Jane and Shane might have left My Kitchen Rules, but a new team has been causing a stir in and out of the kitchen.
Angus and Simon have ruffled feathers with the gatecrashers, and some viewers have labelled them the new MKR “villains”.
Speaking to New Idea about the backlash, the opinionated mates insist they weren’t trying to be the next Jane and Shane.
“I think Alisha and Deanne had that covered,” Simon jokes, adding, “Not in a bad way, they’re just big personalities.”
Although they don’t compare themselves to Jane and Shane, Simon admits they were aware there was a “space” for their “jokes” and cheeky antics.
The best friends insist their criticism of the gatecrashers was all in jest, but reveal there was also some strategy behind it.
“We thought if we could be a little bit brash and make it hard for people and then cook amazing food, we’d be the big threat of the competition,” Angus explains.
“I was OK with that tactic […] It was no secret that Simon and I tried to get the psychological edge over a couple of other things.”
They also felt the gatecrashers had an easier ride and wanted them to “earn their stripes” after their own brutal criticism in round one.
However, Simon insists they didn’t do anything with “malice” and were being “tongue-in-cheek” with their remarks, such as calling Harrison and Oliver the “rip-off” versions of them.
“Sometimes we poke fun at things and other people don’t find it as funny, potentially,” Simon explains.
Reflecting on their blow-up with pescatarian Zoe, they confess there was some seriousness behind their criticism, even if they delivered it “in jest”.
“I felt there was a level of silliness, which I said, or ridiculousness with her not actually even attempting to participate,” Angus says.
“If she couldn’t taste the food, she wouldn’t really even comment on the food. So that was what was bothering me.”
Angus adds that he couldn’t understand why she wanted to join MKR because she didn’t seem to have a “passion for food” like the other teams.
“She was saying, ‘I’m here on behalf of the pescatarians,’ and I was like, ‘You only became a pescatarian two years ago, mate!'” he says.
“It just wasn’t really adding up, and it just made us think you don’t really like food, you like sitting at dinner parties and going out to nice dinners.”
“If you have half a brain, you realise where we’re coming from,” Simon adds.
Angus jokes that he hadn’t expected the table to take their remarks so seriously, describing Zoe and Zac’s response as “pretty sensitive”.
They certainly came in hot and heavy in the second round of Instant Restaurants, but they are taking the criticism in their stride.
“The viewers don’t tolerate a lot of BS,” Angus laughs.
“It’s really not that deep; it’s a television show.”
So, will they live up to their talk in the kitchen, or will they suffer the same fate as Jane and Shane? We’ll have to wait and see.
