NewIdea
  • Royals
  • Celebrity
  • News
  • Beauty & Style
  • Health & Wellbeing
  • Food
  • Win
  • Recipes
  • Video
NewIdea
  • Royals
  • Celebrity
  • News
  • Beauty & Style
  • Health & Wellbeing
  • Food
  • Win
  • Recipes
  • Video
Subscribe
  1. Home
  2. Celebrity

MKR’s Bella and MAFS star James: Yes, we’re in love!

The contestants from rival reality shows have found happiness with each other. - by New Idea
  • 04 Jul 2017
MKR’s Bella and MAFS star James: Yes, we’re in love!

Hiking up a rocky trail in the rugged Yosemite National Park for six hours on Anzac Day, TV chef Bella Jakubiak was broiling under her furry hat.

The bubbly My Kitchen Rules champion had blisters. She was also sporting thongs and patterned socks.

It wasn’t her most romantic get-up, so the last thing Bella expected was
a proposal from her boyfriend of eight months, former Married At First Sight season one contestant James Webster.

‘I hadn’t quite thought it through,’ grins the good-humoured farmer, who had been plotting how to pop the question with Bella’s sister and screen partner, Sammy.

On her advice, he’d faked playing it cool to throw Bella off the scent. He’d enlisted
 a photographer to help pick
 a scenic location, and he’d smuggled a bottle of Champagne and two glasses into the bottom of his daypack.

He’d also designed 
a stunning engagement ring, which was safely nestled in its box inside a zip-lock bag hidden in a sock in his bag. So far, so good.

James planned to propose beside a waterfall near the summit, but nerves and pressure got the better of him, and he couldn’t wait!

Dropping to one knee beside the beautiful Emerald Pools – ‘They actually matched really well with Bella’s eyes’ – he asked her to marry him. And then he fumbled.

‘I just couldn’t unwrap the ring,’ grins the laid-back 39-year- old. ‘It took about 15 minutes to get it out of the bag, and Bella kept asking what I was doing!

...
Supplied

‘She floated down the mountain on a cloud with 
a glass of champagne in her hand, showing everyone her ring, while I sweated bullets climbing over the rocks.’

The couple didn’t recognise each other from the small screen when they first met at a Bondi house party at James’ cliff-top flat in September last year.

...

‘I didn’t discover we had similar reality TV backgrounds for about two months,’ laughs Bella, 34, who, with sister Sammy, parlayed their 2011 MKR victory into regular slots on The Morning Show and Foxtel’s LifeStyle Food.

‘A couple of friends said they knew his face from somewhere, so I confronted him about it and that’s when I found out.’

James – who was jilted by screen ‘wife’ Michelle on the 2015 series premiere of MAFS – cheerfully admits: ‘There’s a bit of a stigma about it, especially when you’ve been on a dating show. I was lucky to be matched with someone easygoing, but she was still in love with her ex-boyfriend, and you can’t compete with that.

‘It was a bit of a learning curve, but it’s all fine. I wouldn’t have met Bella otherwise.’

For the full story, see this week’s New Idea – Out now.

...
New Idea

You might also like...

  • Celebrity
  • TV
  • My Kitchen Rules

Subscribe to New Idea & save!-+ save!

Subscribe to New Idea today

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to New Idea & save!

Subscribe to New Idea & save!-+ save!

Subscribe to New Idea today

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to New Idea & save!

Recommended to you

Home and Away opening title
Watch 1:09

Home and Away opening title

{headline}

{headline}

MKR: Kim and Suong’s secret feud

My Kitchen Rules star Courtney: I’m getting married!

My Kitchen Rules star Courtney: I’m getting married!

Amy and Tyson win the 2017 MKR grand final

Amy and Tyson win the 2017 MKR grand final

MKR’s Valerie and Courtney: Our secret pain

MKR’s Valerie and Courtney: Our secret pain

{headline}

{headline}

MKR’s Della & Tully: The truth about our secret feud

MKR’s Della & Tully: The truth about our secret feud

MKR shock as Court blows up at Manu

MKR shock as Court blows up at Manu

Shock news about MKR villain Josh

Shock news about MKR villain Josh

{headline}

{headline}

MKR: Tully’s tragic announcement

MKR: Tully’s tragic announcement

MKR rival tells Josh: 'Be nice'

MKR rival tells Josh: 'Be nice'

MKR Court & Duncan's baby news

MKR Court & Duncan's baby news

MKR: Josh's offscreen meltdown - Why he's now in hiding

MKR: Josh's offscreen meltdown - Why he's now in hiding

MKR villains Josh and Amy’s baby news

MKR villains Josh and Amy’s baby news

Meet MKR's new villains Mell and Cyn

Meet MKR's new villains Mell and Cyn

MKR all-stars: Cowboy Robert’s crazy fan encounter

MKR all-stars: Cowboy Robert’s crazy fan encounter

NewIdea
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Competitions
NewIdea Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Competitions

Brands

  • Girlfriend
  • New Idea food
  • Practical Parenting
  • That’s Life
  • Who

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • Home Beautiful
  • All Recipes
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • 7mate
  • 7NEWS
  • 7Sport
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from New Idea

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to New Idea & save!-+ save!

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to New Idea & save!