Celebrity chef and television personality Colin Fassnidge has been photographed in public for the first time since being charged with a serious driving offence, just weeks before he is due to face a Sydney court.
Low-Key Outing Before Court Appearance
The 52-year-old My Kitchen Rules judge was spotted enjoying a simple coffee run in Sydney on Friday. Keeping a deliberately low profile, Fassnidge hid his face beneath a hat and sunglasses as he soaked up the sun. He opted for a casual ensemble of a grey T-shirt, blue and white shorts, and flip-flops.
This sighting comes shortly after he was seen taking a walk with his wife, Jane Hyland, last month, marking his first public appearances since the charges were laid.
Details of the November Incident
The charges stem from an incident on November 8. Police from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command stopped Fassnidge for a random drug and alcohol test at approximately 3.20pm on Malabar Road in South Maroubra.
He was driving a grey utility vehicle at the time. The initial test allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine. A subsequent secondary test also reportedly indicated the presence of the illicit substance, leading to formal charges.
Fassnidge was subsequently charged with driving under the influence of cocaine and driving with an illicit drug present in his blood.
Upcoming Court Date and Personal Life
The Irish-born chef is scheduled to appear at Waverley Court on January 28 to answer the charges. Representatives for Fassnidge have been contacted for comment by the Daily Mail.
Fassnidge, a well-known figure on Australian television, has been a judge on Channel Seven's My Kitchen Rules since 2013 and also appears on Better Homes and Gardens. He previously hosted Kitchen Nightmares Australia in 2022.
He met his wife, Jane Hyland, in 2000 at Sydney's EST restaurant where he worked and she was an assistant manager. The couple married on 8 January, 2006, in Sydney and have two daughters: Lily, 16, and Maeve, 14.
