Meghan Markle's appearance as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia has achieved a record-breaking viewership, drawing 1.6 million Total TV viewers, according to data from broadcaster Network 10. The episode aired on Sunday as part of the 18th season, where contestants were tasked with creating a dish "fit for a duchess."
Record-Breaking Ratings
The episode set a new record for the largest overnight Sunday audience since July 2023 and achieved the highest-ever overnight streaming audience with 118,000 viewers. It also topped the seven-day Total Viewing audience with 1.22 million national viewers. Compared to the same episode the previous year, Meghan's episode saw a 16% surge in its national Total TV audience. Total TV is a metric used in Australia that combines traditional linear broadcast television with digital broadcast video-on-demand viewing.
Industry Criticism
Despite the ratings success, professional chef Jameson Stocks criticized Meghan's involvement. He told The News International that she contributed "absolutely nothing" and called it "all complete nonsense." He remarked, "Unless the contestants are somehow inspired by her sliced fruit, I honestly can't understand why she's there." Stocks also attacked her Netflix show, describing it as "a horrendous, slow, lethargic, egotistical pile of trash."
Competition Performance
In the same ratings period, Channel Seven's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow topped the list with 2.5 million Total TV viewers, and Channel Nine's Lego Masters attracted 1.7 million viewers.
