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Meghan Markle is set to appear on Junior MasterChef Australia in 2027, and the announcement is already drawing backlash.
The Duchess of Sussex confirmed the new gig this week, saying the decision to sign on “was an easy yes” (via The Blast).
The series is a cooking competition featuring some of Australia’s youngest culinary talents.
The 2027 season marks the spin-off’s return to the country after six years away.
Exactly how big Meghan’s role will be depends on who you ask. Some outlets describe her as a special guest, while others report that she’ll co-host the show next year.
Either way, this won’t be her first time in a MasterChef kitchen. Earlier this year, Meghan filmed a one-episode guest appearance on the flagship MasterChef Australia, serving as a guest judge.
That episode was a hit, and the contestants seemed excited to have the duchess taste and critique their dishes, and the MasterChef team seemed extremely pleased with her.
Viewers at home were less unanimous. Meghan’s guest-judge stint sparked mixed reactions, and the Junior MasterChef news is splitting people along similar lines.
Some viewers have welcomed the announcement warmly, while others have pushed back hard. Reality Tea summed up the critics’ message in three words: “Read the room.”
The timing has put this announcement under a harsh spotlight. The announcement comes just days after disturbing allegations surfaced involving her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr.
As we reported last week, Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., claims to have discovered hundreds or potentially thousands of disturbing images among their father’s belongings at his home in Cebu, the Philippines.
The images allegedly involved child sexual abuse material, and Thomas Jr. contacted authorities after making the discovery.
Because the 82-year-old is an American citizen, the allegations could also prompt an FBI investigation. No criminal charges or findings of guilt have been announced.
Thomas Sr. has vehemently denied possessing the material, reportedly calling the accusations “sick lies.”
Meghan addressed the situation in a statement to the Post on October 23, revisiting an episode from 2018, the year she married Prince Harry.
She said a letter containing “troubling and disturbing allegations” about her father was sent that year to London’s Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. According to Meghan, the letter was shared with her, and she was assured the allegations were being investigated.
She did not reveal what the letter said or who wrote it.
Meghan has also explained that her concerns about her father go back years, and that this is why she has not allowed him to have contact with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Her estrangement from Thomas Sr. has been playing out publicly for years, but the new allegations have pulled it back into the headlines just as she’s promoting a family-friendly TV project.
For now, Meghan is moving ahead with the job. She’s slated to appear when Junior MasterChef Australia returns in 2027 — unless, of course, the ongoing controversy prompts either side to bail on this deal.
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