Love Island Games is back for Season 2, and just like last time, a few familiar Aussies are tipped to join the fun.
Season 1 featured Aussies Callum and Jessica as OGs, with on-again-off-again winners Mitch and Tina stirring things up later in the season.
Now, with rumours swirling about the new line-up, it looks just as chaotic — with Mimi and Dylan among those speculated to be heading into the villa.
While nothing has been officially confirmed, Reddit sleuths are already spilling tea about who we can expect in Love Island Games Season 2.
Read on to see the rumoured Love Island Games Season 2 cast.
Love Island Australia
Love Island Australia is bringing the mess to Love Island Games. Mimiand Dylanwere coupled up in the Season 6 villa but decided to go their separate ways. Dylan went on to date one of Mimi’s besties for the rest of the season, but they rekindled their love post-show, which ended in another messy breakup.
Meanwhile, Em won the same season with reality TV regular Mercedes, but the pair split almost immediately after the finale was filmed.
Love Island France will again be part of Love Island Games. In season 1 we had Steph, who also appeared on Love Island Australia, this time Cindy and Edgar will be taking their shot at the games.
There are more than a few recognisable faces among the rumoured Love Island US line-up. Fresh from the most recent season are, apparently, Andreina, Chris and Bella-A.
Anne and Maree‘s Instant Restaurant on My Kitchen Rules 2025 (MKR) kicked off a bunch of drama, with Rielli jokingly pointing a butter knife towards Mel who got extremely upset. When it was Rielli and Michael‘s turn to host the contestants, Mel and her cousin Jacinta recounted the knife incident and played it up for the cameras.
Rielli tells Chattr that Mel had no reason to feel threatened at all, and believes it’s part of the cousins’ strategic play.
“If you look back at the clip, you can clearly see that the knife isn’t even pointing at them. It’s around the wrong way, it’s pointing at me,” Rielli says.
“I was clearly joking, and I don’t know, I just feel like they took it way too seriously, and it was definitely a strategic move.”
“I think that they’re just being drama queens for no reason and trying to put everyone against us, but hopefully everyone sees through them,” Michael says.
Mel and Jacinta on MKR 2025. Image: Seven
Are Jacinta and Mel the ‘villains’ of MKR 2025?
Rielli and Michael are diplomatic when Chattr asks if Jacinta and Mel are this year’s ‘villains’ on MKR, and warn viewers not to take things completely at face value. It’s reality TV, after all.
“True colours shine at the end of the day, I do feel like that,” Rielly says. “But I feel like everybody needs to take it with a grain of salt, because it’s a lot of pressure. It’s stressful. You’re tired, you sometimes say things you don’t mean.
“So I feel like on the TV show, they might come across as villainous, but I’m sure they’re not villainous people in real life.”
An upcoming preview for the next Instant Restaurant shows Mel and Jacinta dropping a bombshell about Maria and Bailey, so these controversial cousins are quickly making multiple enemies on the show.
How will this strategy play out, considering they need their fellow cooks to play nice and score them fairly when it’s their turn to host?
My Kitchen Rules (MKR) airs on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 7:30pm on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
While both shows are on Channel Nine, Dave tells Chattr his appearance wasn’t a publicity stunt or arranged by any producers.
“It was completely, completely random. The Caruso Brothers rang a friend of mine asking for a caulker. Anyway, they called me, not knowing who I was, and I just rocked up,” Dave says.
“It was funny, because I [saw] all the old producers from MAFS on that set, and you know, it’s quite emotional seeing the producers after a while, because you sort of have a connection with them as well.”
Dave worked on Sonny and Alicia‘s bathhouse room at Hepburn Springs, and the married couple shared a snap of the ex-MAFS contestant posing on site.
“We put a lot of time and effort into our bathhouse room at Hepburn Springs. We are beyond stoked with how it turned out,” Alicia and Sonny wrote on Instagram. “None of this is possible without our talented team of trades and suppliers.”
Dave on The Block. Image: Instagram
Did Dave give any of the contestants reality TV advice?
While Dave met a bunch of the contestants and described them as “really lovely”, he didn’t dish out any reality TV tips or tricks.
“I didn’t give anyone advice. Love advice is different from building bathrooms,” he jokes. “Not that I have any good advice to give, just don’t say I love you after three weeks.”
The renovation show is vastly different to the romance show Dave appeared on, and The Block seems more up his alley.
“Obviously, the set is a lot different to Married At First Sight, but I absolutely loved it,” Dave says. “Everyone was really nice, and I got to meet some of the contestants and their kids, who they hadn’t seen in over a month or two. So it was cool to see that.”
Could we see Dave competing on The Block in future? It would be great to see him back on reality TV again.
The Block 2025 airs on Sundays at 7:30pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
The claws are out on My Kitchen Rules 2025 (MKR), with Jacinta and Mel letting slip they were thinking of voting strategically during Rielli and Michael‘s Instant Restaurant, before scoring the couple a paltry four out of 10. While Rielli and Michael had some issues with their starter and main, their dessert was praised by the judges, with Colin Fassnidge awarding them a 10.
Rielli and Michael have beef with Jacinta and Mel, with Michael labelling them as “sooks” and Rielli jokingly pulling a butter knife on them. However, seeing the score of four come through was still a shock.
“I think Jacinta just really wants us out of the competition, and she’ll say anything to make our food and even us look bad. And I think she does it to try and sway the table to ultimately get us removed from the competition,” Rielli tells Chattr.
“Four was really harsh. I felt like we did not deserve four. Like, that’s well below average.”
Considering Mel and Jacinta’s Instant Restaurant is still to come, there’s a possibility that other teams could vote strategically and get revenge on the cousins. Rielli and Michael claim they won’t “stoop down to that level”, and plan on being fair.
“As much as I wanted to get revenge, I respect food too much,” Michael says. “Strategic scoring hurts my soul. I love food, and I feel like all of the food should be scored fairly. It doesn’t matter if you have beef with other teams, you’re on a cooking show, you score the food based on the food, not the people that are cooking it.”
Rielli adds that the couple want to win fairly, not because they’ve dunked on other teams. “If you can’t put the drama aside, you’re not on MKR for the right reasons. Ultimately, at the end of the day, it’s about the food and how you can cook, and what you plate up, and that’s what should be judged.
“We have definitely never strategically scored… if I’m going to win, I want to win where it’s based on good merits and it was warranted.”
The MKR cast during Rielli and Michael’s Instant Restaurant. Image: Seven
Did MKR’s Jacinta get caught in a lie?
When Jacinta was giving feedback on Rielli and Michael’s raspberry gel with chocolate dome dessert, she said that it wasn’t “rich” enough for her tastebuds and claimed not to enjoy it.
However, she previously mentioned at Anne and Maree‘s Instant Kitchen that she doesn’t enjoy finishing a meal that’s too heavy, decadent and rich.
“It’s not making sense… now it’s the other way around?” Rielli points out.
Michael says Jacinta is “constantly shifting the goalpost”, and it certainly seems like she has a grudge against this duo.
Will Jacinta and Mel score higher than Michael and Rielli when they finally put on their MKR aprons? That’s bound to be a fiery Instant Restaurant episode.
Watch My Kitchen Rules (MKR) 2025 on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
My Kitchen Rules2025(MKR) couple Rielli and Michael shocked Australia by serving a fine-dining dish consisting of buttered beef tongue and cabbage during their Instant Restaurant cook. However, two contestants were particularly irked — Mel and her vegetarian cousin Jacinta. Mel made comments about how she was “gagging” and “throwing up” when eating the dish, and Jacinta refused to touch the beef tongue.
Rielli and Michael tell Chattr they never expected to be cooking for “picky eaters” on a cooking show, and they believe Jacinta shouldn’t be competing on MKR.
“I do not think that vegetarians or vegans should be on MKR. I think that if they want to go on a cooking show, they should make MKR Vegetarian,” Michael explains. “This will sound crazy, but when I was growing up, I actually experimented with a lot of diets and I was vegetarian and I was also vegan, and then I just realised that I love meat, and meat [is] good for you.
“I’ve got the most utmost respect for anyone trying any diet out there. I just feel like, on a cooking competition, you should be trying the food that the people put their blood, sweat and tears into to prepare.”
Rielli agrees, and adds it can be “disheartening” when you spend hours cooking in the kitchen only to see fellow contestants not touching the final dish.
“Whether we want to admit it or not, it’s a cooking show, and if we’re not all eating the same thing, ultimately it’s not fair,” Rielli says. “I feel like there should be another version of MKR where it’s like MKR Vegetarian or MKR Vegan.”
Michael and Rielli’s Instant Restaurant. Image: Seven
Did Michael and Rielli expect backlash for their buttered beef tongue?
Michael and Rielli didn’t score well for their buttered beef tongue. While Michael cooked the cut of meat perfectly, it was lacking in flavour and depth, without any sauce. Nobody at the table enjoyed the dish, but Lol and Lil found it particularly hard to stomach.
This hit Michael and Rielli hard, because they had spent hours cooking for their Instant Restaurant challenge.
“I did not expect the backlash. I mean, we’re on a cooking show. I expected everyone on the show to be able to eat all foods. I didn’t think that I would have picky eaters on the show,” Michael tells us.
“Being a foodie myself, I absolutely love trying all different types of foods, and I always keep my mind open. But to have people going, ‘ew’, it was just really disheartening to see.”
Rielli admits that the pair thought about pairing the beef tongue with a sauce, but the couple were worried they would be accused of trying to hide the tongue amongst heavy flavours.
“If I put sauce [on] it, people would be like, ‘Oh, I couldn’t even taste the tongue’. I feel like we were damned if we did, damned if we don’t,” Rielli says. “I was [also] putting a lot of pressure on us to strive for perfection, and I feel like that really affected us and put me in a really bad mindset.”
The couple are the lowest on the MKR leaderboard at this stage, with a total of 65 out of 100. However, there are still three duos who are yet to cook in the Instant Restaurant challenge, so Michael and Rielli might still make it through this round.
Watch My Kitchen Rules (MKR) 2025 on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
The Survivor: Australia v The World finale is approaching, and it sounds like there will be a final three pitching their cases to the Jury, who will vote for the winner.
For the uninitiated, eliminated players form the jury. After being voted out, they still attend Tribal Councils and later question the finalists at the grand finale. With only four contenders left — Luke Toki, Parvati Shallow, Cirie Fields, and Janine Allis — the next elimination will be determined by a vote from the remaining castaways.
Traditionally, ahead of the finale castaways will usually vote out the person who could beat them in a pitch, and keep the less threatening players in the game — who are unofficially dubbed ‘goats’.
This season, all four players have some big moves on their resumes, so we asked a Survivor expert who they thought would be the least risky person to take through to the finale.
GlobalSurvivor podcast hostShannon Guss — known for her deep-dive interviews with eliminated Australian Survivor contestants — told Chattr she believes if Boost Juice owner Janine, whose net worth is estimated at $66 million, makes it to the final three, she will struggle to get jury votes.
“I never know if Janine is someone a jury would vote for. Her real-life success (and our national tall poppy syndrome) always taints her chances for me, much like it did for The White Lotus creator Mike White in the US. She also may seem to be a bit in Luke’s louder shadow – despite her fantastic work in rounds like the Kirby vote,” she told Chattr.
Janine on Survivor: Australia v The World. Image: Ten.Shannon with Australian Survivor’s Kirby. Image: Instagram.
Who does Shannon Guss think will win Survivor: Australia v The World
In line with most fans, Shannon points to Parvati as the standout player.
“Parvati has put on a masterclass, in contention for her best game of all time – and that’s a high bar,” she told Chattr.
“Coming in as a massive name and threat when so many titans left early, drawing allies toward her with her inimitable charisma and aura and pushing out the right threats at the right time – challenge beast Kass was the ideal target to get out of her way – has cemented this lofty praise.
“The cherry on top has been her quick thinking in a fast game. She bluffed her idol steal advantage to bend Kass’ idol play to her will and blindside her to the jury, in a move I’m sure we will talk about for many years to come.”
Parvati and Janine. Image: Ten.
Interestingly, Shannon pointed out that with such huge names on Survivor: Australia v The World, some of the players’ egos may be clouding their judgment of who to stand next to at the final Tribal Council.
“My theory is that some of the game’s biggest personalities who have never made it to Final Tribal Council, such as Luke, Shonee, Kirby, Janine or even Cirie, can’t imagine themselves losing at the end at all, something that is unlikely to have happened in any of their prior seasons. It’s an error I think they’ll pay for, in favour of the Black Widow,” she said.
“It has shocked me how many people are willing to sit with Parvati – a brave choice that I, myself, would not make. We have even seen Luke and Janine choose to go with her time and time again, without even attempting to take a shot at 7, 6 or 5.”
Bring on the Survivor: Australia v The World finale!
Survivor: Australia v The World airs at 7pm on Sundays, and 7:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays on Channel 10 and 10Play.
Every My Kitchen Rules (MKR)season needs a controversial duo and this season it looks like Michael and Rielli are here to fill that void, dubbed as the “opinionated couple”.
Already Michael has taken that title and run with it, with the self-confessed ‘Meat-master’ making comments about Jacinta being in the competition because she doesn’t eat meat, and branding Lol and Lil the ‘Logan Bogans’.
So what else do we know about MKR’s controversial couple Michael and Rielli? Let’s dive in
Michael is a meat-loving civil engineer with a passion for self-improvement, while Rielli is a graphic designer with a playful energy and serious baking skills.
The couple have been together for five years, and met at a Santa Claus pub crawl. Rielli hopes to take out the MKR prize money and launch her own baking business.
The couple have already found themselves in controversy with fellow participants Jacinta and Mel, with Michael taking umbrage at the fact that Jacinta doesn’t eat meat, arguing that she shouldn’t be on the show.
“Are you kidding me? Why is she here?” he remarked in his piece-to-camera interview. “You can’t eat it, you can’t taste it, she’s not able to judge the dish.”
In episode two, tension continued to grow between the two teams, after Rielli pointed a butter knife at Mel during a back-and-forth debate, saying, “What are you gonna do bitch?”
Rielli pointing her butter knife at Mel. Image: Seven
Reilli was quick to call it a joke, but Mel felt differently, telling cameras she felt unsettled by the behaviour and that it had “crossed a line”.
Reilli later apologised, but Michael had already made things worse by calling Mel and Jacinta “sooks” for being upset.
With Michael and Rielli set to cook in tonight’s episode, we can only imagine the drama will continue to build! Stay tuned.
Who else is competing in MKR 2025?
There will be six teams competing in MKR 2025; best mates Justin and Will, mother-daughter duo Anne and Maree, feisty cousins Mel and Jacinta, ambitious friends Maria and Bailey, and lifelong besties Lol and Lil. Read more about them here.
My Kitchen Rules (MKR) airs on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 7:30pm on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
Robby and Mat found themselves in a tight spot on The Block 2025 this week, after they were informed that Emma and Ben from House 2 had taken some of their herringbone floorboards.
Robby was left with the tough spot of working with his tradies to figure out how to fix the problem, but what really happened? Did Emma and Ben steal their floorboards to sabotage Mat and Robby?
“Obviously, we ordered our floorboards a long time before, we knew we had enough, we actually over-ordered a little bit,” Robby tells Chattr. “Unfortunately, it just came down to poor communication from [the flooring] business.”
According to Robby and Mat, they knew House 2 was taking floorboards from them, but didn’t expect there to be a shortage.
“They ran out of floorboards, and were taking floorboards from us, but we were promised that we will have enough floorboards to finish the house,” Robby adds.
However, the pair believe it was the flooring company rather than Emma and Ben.
“They might take something in the future, but I’ll tell you what. What they’re taking this week might not be that big a deal,” Matt chimes in.
Why was it such a disaster for Robby and Mat to run out of floorboards?
During The Block episode, Robby chatted to the Flooring Xtra boss, who said the pair would put in a “breaker” if they ran out of timber.
However, Robby and Mat were furious at this idea.
“It would be disrespectful to the buyer,” Mat said. “Otherwise, as soon as you walk in, you’re gonna have a fat ugly beam, and you’re going to have herringbone going different higgledy-piggledy, it’s not a high-end, premium home then.”
Mat and Robby on The Block. Image: Nine
Robby expanded on this in our interview, saying: “We wanted to connect our lounge room, and then we wanted to flow into all the rooms that were floorboarded. And you don’t want to sort of start in the corner and work your way back to the living room.
“It needs to flow from the living room. So we knew from [the] start we were going to do that, and the Flooring Xtra team were aware of that.”
So much drama over some pieces of wood! That’s what The Block is all about.
The Block 2025 airs on Sundays at 7:30pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
While Robby’s family’s visit was beautiful, some viewers have questioned why the other contestants — like Sonny and Alicia, who have three kids, and Britt and Taz, who have two — weren’t extended the same courtesy.
“Why is one child allowed on set when the other two families can’t?” one person wrote on Facebook. Another commented, “Why is his family allowed to be there and no one else’s family is there?”
During an interview with Chattr, Robby explained that he was at breaking point missing his family, and The Block producers recognised how much he was battling, which is why they bought in Alyssa and Brooks.
“I was just really struggling to be honest. And the best thing about The Block and the people behind the scenes — you can see why it’s been a successful show for 21 seasons — is that they care. I was struggling, and I missed my son. I’m a new dad,” he said.
Robby, Alyssa and Brooks. Image: Nine.
“I felt bad for leaving Alyssa alone. She’s a new mum, and it’s always tough for her, and it put me in a situation where I was like, second-guessing, should I be here? And I just wanted to be around him. And the show said, ‘Tell you what, Rob, you say it, and we’ll get him here,’ and then they’re behind the scenes and worked it out, and he walked in, and I was very happy. I don’t think I would have enjoyed the experience much longer if I didn’t see him.”
Robby added that it was hard to put into words how he felt when Alyssa and Brooks walked into his and Mat’s half-finished kitchen and living room.
“It was one of those amazing moments,” he said. “Being away from him for a week before I went on the show — So it was about 45 days where I didn’t see him, and then for him to just walk in and see his little face, and it changed so much. I had no words. I was broken.”
“I was just so happy…Brooks is my screensaver, and I FaceTime every morning and every bath time, but to see him and have that reminder of this is why we’re here. I’m telling you right now, if we did not see Brooks and Alyssa on that Saturday, there is no way Mat and I would have got that room done.”
Mat praises The Block producers for prioritising contestants’ mental health
Mat pointed out that The Block producers and crew were constantly checking in with the contestants and making sure they were coping well.
“As Rob said, you can see why [the show has] lasted for so long, because it is a family on site, and yes, they’re there to make a TV show, but fucking hell, they looked after us like,” he told Chattr.
“We became a family very quickly, with all the people behind the scenes and that sort of stuff… We were made to feel loved and cared for and our mental health and our well being. And you know, with the fact that they brought Brooks and Alyssa in so Rob could keep going. It was just amazing.”
Have other families been bought in on The Block before?
It’s not a rare occurrence for The Block crew to bring in family members to help contestants who are having a rough time.
On The Block 2022, Tom & Sarah-Jane’s daughter Cleo was bought in for her first birthday after the couple had were struggling with the idea of missing out on it. More recently, Eliza recieved a surprise visit from her parents and other sister who greeted her after a challenge with a champagne shower for her birthday.
Tom and Sarah-Jane seeing their daughter. Image: Nine.
The Block 2021 saw visits from Tanya and Vito’s kids, and the 2020 season had George‘s parents surprise him during the painting week for an emotional boost.
Each season, The Block also sets aside a special day for family, friends — and sometimes even pets — to join the contestants for some fun on site.
The Block 2025 airs on Sundays at 7:30pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
After Han and Can were caught red-handed lying to Foreman Dan about washing their paint containers where they weren’t supposed to, some fans have called for the pair to be “canned” and kicked off The Block2025.
The ‘villains’ of The Block have been followed by controversy, from allegedly copying Alicia and Sonny‘s heated seat design, to refusing to join the other contestants for dinner. Over on Reddit, fans have been busy discussing whether Han and Can have been getting away scot-free with their crimes, and some believe they should be “disqualified”.
“I think they have been playing with a dodgy hand for the whole season, they should be gone,” one fan wrote. “They need to really go back to basics, hard enforcement of rules and focus on renovation.”
“I think they definitely should be disqualified for this week’s competition at least, and at the very least they should’ve been closed down for at least two hours like other people have been for less,” another added.
“Don’t know why there hasn’t been at least site shutdowns in response? After being caught out with clear footage and then called out for not owning up to it, she then reluctantly says she’ll own up to it… and says it’s the first time she’s been caught,” a third wrote.
Many fans believe that kicking Han and Can off The Block completely would be far too harsh.
“I’m certain they’re being edited poorly in comparison to others, to be the villains of this series…. they stupidly lied about cutting corners and washing some paintbrushes off into the dirt, but that’s hardly the crime of the century,” one person pointed out.
“[Kicking them off is] a little extreme. They are my least favourite couple by some way, but they haven’t done anything that warrants them being kicked off the show. They’ve ignored some direct instructions from Dan, but that happens every season,” another added.
“I don’t think they should be canned, there’s been previous contestants who have done worse and survived to the end of the show. But they should definitely get penalised in my opinion,” a third chimed in.
Han and Can on The Block. Image: Nine
Do Han and Can quit The Block 2025?
There have been some rumours swirling that Han and Can leave The Block early, but the pair’s interview with Chattr suggested they make it all the way to the end.
“We genuinely got along with everyone and see the cast as a little family. We even stayed together in an Airbnb after filming and got matching tattoos at the launch,” Can said.
“Later in the season, we became especially close with Sonny and Leesh. We supported each other through the highs and lows and built a bond based on genuine care.”
Love them or hate them, Han and Can are making sure The Block2025 is filled with drama — and isn’t that what reality TV is all about?
The Block 2025 airs on Sundays at 7:30pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Survivor New Zealand winner Lisa Holmes (nee Stanger) has provided plenty of entertainment on Survivor: Australia v The World. From trying to quit the show so Tommi Manninen could win for the international contingent, to getting emotional over Cirie Fields (she’s a superfan, didn’t you hear?) and finally letting her claws come out during a last-minute scramble, she certainly baffled fans with her odd strategy.
We finally have some inside intel about why she approached Survivor: Australia v The World in such a messy way, and it comes down to her win on Survivor New Zealand.
“I know Lisa a little in real life, being from her hometown. When she went on Survivor [New Zealand], she didn’t come in thinking she could win, but more for the experience… then she got to a point after merge where she realised that she could win against 99 per cent of people. Most of which were new to Survivor, weren’t strategic etc. Her only barrier was her closest ally. She blindsided her ally, without remorse, and went on to win,” the source spilled on Reddit.
“The problem was after her win she got a fair amount of hate from the casual NZ audience who are not Survivor literate, and just saw a nerdy weirdo snake win against people they believed were more physical or fan favourites.”
Survivor: Australia v The World’s Top 6. Image: 10
The insider went on to say they believe Lisa’s Survivor: Australia v The World gameplay was “shaped” by her past experience, and wanted to prove that she could be a loyal player.
“She came back wanting to redeem herself and for the experience of playing with big players. I think the second she saw Cirie on that beach… she realised she just wanted Cirie to win as a fan, her winning twice was less important than Cirie getting her deserved first win,” they added.
“We saw glimpses [in her boot episode] of how she could turn it on and be ruthless if she wanted to be. But I think her reactions to be called sketch really highlighted [that] her intentions [were] pure.”
Another Reddit user claiming to work with Lisa in New Zealand also jumped in and said she’s a “lovely” person.
Lisa’s wild pre-game Survivor: Australia v The World strategy
While it seemed like Lisa went into Survivor: Australia v The World relatively clueless and without much strategic prowess, in reality, she spent the months prior to landing in Samoa trying to lower her threat level.
A YouTube video titled “How Survivor New Zealand Was Almost RUINED (Before It Even Began)”, aimed at tearing down Lisa’s gameplay, was uploaded on September 11, 2024.
The YouTuber, Henry Hickman, has since revealed that Lisa asked him to create this video before she went on the show.
“This is a video Lisa requested I make in order to lower her threat level going into Survivor: Australia v The World. What an insane and wild life I live,” he wrote. “She is playing on levels other players can’t even conceive. She is mildly lucky to be friends with a random small-time Survivor YouTuber to put her plan into action.”
If only we were able to see more of this strategy play out on screen, but Lisa sure made this season extremely entertaining.
Survivor: Australia v The World airs at 7pm on Sundays, and 7:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays on Channel 10 and 10Play.
My Kitchen Rules (MKR)fans have spotted a potential spoiler for the upcoming episodes, taking to social media to question if former controversial judge Pete Evans is making an appearance in the 2025 season.
“Have I gone mad or did Channel 7 just air an MKR ad with Pete Evans?” one person asked on Reddit, with others confirming they also spotted the former judge.
One person even uploaded some screenshots of the brief cameo.
Is Pete back on MKR? Image: Seven
“No way they are going to show Paleo Pete,” one fan said, with another rebutting, “Yes way, they definitely aired his mugshot… To the tune of Barry White’s ‘Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe’. 7+ live stream, could be regional (Wide Bay) or even more targeted, just to mess with my head.”
What happened with Pete Evans’ MKR role and why is he so controversial?
Pete served as a judge (and co-host alongside Manu Feildel) on My Kitchen Rules from its debut in 2010 up until 2020.
Manu and Pete were the original MKR judges and co-hosts. Image: Seven
In May 2020, Pete parted ways with the show and Channel Seven, after he had found himself in some previous controversies. Pete was fined $25,000 by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in April of the same year, after promoting a $15,000 BioCharger light device as a Covid-19 treatment.
He had also started vocally opposing COVID-19 vaccines, masks, and mainstream science and was being heavily criticised by the public. At the time, it was rumoured Pete was earning $800,000 a season for MKR.
Previous to leaving MKR and his stance on vaccines, Pete had already been a controversial figure within the Australian media industry. In 2014, the nickname ‘Paleo Pete’ took off when he became a high-profile champion of the paleo diet, publishing cookbooks and frequently advising people in interviews about the benefits of eliminating dairy, grains, and processed foods.
In 2015, he co-authored the cookbook Bubba Yum Yum, which included a DIY bone broth baby formula but the recipe was pulled before release due to health grounds. Pete continued to lean harder into paleo and alternative health messaging, giving him the seemingly permanent nickname of Paleo Pete.
Colin Fassnidge addresses Pete Evans
Previous to this season of MKR airing, Colin Fassnidge sat down with the Confessions of a Reality Star podcast and shed some insight into his relationship with Pete as well as if he ever thought Pete Evans could come back on MKR.
“Pete doesn’t need to do TV anymore,” Colin said. “I think Pete’s got to where everyone wants to get in life, he got there in a tough way, and he got cancelled, but whatever, I’m still friends with Pete. And I think Pete’s having a good old time on his farm up in Byron and he’s surfing and cooking. He’s not in the rat race.”
In a statement to Chattr, Channel Seven said any promo of Pete was an “error”. “I can confirm that Pete Evans is not returning to MKR and he did not appear in last night’s episode,” a representative for the show said.
My Kitchen Rules (MKR) airs on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 7:30pm on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
Survivor: Australia v The World has delivered shock early exits, denying some big names a spot in Jury Villa.
Typically, on Australian Survivor, the last ten remaining players are sent to the Jury Villa, where they will live together while the rest of the season is filmed and attend each Tribal Council. At the end of the season, those jury members vote for the winner.
Because Australia v The World is a shorter season, players started joining the jury immediately after Merge, meaning there will be six or seven players voting at the end — depending on whether the finale is made up of a final two or final three.
Read on to find out who’s in the Survivor: Australia v The World Jury Villa so far, and what they’re looking for in a winner.
Shonee Bowtell
Shonee. Image: Ten.
Aussie icon Shonee Bowtell missed out on a spot at Final Tribal Council again, after she struggled to find a footing in the game in the form of a number one ally.
Shonee predicts that Cirie could miss out on a spot in the Final 3, meaning Luke, Janine and Parvati will be sitting pretty at the end. “I think the game’s going to have to change because they’ve made a promise,” she told the Drop Your Buffs podcast. “Perhaps Janine and Cirie might go to a fire challenge, sending Cirie home.”
So, who will Shonee be voting for? “Definitely willing to hear what people are saying, but at the moment, I will be voting for Parvati,” she revealed. “And that would be iconic as well, because you know, she’s back in Samoa, like I feel like it would be a really full circle, healing moment for her.”
Lisa Holmes
Lisa. Image: ten.
Survivor New Zealand winner Lisa Holmes (nee Stanger) was added to the jury after her elimination during episode 8. It’s the first time Lisa’s weighed in on the final decision, considering she won her season with a vote of 4-3-0.
It sounds like if Cirie makes it to the finale, she’ll have Lisa’s vote.
“If Cirie wins, it might be better than me winning,” Lisa said in her Drop Your Buffs interview. “I know it’s a ridiculous thing to say, and maybe people don’t understand.”
“I absolutely loved her from her first season, and every time she’s come back, she’s managed to do magic. I’m a bit like her — she’s not like me — I’m a bit like her, we’re both not super physical, people underestimate us,” she explained.
Tommi Manninen
Tommi Manninen. Image: Ten.
Tommi Manninen was the fourth person to join the jury after receiving a unanimous vote against him during a double elimination episode.
During his Drop Your Buffs episode on 10Play, he said that despite not making any massive moves, Lisa has a slight chance of receiving Jury votes and winning the season if she makes it to the finale.
“Everyone loves underdogs, and Lisa is now the biggest underdog, so if she can pull some kind of miracle out of it and she’s going to be the one who is choosing someone to come with her to the final, then maybe, but it’s a big if,” he said.
Kassandre Bastarache
Kassandre Bastarache was the third person to join the Survivor: Australia v The World Jury after using her Immunity Idol to protect her alliance member, Lisa.
Kirby Bentley
Kirby on Survivor: Australia v The World. Image: Ten.
Kirby Bentleybecame the second castaway sent to the Survivor: Australia v The World Jury Villa, where she was joined by her former ride-or-die turned rival, Sarah — a pairing that likely made for an awkward stay.
During an interview with Chattr, Kirby said that as a jury member, she won’t hold any personal grudges and will vote for who she thinks has played the smartest.
“[I’m looking for the] best game, big moves, whatever that looks like. You’ve got big targets and if you can get through it without somebody mentioning your name, that’s an incredible achievement in itself. But yeah, no grudges.”
Sarah Tileke
Sarah on Survivor: Australia v The World. Image: Ten.
Sarah Tileke was the fifth person eliminated from Survivor: Australia v The World and the first jury member. During her Drop Your Buffs interview, Sarah said she already knows exactly what she’s looking for in a winner.
“What I want in a winner is what I was trying to set out to do at the start — not very well — but to set some rules. I want players to get to the end who had some rules for themselves set up at the start, and then I want to see how they really strategically stayed true to those initial kind of no-go zones, but then also played outside of the box, and didn’t just ride the easy vote to the end,” she said.
Who missed out on being part of the Australian Survivor Jury?
The first four players eliminated from Survivor: Australia v The World missed out on joining the Jury Villa. They were Survivor South Africa winner Rob Bentele, Australian Survivor winner David Genat, self-proclaimed king of the jungle George Mladenov and two-time SurvivorUS winner Tony Vlachos.
Survivor: Australia v The World airs at 7pm on Sundays, and 7:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays on Channel 10 and 10Play.
My Kitchen Rules 2025 is back to show us homegrown cooks can do it just as good as professional chefs, and one team ready to compete for the $100,000 prize money is mother-daughter duo Anne and Maree.
The Greek goddesses are bringing a splash of Europe to the MKR dining experience, ready to embrace all of Australia into their big Greek family.
Everything we know about My Kitchen Rules’ Anne and Maree
To Anne and Maree, cooking is more than just a tradition: it’s “love, legacy and a tribute” to their family.
Expect high energy and entertainment from the mother and daughter, with their dynamic described as “non-stop singing, dancing, and laughing”.
Anne is a former beautician who won’t settle for anything less than perfect. Maree, is a mum of three and an accomplished singer, who describes her mum and her Yia-yia as her “biggest role models”.
Their secret weapon is a handwritten cookbook passed down from Anne’s late mother, with the team ready to pay tribute to Yia-yia’s legacy. And if Colin Fassnidge’s words are anything to go by in the promo, we have high hopes for the pair. “This is seasoned with love… I thought I was in Greece,” Colin is seen saying.
The dynamic duo dream of turning Yia-yia’s traditional Greek recipes into a cookbook to share with the world one day.
What happened during Anne and Maree’s cook on MKR?
Anne and Maree started strong. Image: Seven
Anne and Maree picked up the first 10 of the competition, with Colin praising their entrée of Chargrilled Octopus with Spanakorizo as a “perfect” dish.
After a strong start, unfortunately for the duo their main dish of Chicken and Lamb Souvlakia with Pita and Tzatziki, didn’t hit the same mark, with the judges both thinking there were too many elements. And Anne’s dessert, handed down from her mother, scored a six from both judges.
The Orange Semolina Cake with Chocolate and Candied Orange held deep sentimental value, and while the judges appreciated the simplicity and lightness of the dish, they questioned whether it was a competitive enough dessert.
Anne and Maree ended up scoring 44/60 from Colin and Manu, and 34/50 from the other MKR participants, bringing their total to 78/110, falling one point short ofJustin and Will’s debut cook.
Watch Anne and Maree’s MKR promo below:
Who else is competing in MKR 2025?
There will be six teams competing in MKR 2025; Justin and Will, Anne and Maree, feisty cousins Mel and Jacinta, ambitious friends Maria and Bailey, lifelong besties Lol and Lil, and couple Michael and Reilli. Read more about them here.
My Kitchen Rules (MKR) airs on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 7:30pm on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
My Kitchen Rules 2025 has kicked off with a bang with the first cooking duo Justin Rolleston and Will Mataka taking centre stage.
The pair first met through their wives and became fast friends, bonded by their love of family, sport and food. The best mates were the first MKR contestants of 2025 to impress judges Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel, as well as the rest of the contestants, with their home cooking.
Everything we know about My Kitchen Rules’ Will and Justin
Justin and Will have been mates for over a decade. Image: Seven
Some fans may recognise Will! He’s a former NRL player, who used to play for the West Tigers and Sydney Roosters and also represented Tonga in 2009.
Will brings a calm and collected energy to the kitchen and is inspired by his Tongan heritage, ready to craft dishes that reflect his culture.
Justin is a gym owner and foodie who gained an Instagram presence after creating videos for his gym clients. He’s described as “delightfully messy” in the kitchen, so is the chaos to Will’s calm, but is ready to shake things up by incorporating his South African heritage.
The two dads met over 12 years ago, forming a friendship after their wives introduced them. Justin describes the duo as “passionate and competitive, but in sync” while Will says, “Love one day, hate the next, but always committed to each other in the kitchen”.
What happened during Will and Justin’s cook on MKR?
As the first cab off the rank, the duo had a tough job in front of them, vying to impress the judges as wel as the other new contestants.
The best mates served up Ota Ika (Ceviche) with Taro crisps as their entreé, before spicing things up with their main of Red Duck Curry with Coconut rice. For dessert, Justin sourced it straight from his roots, with the duo opting for a Cape Malay Koeksister (South African fried doughnut) with spice syrup.
The entreé was praised for the texture, but the judges were looking for more “heat”, both awarding it a score of six. However, the curry took centre focus, with Colin calling it “near perfect” and Manu saying it was a “wonderful, ballsy curry”. Both judges scored the dish a 9.
The traditional dessert divided opinions, but Justin and Will’s total score from the judges was 42/60, with the teams giving them a score of 37, for a grand total of 79/110.
Watch My Kitchen Rules (MKR) 2025 on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
All of the cast headed out for dinner organised by Robby and Mat during Monday night’s The Block 2025 episode, except for Han and Can, who weren’t invited because they were both sick with a cold.
While Han and Can said in a producer-led interview that they wished they’d been included and could have been “adults” and said no because of their illness, Mat defended his and Robby’s decision, pointing out that Emma was pregnant and Robby’s one-year-old son would be there.
“The girls were so sick, and all their builders were so sick, and they weren’t allowed to come,” Mat told Chattr.
“They were kindly uninvited by myself, and I’ll take responsibility for it. The thing is, number one, there’s a pregnant lady at the table. Number two, there’s baby Brooks (Robby’s son). But, number three, we’re all building, and we can’t afford to be crook or not on site.”
Sonny with Robby’s baby on The Block at the team dinner. Image: Nine.
“If I was sick, I just wouldn’t put other people in a vulnerable position,” he added.
Mat said it was a no-brainer to exclude the girls from the event to prevent their cold from spreading to other contestants, loved ones, and the builders. He related it back to his and Robby’s careers as hairdressers.
“I’ve got no qualms at all about saying someone, ‘Hey, I think maybe it’s best sitting this one out’. Because, being a hairdresser, you cannot afford to get sick. If you get sick, you’re cancelling 30, 40, 50 people, but then you’re already fully booked the next week, so you can’t fit those people in.
“The thing is, it’s the same on a building site. We can’t afford to have one or two days a bit slower than another day, or to not be on site, or for our builders to get sick.”
Han and Can speaking about not being invited to the dinner. Image: Nine.
Mat told Han and Can that they couldn’t come to the cast dinner because of their colds
Mat explained that not inviting the girls to the team dinner wasn’t personal, and he said he told them directly.
“They knew the reason why, and I was very polite with the way that I said it. I’m not mean and I’m not nasty or anything like that. I think you’ll probably see in this week how sick they actually were with the coughing and all that sort of stuff.”
Reflecting on how he told he girls they couldn’t come, Mat said it’s hard to remember exactly, because that moment was filmed back in March or April.
“To be honest, it would have been to their face,” he said. “It was such a passing thing that you just started to realise that people are going to make a deal about it, but I can honestly say it would have been to their face 100%.
“I would have gone up to them and said, How are you feeling? Do you feel like you’re well enough to be sitting at a table in this situation? So I wouldn’t have got like, I would have put it back on them.”
The Block 2025 airs on Sundays at 7:30pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
The Blockfans have taken to social media to call for a major change in the show, after dubbing the latest season “boring”.
Season 21 got off to a slightly slower start in terms of drama, but has started to deliver, particularly with last week’s cheating scandal.
However, viewers are tiring of one thing when it comes to the series and they’re calling for a major change.
The Block fans demand new judges: ‘Trying too hard’
On Reddit, Blockheads are discussing that the show could use its very own makeover, by introducing new judges. Currently, the judges are the same as last year’s season, with Shaynna Blaze, Marty Fox, and Darren Palmer in the roles. Marty replaced Neale Whitaker for Season 20, in 2024.
The Block 2025 judges Marty, Shaynna, and Darren. Image: Nine
“Is it just me, or are the judges insufferable?” one person asked. “Personally, I would love to see fresh new eyes.”
“If they were to keep anyone, it has to be Darren. Shaynna is insufferable, literally the most annoying person on TV, and Marty is just so fake,” someone complained, with someone else saying, “Shaynna talking about rooms having an identity crisis is rich considering we’ve seen her catastrophe of a house.”
“Keep Darren, add a female builder, and replace Fox with a much less arrogant and smug real estate agent… if that’s possible,” another suggested, with someone else also advocating for Darren. “Marty is trying too hard to be the harsh critic, Shaynna is out of touch and tends to focus on meaningless things like minor design choices that are easily interchangeable. I don’t mind Darren too much,” they said.
Fans are wanting fresh new eyes. Image: Nine
Some defended the judges, but others wished for a Neale Whitaker reappearance.
“Darren explaining the height issue between everything being slightly different levels was actually interesting. Everything else that came out of their mouths [Sunday night] was an ad or utter bullshit that didn’t reflect how people actually use houses when they’re not in magazines,” someone commented.
Others came through with their own suggestions about how the show should switch things up. “Should be an interior designer, a builder and a real estate agent so they assess workmanship, saleability and design,” someone said. “I miss Neale,” someone else simply stated.
The Block 2025 airs on Sundays at 7:30pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
A blind item posted by the popular entertainment Instagram account DeuxMoi has suggested that there are some big changes coming to both Survivor US and Australian Survivor.
The account, which notably posts gossip items that often aren’t verified or confirmed, so take the following with a grain of salt, said that Australian Survivor will air in the US as it’s released in Australia.
It also noted that the US series will be increased from 26 days to 39 days, and it will be scaled back to one season per year, rather than two. The gossip piece added that Australia would produce an international season each year, much like the current Survivor: Australia v The World.
“Paramount Global is in conversations around restructuring Survivor between the US and Australian networks (CBS and 10),” the blind reads.
“The format they’re working towards will see: – US Survivor returning to the old-era format (39 days, destination locations, etc) based on a single season order per year, to air in H1. The H2 slot would be replaced with Australian Survivor (airing date-and-date with Australia).
Jonathan LaPaglia and Tony Vlachos on Survivor: Australia v the World. Image: Ten.
“In addition to their regular season, Australia will continue to produce a global format once per year, will air natively on 10 in Australia but will see simultaneous release on Paramount+ across all territories. The licensing would afford more players and a longer game (likely adopting US new era).
“There’s some licensing rights to untangle, but everything is moving fast, and they’re aiming to announce at the Paramount (AU) upfront in September.”
The blind item finished off by suggesting that current host Jonathan LaPaglia, who was recently fired and replaced with David Genat, could return to front one of the seasons.
“For the AU fans, the backlash around Jonathan being axed has VERY MUCH been noted and that’s priority #1 once the season orders and licensing are sorted.”
The DeuxMoi blind item. Image: Instagram.
Fans respond to the potential changes to Survivor US and Australian Survivor
While the prospect of an extra season of Australian Survivor each year is exciting for fans down under, users on the Survivor subreddit remain sceptical — doubting that Survivor US would be reduced by a season or that Australian Survivor would ever air in a prime-time slot on a US network.
“Tough to believe Jeff would give away half the year to the Aussies in the name of changes he’s never seemed that interested in going back to,” one user wrote, referring to Survivor executive producer and host Jeff Probst, who had a hand in shortening the US iteration from 39 to 26 days in 2021.
The Survivor: Australia v The World post-merge cast. Image: Ten.
“I don’t believe this, and I also don’t think I’d like it. Australian Survivor is so good right now and this would drastically change it bc CBS would not air 3 Survivor episodes per week during their broadcast season. Even if they were willing to air multiple episodes a week, it would almost definitely be the American version over the Australian version. Upside would be 39 day US season + JLP [Jonathan LaPaglia] returning to Aussie version, but that reads like fanfiction tbh. I find this super hard to believe,” another user wrote.
A third pointed out that DeuxMoi is notoriously known for posting gossip that doesn’t end up being true.
“I don’t know why anyone in this day and age believes anything DeuxMoi posts. They’re a modern-day National Enquirer without the aliens and Elvis spottings,” they wrote.
We guess we’ll know for sure next month, after the Channel 10 Upfronts!
Survivor: Australia v The World airs at 7pm on Sundays, and 7:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays on Channel 10 and 10Play.
Netflix starAdam Demos has shared a sad update with fans, announcing the death of his mother, Lindy after a long battle with Stage 4 cancer.
The UnREAL and Sex/Life star revealed his mother had initially been given one year to live when first diagnosed, and went on to fight the cancer for nearly 16 years.
Paying tribute to his mother, who raised Adam on her own, he called Lindy his “best mate” and “biggest inspiration” in an emotional Instagram post.
Read Adam Demos’ sweet tribute to his mum below:
“After being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and given a year to live, roughly 16 years later my mum has decided to take a much needed rest. The brightest and bravest soul there is, she was the truest example of how strong the human spirit can be. And how living with joy and love can defy the odds,” Adam wrote.
“She raised me on her own and it’s been her and I against it all and it’s my biggest privilege and honour to be her son. To take it all on together and that’s what we did. She’s my best mate and my biggest inspiration and she always will be. How blessed I am that she’s my mum, what a gift I got. I’m in a strange club now of only children whose parents have both passed. I don’t know what life looks like without her, I don’t need answers now. What I do know is I’m not alone, I have an abundance of love and support that I truly didn’t think was possible.”
Adam also went on to thank the medical staff who cared for his mum over the years.
“I can only speak of my experience but 16 years in and out of the health care system nonstop, we experienced nothing but kindness and incredible care. From the nurses to doctors, cleaners, admin etc you all keep us going and safe and I’m in awe of how you all do it. Thank you for doing what you do from the bottom of my heart.”
“The last week was traumatic to say the least but I’d like to say a special thank you to the team at Warrigal who looked after mum when she went on palliative care treatment. It was by far the hardest thing I’ll ever go through just myself and her for her last hours, but the way in which the staff treated spoke to and took care of my mum with such love respect and dignity is something I will never ever forget. It was the very best of what humanity can be in my opinion. Thank you for being so kind to my beautiful mother. Best thing I can do now is make sure I try and navigate life with the outlook and integrity she lived with, with the wonder and joy of it all and take her wherever I go. Thanks again to everyone who loved and supported my mum xxx”.
Hollywood stars and Aussie friends throw support behind Adam Demos
Adam’s beautiful tribute quickly garnered over 150,000 likes and thousands of comments, with many fans throwing their support behind the star.
“Sending an outpouring of love. She did a fantastic job raising you and she definitely accomplished the mission of living a life full of spirit, strength and endurance,” Christina Milian, Adam’s co-star in Netflix’s Falling Inn Love, wrote. “May you feel her with you forever and always.”
Adam and his Netflix co-star Christina Milian in Falling Inn Love. Image: Netflix
“What beautiful words about your incredible mum. Sending you all our love and biggest hugs as you ride all the feelings of grief and love. Just remember: a mother can always hear her babies, even when she is sound asleep xxx,” Aussie actress and radio star Christie Hayes wrote, with Aussie actor Luke Mitchell commenting, “Oh mate… sending so much love.”
“This made me cry. Your mother sounds like such an incredible, strong and inspiring woman. She will always stay with you. I’m so sorry for your loss. Thinking of you and sending you so much strength,” Isla Fisher commented.
Home and Away fans have debunked a rumour that a fan favourite character is leaving Summer Bay after the show recently said a sad goodbye to long-standing characterIrene Roberts (Lynne McGranger).
Viewers started to speculate that after Irene’s departure, her BFF John Palmer (Shane Withington) would follow suit and depart the Bay.
However, eagle-eyed fans have now spotted Shane filming recent scenes on Palm Beach, decked out in John’s lifesaving gear.
“Now, those who kept saying that John has left because he’s sick? He must have a long-lost twin brother who was filming this week, aye?” one person uploaded in a popular Home and AwayFacebook group.
Order is restored in the Bay! Image: Facebook
Home and Away fans are thrilled John Palmer is still in the Bay
While Home and Away fans are used to devastating losses (I’m still mourning Felicity), it’s always good news when a character is sticking around for the foreseeable future.
“Glad to hear the rumours are not true,” one fan said. “His character is such a unique gem!!”
There were also rumours the show would be ending, which has also been debunked given the cast are currently filming scenes that will be aired in 2026.
“Thank you for putting my mind at rest,” another fan said. “I don’t want it [the show] to end and don’t want John to leave.”
“It came up on my newsfeed a couple of times [the show] was ending. I love the soap and always look forward to it. I’m glad John is not leaving,” another agreed.
Home and Away fans left ‘crying’ over return of fan favourite characters
Brax and Ricky will return to our screens in 2026! Image: Seven
The news John is here to stay comes off the back of the show announcing last week two fan favourite characters will be returning for a brief story arc.
Brax (Stephen Peacocke) and Ricky (Bonnie Sveen) will return to screens in 2026 in a guest appearance that is due to be filmed shortly in WA in partnership with Tourism Western Australia.
Upon the announcement of his return, Stephen said, “When the producers asked if I’d revisit Brax, it felt like a fun opportunity – and one I think the audience will really enjoy. Filming in spectacular outback Western Australia is the icing on the cake, and we can’t wait to welcome one lucky UK fan and their guest onto set with us.”
Bonnie added, “Bringing Ricky back wasn’t something I’d ever expected, so I’m beyond thrilled to reunite with Steve and old friends at Home and Away. Exploring where Ricky and Brax are now, 10 years on, will make for a very special and compelling storyline – and I can’t wait for our WA filming adventure.”
Home and Away airs 7pm Monday to Thursday on Seven and 7plus.
