Meghan Markle Silences Critics as MasterChef Australia Episode Breaks Major Viewing Record
Meghan Markle has returned to the headlines with a significant television success after facing criticism over her guest appearance on MasterChef Australia. The Duchess of Sussex’s latest project has reportedly delivered record-breaking viewing figures despite the backlash surrounding her role.
The As Ever founder appeared as a guest judge on the popular cooking competition, joining the panel for a special episode that attracted widespread attention from viewers around the world.
Meghan shared judging duties alongside MasterChef Australia personalities Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli during the highly anticipated broadcast.
According to broadcaster Network 10, the episode featuring the Duchess became one of the programme’s biggest successes, setting new audience records following its release.
The broadcaster revealed that the episode attracted a total audience of 1.6 million viewers, making it one of the strongest-performing editions of the cooking competition in recent years.
Reports also stated that the broadcast delivered the biggest overnight Sunday audience for the programme since July 2023, highlighting the strong public interest surrounding Meghan’s appearance.
In addition, the episode reportedly achieved the largest overnight streaming audience in the show’s history, reaching 118,000 viewers across digital platforms, according to figures released by Network 10.
Express reported that Meghan’s guest appearance helped deliver a 16 per cent increase in the national Total TV audience, giving the long-running series a notable ratings boost.
The viewing success comes after the Duchess faced criticism from some commentators following the announcement of her appearance on the programme. Several reports questioned whether she was the right choice for a judging role.
There were also claims suggesting Meghan’s reported requests created discomfort among members of the production team and contestants during filming.
Further reports alleged that the Duchess experienced awkward moments with some of the judging panel while filming the special episode, adding to speculation surrounding the broadcast.
However, those claims were later rejected by Meghan Markle’s spokesperson, who denied that any such incidents had taken place behind the scenes.
The record-breaking audience figures have now been viewed by many as a major boost for Meghan’s television profile. Despite criticism before and after the broadcast, the episode’s strong ratings suggest her appearance generated significant public interest and helped attract one of MasterChef Australia‘s biggest audiences in recent memory.
