The I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! campmates may be eating well when MasterChef Australia’s George Calombaris enters the jungle on Sunday, but not everybody is pleased.
The controversial celebrity chef waded through scandal after scandal from 2017 to 2020, and some I’m A Celeb fans were furious with the decision to put him back on our screens.
“Really? Trying to salvage his brand and reputation,” one unimpressed fan wrote on Facebook.
“Scraping the bottom of the barrel getting Calombaris in,” another added.
“Why him!!!! Can’t stand him!!!” a third chimed in.
However, there were quite a few excited fans who hoped George would improve the campmates’ dinners with his cooking skills.
“Thank goodness for that! The other poor contestants have to take turns cooking,” one said.
“Oh wow, he will be interesting to see in there and they will be stoked to have a chef of his calibre,” another wrote.
“Great cast this year! George Calombaris the chef goes in on Sunday!” a third remarked.
“So good to hear. Can’t wait to see George in the jungle,” another added.
George Calombaris’ previous scandals
In 2017, George was involved in an altercation with a 19-year-old sports fan during the A-League Grand Final. In 2019, his company Made Establishment admitted they had underpaid staff by $7.83 million over six years.
Later that year, George and the other two original MasterChef Australia judges, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston, left the show after they were unable to agree on terms with the network.
The celebrity chef and his company have since paid their workers what they owed, including superannuation. However, this hasn’t stopped the public from turning on the MasterChef Australia judge.
In 2022, he tried to make a television comeback with MasterChef Australia darling Sarah Todd, on the cooking show Hungry. After debuting to low ratings, the show quietly disappeared.
Fans joke about George Calombaris’ I’m A Celeb wage
Although George has repaid his staff’s missing wages, the I’m A Celeb fans couldn’t help but take jabs at George’s appearance fee.
“With the money he gets paid does he pay back all his previous staff?” one person asked.
“Wouldn’t it be hilarious if they didn’t pay him properly?” another joked.
“Hope they pay him wrong just saying,” a third added.
“Is he a celebrity? I thought he was just a dude that didn’t pay his staff lol,” another remarked.
George will be entering the jungle on Sunday night, so stay tuned!
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Continues Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 7.30pm, and Sunday at 7pm. Watch + Stream Free On 10.
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