Meghan Markle's appearance as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia has broken viewing records, just as sources close to her dismissed reports of any drama during her time on set.
Record-breaking viewership
The Duchess of Sussex appeared on the 18th season of the cooking show on Sunday, where contestants were challenged to transform a staple ingredient into a dish "fit for a duchess." She joined judges Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli.
The episode reached a total of 1.6 million Total TV viewers, according to figures released by broadcaster Network 10. It broke the record for the biggest overnight Sunday audience since July 2023 and the biggest-ever overnight streaming audience, at 118,000 viewers. The episode also topped the seven-day Total Viewing audience with 1.22 million national viewers, marking a 16% increase compared with the same episode last year.
Negative reports dismissed
Recent reports claimed Meghan was involved in a tense moment with Ms Yeow after being announced as "royalty" at the start of the episode. Another report by celebrity journalist Rob Shuter alleged that production insiders said Meghan's appearance left the cast and crew "exhausted," describing her as "one of the most demanding celebrity guests the long-running series has ever hosted."
However, sources close to the Duchess dismissed the claims as "false," telling the Daily Express that Meghan had an "incredible" time with all involved, including the judges, contestants, and crew. They stressed that there were "no issues" and that "everything was so positive." It is understood that Network 10 has been pleased with Meghan's appearance.
