‘She’s an actor’: Poh Ling Yeow on what it was really like working with Meghan Markle on MasterChef
What went down in the kitchen!
Poh Ling Yeow has given fans an inside look at what it was genuinely like sharing the MasterChef Australia kitchen with Meghan Markle.
The beloved chef and television personality, 52, sat down with KIIS FM’s Georgie Tunny to reflect on the Duchess of Sussex’s recent guest appearance on the Channel Ten series, sharing what the royal was like in person.
NEED TO KNOW
- Poh Ling Yeow couldn’t speak more highly of Meghan Markle on the set of MasterChef Australia.
- The Duchess will feature as a guest judge in an upcoming episode of the new season.
- Despite rumours of a $380K appearance fee, Meghan was reportedly not paid.
Poh Ling Yeow has given fans an inside look at what it was genuinely like sharing the MasterChef Australia kitchen with Meghan Markle.
The beloved chef and television personality, 52, sat down with KIIS FM’s Georgie Tunny to reflect on the Duchess of Sussex’s recent guest appearance on the Channel Ten series, sharing what the royal was like in person.
“There is so much public conjecture, but she was absolutely delightful. [I have] nothing but praise for the time I spent with her,” Poh said. “Very easy-going, good sense of humour, a consummate professional. I mean, she’s an actor, so she just slid right into that judging role seamlessly.”
Poh described Meghan as grounded, quick to laugh, and immediately at ease with everyone on set. The MasterChef judge also expressed empathy for the scrutiny Meghan continues to face in the public eye.
“I really feel for her because she’s still a human. There’s an emotional human at the end of that, amid all this hatred people are spitting out. She was honestly so lovely,” Poh added.
The sentiment was echoed by her fellow judges. Poh, alongside Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli, described Meghan’s arrival on set as nothing short of electric.
“Having Meghan in the MasterChef kitchen with us was such a treat,” the trio said in a joint statement. “She was a complete delight and was right at home. Introducing her to the contestants was like the best kind of surprise party – jaws were on the floor!”
They went on to praise the Duchess’s curiosity and culinary enthusiasm.
“She put us all at ease very quickly, learning about our home cooks through their food, and happily sharing her passion and knowledge for produce, cooking and entertaining with us all. We’d have her back in a heartbeat.”
Meghan Markle under fire over ‘outrageously narcissistic and greedy’ Aussie move
Markle, 44, filmed her appearance in Melbourne last Wednesday, reportedly spending the full day on set. Network 10 has since confirmed she will feature as a guest judge in an upcoming episode of the new season.
Despite early speculation that Meghan may have commanded a fee of up to AU$380,000 for the appearance, it has since been reported that she was not paid at all.
Former television executive Rob McKnight pushed back on the six-figure rumour, suggesting that while a fee of $10,000 to $50,000 would have been reasonable to request, the appearance was more likely a savvy piece of mutual publicity.
“I think it is a brilliant PR move by Network 10, which is probably worth the least amount of money of the major networks,” Rob said. “It has shown Ten is the little engine that could.”