After my time on Billion Dollar Playground in the early episodes, I’ve been watching each new week with a mix of admiration, amusement, and pure disbelief. Episode 5 takes us south—to Luxico’s stunning Dovecote estate—but the behind the scenes? Not so serene.
We open with Grace and Jasmin road-tripping to the luxe estate with Jasmin admitting she’s done playing nice. Her new “boss bitch” energy is palpable, and she has Grace for backup—elevating her to 2IC status.
Jasmin’s announcement of the new pecking order sends shockwaves through the team, especially JB, who finds himself demoted to house bartender. He admits to feeling blindsided and underutilized. Even Heaven who was previously happy with Grace looks shocked – she’s also been demoted. The chefs also feel bruised—particularly George, who has to deal with Grace getting to exert power over his domain. Nicole is the only one who seems happy with the news as Grace has taken her under her wing.
But the pressure isn’t just backstage. This week’s guest of honour, a fashion entrepreneur has a taste for extravagance—cue the caviar, lobster, and champagne-fuelled experiences. Add to that a VIP guest with strict dietary demands for their stay on Billion Dollar Playground.
Despite the chefs’ efforts to wow the guests at dinner, not everything goes to plan. Grace serving the dinner instead of JB causes a commotion and holds up the service. The guests seem impressed by the Wagyu beef dinner until a few of them complain that their dish was cold. George and Matt are visibly crushed by the feedback. Maybe not as crushed as one guest who gets too ‘tipsy’ during dinner and has to be escorted away.
Heaven and Jay set up a Casino night experience for the guests. Heaven wasn’t feeling lucky though – she only had two weeks to prep, and admits she didn’t get up to speed on roulette rules and crumbled under the pressure. Jay stepped in and saved the day, with Heaven holding the drinks tray—and her pride. Luckily the guests had a great time.
Later that night at the crew quarters, the friction continues – George and Matt have nabbed their own rooms instead of sharing and Heaven is fuming. When Jasmin shows up she sides with the chefs who physically didn’t fit the bunk beds.
The next day Heaven treats the guests to lunch and a private wine tasting experience at Cupitt’s Winery. They are transported there and back by a red chopper no less.
Meanwhile, Nicole and Matt are seen sharing flirty vibes and maybe more. Elsie’s picking up on the blossoming romance and fishing for gossip, and Nicole finally admits to the kiss (and the crush). It’s sweet, tentative, and charmingly awkward—Nicole admits she’s never been in love before. The whole thing plays out like a cute romcom, nestled in between the drama.
Back on the floor, as the crew prepare for dinner, tensions continues to simmer. JB’s not thrilled about being sidelined—again—and his critique of Grace’s “scruffy” presentation sparks a rant with George and Matt chiming in. They confront Jasmine about it, but she’s not interested in their opinions and swiftly shuts it down.
Later for dinner, the chefs hope to redeem themselves by putting on aBBQ lobster and seafood extravaganza. This time the hiccup was with the guest with the dietary request – the chefs had forgotten to include a special lobster dish and had to scramble to accommodate her. Heaven’s spectacular fireworks show saved the evening.
By episode’s end, it is clear the internal crew politics are boiling over. One firework-packed dinner doesn’t erase the cracks forming beneath the surface.
And just when we thought it couldn’t get messier? Next week’s preview shows guest reviews rolling in, a tearful George, gold-leaf caviar bumps, and Grace eyeing Jazz’s crown. Billion Dollar Playground is turning into a five-star pressure cooker—and I’m absolutely here for it.
Want to CHATTR with us? Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for more entertainment news.
