NEED TO KNOW
- Meghan Markle made her guest appearance on MasterChef Australia on Sunday, July 26.
- Sources claim there were a handful of awkward behind-the-scenes moments during filming.
- Poh Ling Yeow was reportedly left upset after unintentionally introducing Meghan as “royalty”.
- Insiders insist there was no major conflict, describing the day as a typical high-pressure television production.
Meghan Markle’s long-awaited MasterChef Australia episode has finally aired!
Fans have been waiting months for the Duchess of Sussex’s debut in the kitchen, and the scenes finally unfolded on Sunday, July 26.
When Meghan walked through the kitchen doors, she shared her joy about being in Australia. Her appearance was filmed when she and Prince Harry visited the country in April.
“We’re so excited; we love Australia,” she gushed.
“We had the most amazing, sentimental time when we were here almost eight years ago. We announced that we were pregnant with Archie at the time, so it’s full-circle, here we are.”
And the MasterChef panel were no strangers to Meghan’s last trip Down Under.
Poh Ling Yeow made the Duchess a coconut banana bread, because Meghan herself made one when she was here in 2018. Meghan asked for the recipe after trying it for herself.
Poh, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe also shared banter with Meghan when she said “herbs” with a silent h.
The Duchess also laughed with Poh and Sofia as the contestants cooked.
However, while things looked picture-perfect on-screen, sources have claimed that tensions were simmering beneath the surface during filming.
What happened between Meghan Markle and Poh Ling Yeow on MasterChef Australia?
Ahead of Meghan’s MasterChef debut, rumours were swirling of some awkward moments behind the scenes.
Promotional material touting Meghan’s upcoming appearance saw Poh introduce her as “royalty”.
However, News.com.au claimed Meghan and her team were “frustrated” at the Duchess being referred to by the term, having specifically told everyone at MasterChef not to use it.
When the episode aired, the mention of “royalty” was cut out. Instead, she was introduced as a “global icon”, philanthropist, humanitarian and business owner, who is “known for her heart and deep love of cooking”.
Meghan and her team were reportedly outside the studio when the introduction happened, so they didn’t know what had been said until the adverts aired. Naturally, Poh was upset at accidentally going against Meghan’s wishes.
“It wasn’t about Meghan personally,” says our source. “Poh felt she had been unintentionally drawn into a royal protocol issue she never intended to be part of.”
According to a separate source, Poh, 52, apparently wanted to personally reach out to Meghan, 44, to apologise.
“She was willing to reach out immediately,” the insider says. “But she was advised to leave it for production to handle.”
While the reference to royalty was removed, the producers intervened during filming to reveal Meghan had received a video call – from Prince Harry!
“What’s going on? Have I interrupted something?” he joked as Poh laughed.
She introduced him to the judges and contestants and bragged about the dishes she was having, whilst Harry was in Canberra.
When Harry commented on the chandeliers in the background, Poh quipped, “We fancied the joint up for your beautiful wife.”
What happened when Meghan Markle was on MasterChef Australia?
According to New Idea’s insiders, the dynamics on set didn’t always match what viewers will see in the final edit.
Several of the contestants frequently gravitated towards judge Poh Ling Yeow for reassurance and feedback, rather than focusing solely on Meghan as the headline guest, claims one show spy.
When the judges approached the contestants’ benches, the Duchess of Sussex did not provide much commentary or input. However, she provided plenty of feedback when she tried all four dishes.
“It was a bit awkward at times. You could tell Meghan was wondering what was going on,” the source insists.
Throughout the episode, Poh explained how the show worked. For example, when she had to yell an update to the contestants on how much time they had left to cook, Poh explained why she was about to sound like a “foghorn”, and “really feral”.
“Ignore that, pretend you’re at a fish market,” she joked.
A second insider adds that there was an early expectation that Meghan would be the central focus of the day, but the reality on set was more “uneven”.
“Producers reportedly stepped in several times to keep filming on track,” says the source. “After all, Meghan is one of the biggest international guests the show has ever secured, so it was important she be a key part of the episode.”
“Production was keen to make sure all the key moments landed, so there was a bit of guidance behind the scenes to keep things flowing,” says the source.
However, another source adds: “There was no tension whatsoever, but it did feel like everyone was working hard to create those picture-perfect TV moments.
“That’s just the nature of a big production when you’ve got such a high-profile guest.”
A different insider shared a lighter observation about Poh’s personality on set.
“Poh is full of energy – she’s always joking and lifting the mood. She tried to bring that same spark with Meghan, cracking a few playful lines, but not all of it landed as intended.”
“Some of those moments didn’t quite translate on camera, so they ended up on the cutting-room floor. It’s just her way of keeping things light, even when the pressure is on.”
Despite the awkward moments and behind-the-scenes pressure, sources insist there was no major conflict, describing the day as a typical high-stakes television production.
“It wasn’t major drama, just a few awkward moments during filming that were adjusted in the final edit,” the insider says. “Meghan was a great guest, and we feel very lucky she agreed to appear on the show.”
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