Meghan Markle Shatters ‘MasterChef Australia’ Ratings Record But Faces Mixed Reactions
Guest judge appearances on cooking competition shows typically boost ratings, but few generate as much buzz before a single dish is served. When it was announced that Meghan Markle would join the panel for a specific episode, excitement quickly transformed into one of the summer’s hottest television topics.
This anticipation had been building for months, following Meghan’s guest spot on ‘MasterChef Australia’ filmed in April during a trip that included various engagements in Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra. The Duchess of Sussex joined regular judges Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli for a challenge focused on creating a dish “fit for a duchess.”
When the episode aired on July 26, the ratings exceeded expectations. According to data from broadcaster Network 10, the episode attracted 1.6 million Total TV viewers across Australia, marking the show’s largest overnight Sunday audience since July 2023 and setting a new streaming record with 118,000 viewers watching on demand.
These impressive numbers remained strong even after factoring in seven-day tracking, with the episode leading the Total Viewing rankings at 1.22 million viewers nationwide. The national Total TV audience increased by a remarkable sixteen percent compared to the same episode last year, and the episode dominated its timeslot among viewers aged twenty-five to fifty-four with a 29.3 percent share.
The episode took an unexpected turn when Prince Harry made a surprise video call to the set, affectionately referring to Meghan as “my love” in front of the show’s largest audience in years. This unscripted moment added an extra layer of excitement to an already highly anticipated episode.
Despite the record-breaking ratings, reactions to Meghan’s appearance have been mixed. Reports prior to the episode’s airing indicated some tension on set, with celebrity journalist Rob Shuter citing unnamed production insiders who described Meghan as one of the most demanding celebrity guests the series has ever hosted, allegedly leaving cast and crew feeling drained.
Another source speaking to RadarOnline echoed this sentiment, suggesting Meghan approached her guest role as if she were a culinary authority rather than just a guest. However, sources close to Meghan have disputed these claims, labeling them as inaccurate.
This divide between record ratings and mixed audience sentiment isn’t new for Meghan. Her Netflix series ‘With Love, Meghan’ similarly saw a significant initial streaming spike but struggled to maintain momentum, ranking just 383 on Netflix’s engagement charts with a 36% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes despite its early top-10 debut.
Regardless of individual opinions on her performance, the ratings for ‘MasterChef’ represent a significant achievement. Average viewership for the current season is at 851,000, already up twelve percent year-over-year, making Meghan’s episode a clear standout even in an improving season.
Channel 10 has yet to confirm if Meghan will make another guest appearance. For now, the episode stands as one of the biggest ratings moments ‘MasterChef Australia’ has seen in years, even as opinions on her time in the kitchen remain sharply divided.
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