My Kitchen Rules 2025: Who Has Been Eliminated?

Maria and Bailey made it all the way to the final but narrowly lost out on the crown to Justin and Will.

It was a tense episode as Maria and Bailey lost by just one point, ultimately coming in as runners-up.

The friends nabbed 73 points out of 80 overall, while Justin and Will triumphed with 73 points.

They were tasked with creating four courses during the final, and Maria and Bailey kicked off their feast with olive oil tartlets with taramasalata.

They then served a  lobster and prawn ravioli for the fish course, and a chicken ballotine for the meat round.

For dessert, cookie business owner Maria impressed with her speciality dish,  red velvet and cream cheese cookies.

She was hoping to win the $100,000 cash prize to open her first shopfront for her business, Blondies Bakehouse, but sadly missed out on the win.

However, she still got some well-deserved praise and publicity for her business as she hopes to continue her career in baking.

They were constantly told by other contestants that they’d be the first team to go home, but Lol and Lil proved them wrong.

The best friends, who are proud to call Logan home, aimed to get better each time they cooked in the competition.

While they scored 10s for some of their dishes, the pair were sent home during the second semi-final and lost to Maria and Bailey.

Speaking exclusively with New Idea after their elimination, they were “sad” to be sent home with the grand final within reach, but thankful to have been among the cast.

“We’re just so grateful for it,” Lil said.

“We originally applied just to have a go, and we’ve tried our best the whole way through, and we never claimed to be the most amazing cooks.

“We just tried and practised and got better each time, and we’re your basic home cooks giving it a go, and that’s what My Kitchen Rules is all about.”

They said most of the teams told them they wouldn’t last long in the competition, and they were happy to prove them wrong.

When asked if all of the teams gave them a hard time, they said Justin and Will “didn’t really say it”, and another pair (whom they couldn’t name off the top of their heads) didn’t.

The judges stepped in from time to time, but they explained that it was mainly the contestants.

Self-confessed “Meat Master” Michael was one of them, and they revealed where they stand with him now.

“We’re fine with Michael now. The start there was rivalry,” Lil said, but was quick to add that it was all water under the bridge.

When asked if they’d score an invite to Michael and Reilli’s wedding, they said they hoped so, but would have to wait and see.

“We get along with pretty much all the contestants on the show,” Lol said. “We talk to most of them all the time.”

The Logan besties also had best mates Justin and Will, who ultimately won the competition.

Danielle and Marko entered My Kitchen Rules with no expectations, ready to give it their all.

After wowing everyone with their first instant restaurant, they came close to being eliminated a couple of times.

Sadly, Justin and Will beat them in the first semi-final, sending them home.

Despite missing out on the grand finale, the couple exclusively told New Idea they loved every minute.

“We’re so stoked with our journey on the show,” Danielle said. “Honestly, when we started this competition, we kind of didn’t know what we were going to be up against; we didn’t know whether we could possibly get out in the first round.

“So to have made it all the way to the semi-finals is honestly amazing. It’s been such an amazing journey. Met so many beautiful people. Yeah, we wouldn’t have changed it or made it different.”

While they enjoyed being a part of the show, they also loved watching it together.

“It’s nice to kind of reminiscence and have a look back at our journey, because you live it and then you kind of go back to normal life, and then all of a sudden you get to relive it again, which is awesome and really, really great moments that we’re going to be able to keep forever and show our grandkids one day,” Marko said.

That doesn’t mean they didn’t have their moments as a couple.

“It was difficult, however, I feel like we came out stronger than ever,” Danielle said. “I think we’ve never been in each other’s space as much as we were during the competition, like travelling around for two, nearly three months, being in the same space, cooking together every day.”

They also said there were no surprises watching it back and were happy with how they came across.

When asked for their thoughts on strategic scoring, they acknowledged that everyone had a different strategy, but that wasn’t their approach.

“I think for us it was super important about being honest with our feedback and trying to enjoy the food and enjoy the experience to the end of the day,” Marko said.

Even though they said personalities were amplified for drama, they were on great terms with the other contestants.

Marko didn’t have a bad word to say about anyone and said he’d call them all friends.

When asked who they were closest to, the truck driving instructor said they were all a “big family” at this point.

As for who they thought would win?

They said the team that cooks the best on the day would win.

Read our full interview with them here.

Mark and Tan ruffled feathers during their time on MKR, and were sadly sent home during the Ultimate Instant Restaurant round.

Finishing with the lowest score out of the group meant they narrowly missed out on competing in the semi-finals.

Speaking exclusively with New Idea, Mark said they just had a bad day in the kitchen, and they did what they could.

Despite their time on the show being cut short, they had no regrets.

Even though some contestants thought Mark took it too far with his comments, he disagreed.

“We never took personal digs at people,” he said. “How they looked or personal things, there were a lot of personal things directed at me.”

While they formed rivalries with other contestants, they acknowledged that it was all part of filming the show.

“It’s clear that if there wasn’t much going on the table, it would get boring, so it’s stuff like this, it’s good for TV, and at the end of the day, we’re all here to play part and not to just cook well, but to entertain as well,” Tan said.

One point of contention was when Mark exposed Maria and Bailey’s strategic scoring, which they eventually admitted to doing.

They agreed that it was important to bring up, and they scored dishes fairly throughout the competition.

While the friends might have divided fans at home, they’ve been able to accept the backlash as part of the show. But it hasn’t been all negative.

“There’s people just on the internet, but to be honest, in real life, I’ve had a fantastic experience,” Mark said, adding that he’s been approached for photos.

Tan’s even had people fly in from overseas to visit his family’s restaurant.

“For me, I’ve always been in the food industry, so I’m lucky to be doing this, and it’s giving me a type of platform with what I’m already doing,” Tan explained.

“I’m in the plans that I might expand or might open up a new kind of restaurant or a food joint. I’ll always be in the industry.”

They also said they wanted Justin and Will to win.

Self-proclaimed “Meat Master” Michael and his partner Rielli were the fourth team to be eliminated from the competition.

Despite talking a big game, the opinionated couple sadly lost out against Danielle and Marko during the Kitchen HQ elimination cook-off.

Speaking to New Idea after their exit, Michael and Rielli insisted they thought they should have made it through to the next round over their rivals.

“We definitely should have gone to the next round,” Rielli said. “I feel like our dish was better than Danielle and Marko’s, but there was that one point difference that we obviously couldn’t scrape through.

“I feel like we could have taken it all the way to the end, but you know, s*** happens.”

Michael continued: “It was obviously really upsetting to go home, we felt like we did have a lot more to give, but at the same time, we went out delivering the best that we could deliver, so we went out with our heads held high.”

“I’d definitely say that was our best cook throughout the competition, so we were shocked when we got eliminated,” Rielli added. “But, like Michael said, we were so proud of what we plated up.”

They added that they are now rooting for Maria and Bailey to take home the MKR crown this year, describing the pair as their “best friends” on the series.

Meanwhile, after narrowly saving themselves, Danielle and Marko shared their relief and said they had the best chance of getting through facing off against Michael and Rielli.

“We wouldn’t have wanted to go up against Mark and Tan or Justin and Will,” Danielle told New Idea.

“Lol and Lil seem to keep getting through as well, so probably not them. Michael and Rielli were probably our best bet in going up against in the elimination challenge and getting through.”

They also admitted they thought they might be going home because Michael and Rielli appeared to be having a lot of fun during the cook-off, and weren’t fighting like they usually do in the kitchen.

“It was a relief for us because out of all the [challenges] we’ve done, that cook probably went the least to plan,” Marko admitted.

“We were hoping things weren’t going that well on the other side of things, and by the looks of it, it looked like they were having a really good time, and they weren’t fighting like they normally are! We were like ‘we could be in trouble here’ but luckily, we managed to scrape through.

“It was a little bit bittersweet because they’re good entertainment, fun to be around, good people and funny to be at the table with! It was bitter because we’re going to lose those big characters, but sweet in the fact that we get to go through and we’re one step closer to winning!”

Read our exclusive interview with Michael and Rielli here.

Anne and Maree were sent home during the Kitchen Headquarters cook-off.

They went up against Lol and Lil in the tense round, and the teams were tasked with cooking three-course banquet meals for the judges.

For the first time ever, the other teams also had a say in the judging, as they scored their rivals’ performances.

However, it was Anne and Maree who lost out as they scored just 19 out of 30, while Lol and Lil narrowly saved themselves with 21 points.

Despite their loss, the mother and daughter exclusively told New Idea after their exit that they were very proud of how they did.

“It’s a competition at the end of the day, we made something that we were proud of, and we were really happy, that’s it,” Maree gushed.

“We’ve done the best that we could; there’s no point getting upset,” Anne added.

They also addressed Michael’s unexpected absence from the episode, meaning Rielli was left to judge their dishes by herself.

“We missed him! We love Michael, he’s loads of fun. Michael just tells the truth, he brings a bit of colour,” Maree admitted.

While Maria quipped, “Rielli tried to imitate him, but I think if he were there, he would have said some other comments!”

They also addressed their rivals, discussing whether they would “strategically” vote during the episode, after many teams said they would rather face Lol and Lil than Anne and Maree in any future cook-offs.

“We thought the strategic votes could have come into play. I can’t say that anyone really did that, but I’m just saying that we never had the opportunity to taste Danielle and Marko’s food, so they didn’t really know us as well as the rest of the crew did,” Maree shared.

“That could have altered the end result, but again, it wouldn’t be a competition.”

“It’s bittersweet, we know that we’re good cooks, but it’s a competition; you want to get rid of the good ones,” Anne added.

“We were a bit of a threat. When you flip the coin, it’s kind of a bit of an honour that people think we’re a threat,” Maree agreed.

Read our exclusive interview with the pair here.

Gatecrasher duo Amy and Lara were quick to ruffle feathers, but sadly, they did not stand the test of time as they were the second team to get the axe.

Self-proclaimed “Meat Master” Michael grilled Amy over her background as a private cook, but her past cooking for clients including Chris Hemsworth wasn’t enough to keep her in the competition.

Maria and Bailey had been at the bottom of the leaderboard with 62 points, but Amy and Lara only nabbed 58 points, ultimately sending them home.

“This is gobsmacking, we’re shocked,” Amy admitted on-screen.

Manu told them that the “pressure” of the evening had been too much for them as the tearful duo exited the competition.

The other teams all made it through to the Kitchen Headquarters, but Amy and Lara have insisted they are proud of how they did despite the “car crash” evening.

Speaking exclusively to New Idea, Amy said: “We had a good time, it was a once-in-a-lifetime [experience]. It might not have gone our way last night, but we certainly had fun.”

“I think we did a really good job considering how much we’d talked ourselves up. It was a car crash, but we survived,” Lara added.

However, Lara revealed her one major regret from the show, explaining how one major faux pas led to disaster during their Instant Restaurant.

“I wish I had brought pans instead of pots,” she confessed. “I came over to Amy’s with pots, which was a bit of an oversight, so I was kicking myself with that.”

Amy said they also needed a BBQ to make things work on the night, but that she is still pleased they made an “unforgettable” impression.

And Amy’s “celebrity cook” row certainly won’t be forgotten any time soon, with Lara joking that her teammate’s celebrity clientele was just as much of a shock to her.

However, Amy insisted there is no bad blood between her and Michael, insisting there was no need for “amends” because “we thought we were friends”.

Mel and Jacinta certainly made an impression during their brief stint on My Kitchen Rules.

Nutritionist Jacinta shocked the table when she announced she wouldn’t be eating meat on the show, kicking off a feisty rivalry with her competitor, self-proclaimed “meat master” Michael.

The cousins were the last two to host their Instant Restaurant in week one, but failed to impress with their three-course meal, which included a meat-based main course.

They poured their heart into their Bang Bang Cauliflower with Spiced Cashew Sauce and Pickled Cucumber Salad entree, their main course of Braised Beef with Black Rice and Lime and Corn Salad, and their dessert – Tofu Mocha Mousse with Coffee Liquor Sauce.

However, it ultimately wasn’t enough as they only scored 50 points overall, putting them at the bottom of the leaderboard.

“It’s a real shame, to be honest, being eliminated is surreal. I’m like ‘did this just happen?’ I just feel injustice,” a disappointed Jacinta said upon her exit.

“It’s been mixed emotions, we are sad because we do love the family and the experience, but it was a big day that restaurant of ours, so we’re feeling happy but sad,” Mel said.

Speaking exclusively to New Idea after their elimination, the cousins said they wished they had been able to stay longer, adding: “We had a lot more up our sleeves with our cooking and our skill, and a chance for us to learn as well.”

Jacinta also reflected on the divisive reaction to her not eating meat during the competition.

“I knew it would be a topic of conversation; however, I thought it would be a lot more positive,” Jacinta admitted.

“We didn’t expect it to go that way, but at the end of the day, I feel like it was a nice opportunity to have a voice for the people in Australia who eat similarly to me.”

The cousins also broke their silence on their now infamous feud with Michael and Rielli, shockingly revealing that they are actually friends with the couple, with Mel declaring, “All is fair in love and war!”

They added that they were rooting for Justin and Will to win the 2025 series and the $100,000 prize pot.

Read our exclusive interview with the pair here.