Shock reason celebrity chef George Calombaris signed up for I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

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I’m honestly surprised and excited to see George Calombaris heading into the South African jungle! It’s his biggest move to get back in the public eye since everything that happened, and I’m really curious to see how it goes. It feels like a real turning point for him.

The well-known chef, who used to be a judge on MasterChef Australia, is joining the reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! as a surprise contestant. Sources say he’s doing the show for reasons that go beyond just getting more publicity.

Following years marked by controversy, business failures, and constant media attention, Calombaris says he hopes appearing on the show will allow him to share his perspective and set the record straight.

He admitted there was a small element of redemption, telling The Daily Telegraph, ‘I guess you could say that, yeah, a little bit.’

In 2019, the hospitality business of the 47-year-old collapsed after he was found to have underpaid over 500 employees. He was ordered to repay $7.8 million and also fined $200,000 as a result of these underpayments to his staff.

The controversy caused him to lose his position on MasterChef and made him a highly controversial personality in the Australian food scene.

But Calombaris insists the label that followed him was harder to stomach than the financial hit.

He said the worst part of the experience was being called a thief, which really went against everything his parents had taught him about honesty and integrity.

After his restaurant group in Melbourne failed, George Calombaris moved his family to Sydney in 2023. This came after he began a business deal with Jon Adgemis, who has since gone bankrupt.

Oh my gosh, he was everywhere! I mean, I’d stalk… I mean, follow his appearances at places like Alpha, and then there was that amazing night at the Empire Hotel! And don’t even get me started on when I caught a glimpse of him at the Hotel Diplomat – it was magical! He really got around, and I tried to be at every single event, naturally.

It’s just… heartbreaking. His last Sydney place, Gazi, closed down in December, and now I’m hearing rumors that his Melbourne restaurant, The Hellenic House Project, might be up for sale too! I really hope that’s not true; I’ve been following his work forever, and it feels like everything is falling apart. I’m honestly devastated.

Reflecting on the period, Calombaris described the personal toll as brutal.

‘It was horrendous and something I never want my worst enemy to go through,’ he said.

Even though things haven’t gone as planned, the chef from Melbourne says he’s learned a lot. He often reminds people that many others are dealing with much more difficult problems than losing money.

The hospitality company owned by the famous chef, MAdE, had to reimburse both current and past workers after discovering they hadn’t been paid correctly.

Following the news, many MasterChef fans asked Channel 10 to remove Calombaris from the show, and Unions NSW began a petition demanding his dismissal.

Now that he’s joining the twelve other contestants already facing the challenges of the South African jungle, Calombaris explains he’s less focused on winning fans and more interested in being a good role model for his kids.

Although he feels content with his life right now, being in the jungle provides a unique opportunity to directly address public perceptions, something he hasn’t been able to do while dealing with legal battles, business issues, and the closing of his restaurants.

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2026-01-25 03:03