Why Is Meghan Markle On MasterChef Australia? And Can You Watch It In The UK?

Meghan Markle is no stranger to the small screen. Prior to marrying Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex rose to fame starring in Suits, while more recently she has documented her love for cooking and hosting in a Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. And now she’s back on our TVs, this time appearing as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia – along with a special cameo from her husband.

MasterChef Australia: Everything You Need To Know

What Is Meghan Markle Doing On MasterChef?

The Duchess of Sussex made her Australian TV debut starring as a guest chef on season 18 of MasterChef Australia. In an episode that aired on Sunday 26 July on Australia’s Network 10, she was revealed as the ‘mystery guest judge’ who would be filling in for Andy Allen as he went on paternity leave, joining fellow judges Jean-Chrisophe Novelli, Poh Ling Yeow and Sofia Levin.

Meghan’s appearance visibly shocked the contestants, with one saying: ‘Who would have thought you come on here to make a roll, and you get to meet the Duchess of Sussex?’. They were set the task of transforming a staple ingredient into a dish ‘fit for a duchess’ using Meghan’s favourite seasonal ingredients – options included macadamia nuts, apples, Jerusalem artichokes, celeriac, citrus, honey and Brussels sprouts. 

But soon after Meghan’s arrival into the kitchen, the judging was interrupted by a phone call from none other than Prince Harry. ‘Hi my love!’ Meghan says to the phone camera, telling the crew, ‘my husband’s here’. He can be heard saying: ‘Have I interrupted something important?’ 

Meghan introduces Harry to the four chefs, saying, ‘I wish you could try these, these dishes are fantastic.’ Harry tells her to enjoy it before signing off: ‘Very sorry to disturb you.’

Meghan has long been a keen chef herself, launching her own lifestyle brand As Ever alongside her cooking show (which prompted a whole host of recipes to go viral including her skillet spaghetti). Earlier in the MasterChef episode, she’s asked what her favourite dish to cook is, a question she says is ‘a tough one because I have a lot of palates to appease.’ Harry prefers ‘meat, potatoes and cream sauce’ while she enjoys ‘fish, grilled meats and lots of citrus’. She also reveals their two children, Archie and Lilibet, are ‘great eaters’, even loving Brussels sprouts.

The episode was filmed in April 2026 while Meghan and Harry were on a four-day tour in Australia. ‘It’s such a great show,’ she said, adding, ‘I’m just really honoured that I was asked to be able to be here with you and to be able to judge some of these meals.’

Meghan Markle in With Love, Meghan. Courtesy of Netflix © 2025

What Happens On MasterChef Australia?

MasterChef Australia follows a similar format to the British version of the show. A total of 24 contestants compete in a series of culinary challenges with the hopes of making it to the grand finale and winning the trophy (winners take home $250,000 AUD in prize money, which they usually put towards opening restaurants or launching their careers).

Season 18 premiered in April 2026, with four chefs making it to the final four and meeting Meghan: Vinnie Gibaldi, Petro Papathomas, Casper Kenworthy, and Aaron Kher. Papathomas came out tops, impressing the Duchess of Sussex with a celeriac ice cream dish (he later told Australia’s WHO Magazine that Meghan was ‘very kind and spoke very eloquently about food, which was lovely’).

Meghan’s appearance on the show follows other celebrity cameos, with guests on this year’s series including Australian conservationist Robert Irwin and chef Curtis Stone. 

Channel 4 is yet to confirm the date for the final, but usually this airs at the start of August.

Can You Watch MasterChef Australia In The UK?

Previous seasons of MasterChef Australia are available to stream on Channel 4, Prime Video and Sky Go. However, the most recent season starring Meghan has not yet dropped in the UK and a release date is yet to be confirmed. 

In the UK, Celebrity MasterChef is soon to return for its 21st series starring new judge Giorgio Locatelli alongside Grace Dent, with contestants including Joe Pasquale and Shakira Khan.