” Courtney wrote, alongside the video of them showing off their baby bumps.

The commenters weren’t having it, with one saying it seemed “a bit insensitive” towards Dom.

“This feels off, I’m sorry Dom,” one person wrote.

“This is weird and feels more of a dig at Dom than two ‘best friends’ celebrating,” another added.

“This one doesn’t land well… love and light to the babies but the video is a bit insensitive, you knew what you were doing here,” a third wrote.

However, Ella told Chattr that Courtney is a good friend of hers, and they were just excited to share their pregnancy journey.

“Jack and I have stayed very close since MAFS, whether it’s I’m flying to Sydney to catch up with him, or he’s coming down to Melbourne for work, and Courtney, obviously, is Jack’s partner, so we’ve all grown to become very strong,” she explained.

“We actually ended up telling each other [about the pregnancy] on the phone at the same time, it was like, Holy shit, are we is this like, really happening?” She said.

“It was just so funny, I wish we could have filmed that phone call. And then recently, I was up there for Jack’s 30th, so we got to kind of all celebrate, you know, being pregnant. And yeah, it is a really special thing to be able to share it with someone.”

MAFS’ Evelyn Ellis defends Ella’s sponsored pregnancy post

In a surprising turn of events, MAFS star Evelyn also commented on a TikTok about Ella’s sponsored pregnancy post and defended the reality TV star for making some cash off her unborn baby.

“I’m not going to lie, having a baby is expensive. Why not collect a cheque and set up your kid’s future? Life is expensive,” Evelyn wrote.

“I agree not everything is about money! But Ella is not hurting anyone with what she decides to do! We should all respect people’s decisions and not judge.”

MAFS' Evelyn Ellis weighing in on Ella Ding's sponsored pregnancy post on TikTok
Evelyn’s comments on TikTok. Image: TikTok

Dom and Ella’s friendship breakdown

This isn’t the first time that Domenica has called Ella out for some questionable sponsorship behaviour. On May 18, Domenica chimed in on a TikTok conversation about Ella potentially scamming people with a new Range Rover competition.

Ella was criticised because she claimed she was giving away a 2026 Range Rover model when the car is actually a 2024 model. Domenica entered the comments section to weigh in and this is where things get spicy.

“I have to constantly block them [the ads],” Domenica commented. “Let’s just say she scammed me. I’m not ready to talk about it yet, but when I do, this will all make sense.”

This is a far cry from the once inseparable besties, who even found success with their own podcast Sit With Us.

Although, it’s that same podcast that was ultimately their undoing when the two faced backlash last year for an interview with controversial MAFS stars Jack Dunkley and Tori Adams.

“The breakdown of our friendship really started when the backlash from Sit With Us happened, I think we had very differing opinions and views on the way to handle the situation,” Domenica said on her solo podcast Mad Woman.

What a sad end to a friendship we were all rooting for.

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The Bachelor’s Luke Bateman responds to book deal backlash: ‘Battles fought by people I can help’

by Danica Baker

Former The Bachelor lead Luke Bateman recently took his love of reading to BookTok, where he shares short clips of himself reviewing novels, which led to him landing a book deal.

Luke launched his book account on TikTok in late April, and the first post was flooded with thirsty comments asking him to review risque books, which he did. Just over a month later, his publishing deal was officially signed.

The announcement has caused an uproar on social media from people who’ve questioned why Luke managed to land a deal so quickly, but marginalised authors who have been trying to land deals for years are unable to.

Luke told Chattr that he understands the frustration and wants to use his platform and privilege to bring attention to those authors.

“Obviously, a lot of these conversations are very new to me, and I wholeheartedly understand that so many people have felt let down by the industry,” he said.

“I have so much empathy, love, and grace for people who struggle, and I have no idea what they’ve been through in their life, the challenges they’ve faced, or, you know, the discrimination.

“So I can wholeheartedly understand how angry and resentful these things would make people.”

“For something to incite such a severe response in people, it’s obviously something that’s really, really close to their heart.”

@chattrau Luke Bateman (aka @lukesreads) has responded to the #booktok backlash regarding his two-book publishing deal with @Atria Books #booktokfyp #aussiebooktok #diversebooks #bookrecommendations #lukebateman #lukesreads #publishing #booktoker #bookdeal ♬ Daylight by Taylor Swift sped up – brooke ⎕ ⚭

How Luke Bateman wants to use his book deal to bring attention to marginalised authors

Luke’s TikTok post about his book announcement has been flooded with comments from people calling out his privilege in getting the publishing deal.

“This opportunity is the intersection of white privilege, male privilege, and pretty privilege. Not a reflection of worth,” one person wrote on his post.

Luke Bateman's BookTok page.
Luke Bateman’s book deal announcement. Image: TikTok.

Luke told Chattr that the comments encouraged him to speak to marginalised authors to hear how he can use his platform to help them.

“I’ve actually spoken with a few [people]. I was speaking with a Latino woman yesterday who was sharing her story, and she was actually saying that she was just at a conference on the weekend,” he said.

“The authors in there were saying how publishers had told them to publish under different names, or, yeah, or do stories — I won’t quote because I can’t remember exactly what she said — but basically, do stories that would fit more into a different audience,” he said.

He added that the conversations he’s been having have been eye-opening and he’s planning to review and promote books from marginalised authors on his BookTok, which has 175,000 followers.

“I just said, like, I obviously have advantages that other people don’t. How do I capitalise on those to help lift everyone up?” he said. “If I can use my platform and my voice and my privilege and position in society to help uplift others.”

“[I want to] promote indie authors and self-published authors, reading more books that they obviously publish [and] promoting those, sharing those and talking about those.”

Luke added that while he can recognise his privilege, he’s still excited about the opportunity to fulfil his dream of becoming a published author.

“We can hold two truths at the same time. I can still feel very satisfied, and I can still hold a lot of joy for myself, while also understanding that there are other battles fought by people and that I can help with. You know, those two things don’t have to be separate things, those two truths can be held simultaneously.”

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Would Farmer Wants A Wife’s Annie return to the show after the Corey and Keeley drama?

by Rachel Choy

Embarrassed Farmer Wants A Wife 2025 intruder Annie found herself on the wrong foot after she accused Keeley of sleeping with Farmer Corey. After Corey and Keeley denied any wrongdoing, Annie was left in tears and decided to leave the farm. 

She didn’t get much screentime on Farmer Wants A Wife — seeing as she was an intruder — and she left empty-handed. So, would Annie go back on FWAW if producers came calling?

Annie tells Chattr she’s been thinking about this scenario “a bit” lately, and would return to the Channel Seven show if it were less focused on drama. “I definitely would, I would hope that probably it goes back to its original format where it is really solely focused [on] farm life and falling in, like a true love story,” she explains.

“I felt like that’s what I thought it was going to be, and the filming was that, but what the audience sees, unfortunately, it’s not that. So yeah, if it was the right person and someone a little closer to my age, definitely, I’d do it again.”

She has no regrets about her time on Farmer Wants A Wife, but notes there’s a disadvantage for the intruder Ladies coming in when the original women have made strong connections with the Farmers.

Farmer Wants A Wife 2025 Annie and Jadee
Annie confronts Keeley on the show. Image: Seven

“Coming in a little later was probably not what I was hoping [for]. I had expected to maybe get in there earlier, and I feel like there would have been more of an opportunity to get to know Corey if I had come in earlier, so that, I guess, would be the only thing I would want to change,” she adds.

“For me, I’m not a very open and emotional person, so it was great for me to be able to open up and be vulnerable and talk about those things, so now I can kind of bring those tools from filming into my personal life.”

Annie reveals what she wishes viewers saw on Farmer Wants A Wife

Annie will be forever remembered for the drama between herself, Farmer Corey and Keeley, and she’s “sad” that she wasn’t able to show more depth of character.

“It’s sad that I [was] not shown as much, like we put in a lot of time. I know it’s a TV show and [they] need to edit things and fit it into a time slot, but I am sad that it has been [focused] on this drama,” she explains.

“I was very vulnerable, and I spoke a lot about my upbringing, which was on a farm, and you know my parents went through a lot and lost their farm, so I felt like that part of my story would have been really nice to be shown,” Annie adds. 

“I don’t feel like I had [much] of a voice shown on TV. I almost look like I’m a very quiet person, but in reality, I’m not.”

Farmer Wants A Wife 2025 Farmer Corey Keeley Winner Pick
Keeley and Corey’s connection has been undeniable. Image: Seven

Annie realised during the Honesty Box challenge there was a “bit of drama”, and it was “taking away from [her] chance of finding love”. “I needed to leave. I have a respect for myself to get out of those [kinds] of situations,” she says.

Fingers crossed Annie is in a better place now and on her way to finding her happily ever after!

Farmer Wants a Wife airs on Monday and Tuesday nights at 7:30pm on Channel 7 and 7Plus.

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MAFS’ Rhi reveals if she’ll have a televised wedding with Jeff and spills on baby plans

by Rachel Choy

Golden couple Rhi Disljenkovic and Jeff Gobbels are one of the best things to come out of Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2025, and fans are desperate to see them back on screen again. Could these lovebirds be heading down the aisle again soon, and will we get a bonus episode of MAFS as a treat? 

Rhi tells Chattr while the couple will be celebrating their one year anniversary in July, she doesn’t think a proposal is coming anytime soon — unless Jeff has something sneaky up his sleeve! The pair have discussed getting hitched and having babies, so these two are going from strength to strength.

“We’ve definitely spoken about marriage and kids and that, it’s definitely on the cards, but I think it will be down the track. There’s a lot going on at the moment,” Rhi spills. “I think the great thing about us post-show is the honeymoon period. It’s like it started all over again, just doing life together… we’ve moved in together, which is lovely.”

When asked if she had considered turning her future wedding to Jeff into a big televised event, she admits it hadn’t crossed her mind. But she doesn’t completely veto the idea!

“I think [a] wedding is more of an intimate thing,” she muses.”But then in saying that, you know, it’s such a great thing to celebrate. And the world has already seen our relationship unfold on TV, but I never really thought about a televised wedding, to be honest.”

Rhi and Jeff MAFS 2025 Final Vows
Rhi and Jeff’s Final Vows were so perfect. Image: Nine

Obviously, some of the MAFS cast would snag invites to Rhi and Jeff’s wedding (what’s their couple name? Reff? Jhi?), with a few exceptions. I’m reading between the lines here, but I’m pretty sure Jacqui Burfoot and Clint Rice won’t be on the guest list, after all the beef that’s gone down between Jacqui and Rhi.

“I would invite the MAFS cast. We’re friends with so many people still from the show, and we keep in contact. Like this weekend, I’m seeing Beth [Kelly] and Jamie [Marinos] pretty much the whole weekend, we’ve got things planned,” she says. “Definitely would invite a lot of the cast… some would miss out.”

The side of Jeff MAFS fans didn’t get to see

Rhi and Jeff didn’t have much drama on Married At First Sight, thanks to their smooth sailing throughout the experiment. The former bride believes there’s a hidden side of Jeff that viewers didn’t get to see, and by keeping it off-camera, it actually strengthened their relationship. 

“Jeff is extremely affectionate, and I really love that about him… during filming, he was more affectionate off camera, which just goes to show like we really did dig each other in the end, because it wasn’t just for the cameras,” she says. 

MAFS 2025 Jeff and rhi
Image: Instagram
MAFS 2025 Jeff and rhi
Image: Instagram

“He is a cuddly, affectionate [and] an extremely consistent person. Even if he is in a bad mood, he doesn’t take it out on anyone. Like, say, if he has had a bad day, [I just give] him a hug, cook dinner and he’s all better.”

If that’s Jeff’s only hidden trait, these two truly are so wholesome and the real deal. Can we please have an invite to the wedding??

You can stream Married At First Sight on 9Now.

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