Meghan Markle MasterChef Australia casting has sparked fresh criticism after Irish journalist Kevin O’Sullivan questioned whether her involvement could attract viewers. During an interview with News.co.uk host Danica De Giorgio, O’Sullivan called the Duchess of Sussex “boring” and argued that her presence might not rescue the show’s ratings.
Host says Meghan Markle ‘can’t be interesting’ amid MasterChef gig rumors
The discussion followed confirmation that Meghan would appear as a special guest on the 2027 season of Junior MasterChef Australia. She will join returning host Poh Ling Yeow to help guide young contestants. Meghan is expected to spend a few weeks in Australia filming the series
During the interview, De Giorgio mentioned that Ling Yeow had revealed her playful nickname for Meghan: “Meg Dogs”. However, O’Sullivan questioned whether the nickname would encourage audiences to watch the upcoming series.
He pointed to the show’s previous performance, arguing that earlier editions had struggled to attract viewers. Junior MasterChef Australia last aired in 2020 and is returning in 2027. O’Sullivan suggested the network hoped Meghan’s involvement would revive interest in the programme. “I think that Network 10, they think, ‘Oh, we’ve got a real coup here. We’ve got the Duchess of Sussex,’” he said.
However, he remained unconvinced that the strategy would work. O’Sullivan also brought up Meghan’s Netflix lifestyle series, ‘With Love, Meghan’, while questioning her presenting abilities. “She’s not a very good presenter,” he claimed, before describing her as having “the anti-X factor”.
He then delivered his sharpest criticism, saying Meghan had “the boring gene”. O’Sullivan added that viewers watching her Netflix series might think, “Oh god, there she goes.” He also claimed she “can’t be interesting” and did not know how to make herself engaging on screen.
O’Sullivan predicted that ‘Junior MasterChef Australia’ might attract a novelty audience initially. However, he suggested viewers would eventually lose interest, leaving the programme struggling to maintain its audience.
His comments come as Meghan’s public image faces scrutiny in the UK. YouGov’s October 2026 figures showed that 20% of Britons had a positive opinion of her, while 68% viewed her negatively. Meanwhile, PR experts have offered mixed assessments of her Australian television appearance. Some see a professional opportunity, while others warn that its success will depend on whether audiences find her contribution genuine and engaging.
