Blue Mountains couple and ‘food snobs’ Jane and Shane are one team set to stir some drama on My Kitchen Rules (MKR) in 2026.
The pair have been married for two years and have five grown-up children between them. Jane has a professional background in food styling and creative work, which means she’s used to working around chefs and the restaurant industry. That experience has clearly shaped her approach to cooking, with presentation playing an especially important role in the dishes she creates.
Shane has followed a very different career path. After previously working as a hairdresser, he moved into the building industry and now works as a builder. In the kitchen, he tends to play a more relaxed supporting role alongside Jane’s main character energy.
The couple is passionate about food and travel. Their cooking draws on a range of influences, particularly Italian cuisine, with Shane enjoying handmade pasta and wood-fired cooking. Jane’s dishes tend to lean towards bold flavours and polished presentation, with Sri Lankan prawn curry among her specialties.
Jane has a professional connection to MKR judge Colin Fassnidge, having worked with him before appearing on the competition.
How does Jane know My Kitchen Rules judge Colin Fassnidge?
On the premiere, Colin made a startling revelation to the table. “Never in all my time sitting in this position, have I had someone that I know at the table, and it’s not Manu,” Colin said at the first Instant Restaurant before turning to Jane.
“We’ve worked together in food styling,” Jane confirmed before admitting she hadn’t shared this information with her competitors.
Colin assured the teams that Jane wouldn’t receive any favouritism. “I know Jane from a long time ago, very good food stylist. A score is a score — it doesn’t matter if I know you,” he said.
But this didn’t mean that other teams were okay with it. “She should have mentioned that to us before, because he’s a judge,” Tiffany said in a confessional.
Deanne and Alisha told New Idea that this revelation did make them question the fairness of the show. “I was like, ‘What has this competition turned into? Is there going to be favouritism?’” Deanne said.
“We thought that might give her a leg up on the competition,” Alisha added.
Who are Jane and Shane on My Kitchen Rules 2026?
Jane and Shane will bring big personality and big flavour to My Kitchen Rules.
Italy is a major influence on this foodie couple. They spent four years travelling through Italy, and their cooking has since picked up a strong Italian influence, platformed by Shane’s pasta and wood-fired pizza specialties
Their home life sounds pretty food-focused too. They grow their own produce and share interests in cooking, travelling and entertaining. Their MKR Instant Restaurant is apparently intended to showcase both food and design, rather than simply being a straightforward home-cooking setup.
Jane will be one of the biggest personalities of this season. She is described as confident and opinionated, while Shane knows when to step in and when to let her take centre stage. The couple’s cutting premiere commentary quickly rubbed Alisha and Deanne the wrong way. The South Australian pair later said Jane and Shane “weren’t great company”, with Alisha claiming they seemed to think they were better than the other teams and didn’t join in much with their silly dinner table antics.
However, Jane says they work extremely well together in the kitchen. “No drama. No confusion. Just joy and togetherness, doing what we love,” she said about cooking with Shane.
My Kitchen Rules airs on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
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