My Kitchen Rules (MKR) 2026 star Jane has broken her silence on the online hate she’s received since appearing on the cooking competition, with the reality TV contestant revealing the abuse has gone far beyond social media.
In a video shared to Instagram, a designer from Chelsea St Designs spoke out in defence of Jane, recalling how she first met the contestant last year when she visited her pop-up shop and purchased a dress.
The designer questioned why Jane’s appearance on a cooking show had seemingly triggered such a strong reaction from viewers.
“Why does a woman on a cooking show trigger so many people? That is the question,” she said.
“They are so uncomfortable, they have to do something about it and they have to do it publicly.”
The designer went on to condemn the treatment Jane has allegedly experienced, saying that appearing on television doesn’t give anyone permission to target someone in real life.
“I don’t think that it’s okay to be spat on in public. I don’t think it’s okay to have people hunting down your address so they can physically hurt you,” she said.
Jane shared the video to her own Instagram account, writing: “Who cares about the hater riff-raff when you have women like this in your corner.”
Jane also confirmed in the comments that someone had spat on her.
The designer had a pointed message for the people participating in the online abuse, reminding them that their behaviour doesn’t go unnoticed by their families.
“Your children are watching you… You are their role model,” she said.
She added that seeing grown adults participate in bullying was particularly concerning, reminding viewers that Jane is also a mother and someone’s daughter.
In one video, Jane called out the “vile people” and “insane Reddit posts”, warning followers not to “rock up at my doorstep”.
It comes after Jane and her husband Shane had a particularly difficult time on MKR, with the pair’s instant restaurant, Lyst Haus, scoring just 50 out of 120 before they were eliminated.
Jane speaks out about controversial MKR pigeon dish
Jane has also previously addressed the backlash surrounding the couple’s controversial main course, a master stock pigeon dish served with chilli cucumber, samphire and shallot pancake.
Judges Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel weren’t impressed with the dish, which scored just seven out of 30.
However, Jane later took to Instagram to share her side of the story, claiming she and Shane had been pushed into preparing the pigeon despite repeatedly telling producers they weren’t comfortable cooking it.
“Interesting story. Let’s talk about pigeon,” she began.
Jane described the dish as the “foundation” of a meal they were “forced and coerced” into cooking, claiming it ultimately made them “the laughing stock of the country”.
She also said the experience gave “some pretty awful people fodder to bully me about my appearance, my style, my attitude”.
According to Jane, she and Shane had repeatedly told producers they had never successfully cooked the protein and didn’t want to attempt it on the show.
“But here we are,” she wrote.
“Don’t bother trying to replicate it yourself, it’s a very hard protein to cook!”
She ended the post with a pointed message to viewers: “Don’t believe everything you watch on TV”.
Jane and Shane reveal the surprising MKR team they are still friends with
Despite the difficult experience, Jane has also found some positives from her time on the show, recently thanking fellow contestants Zoe and Zac for their friendship.
“We all know that Shane and I have had a pretty rough ride recently, and that we don’t come away from this ‘experience’ with very much joy or positivity, (quite the opposite) however, connecting with these folk has been delightful,” she wrote.
Jane went on to describe the pair as “warm, genuine souls”.
It’s an unlikely friendship given the gatecrashers joined the show just as Jane and Shane were ousted so they spent little time together during the MKR experience.
However, Zoe was quick to defend Jane from the backlash in one of her first interviews.
“I believe that Jane has got a short straw and she would have been quite a different person, I really feel for her,” Zoe told New Idea.
She also said the backlash towards Jane has been “excessive”.
“I think it’s really unfair for Jane to cop the scrutiny and horrible comments that she has because she actually hasn’t said anything off the table,” Zoe explained.
“She’s just being critical about the food. That’s her job, that’s her norm. To me, it doesn’t add up. I think it’s what people are saying and doing to Jane.”
Watch My Kitchen Rules (MKR) 2026 on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
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