MasterChef judge Poh Ling Yeow reveals what Meghan Markle was REALLY like when she visited the set

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Poh Ling Yeow, known from MasterChef Australia, has shared her experience of working with Meghan Markle, who recently appeared as a guest on the Channel Ten reality show.

The 52-year-old celebrity chef was a guest on the KIIS FM breakfast show, where she told host Georgie Tunny that she really admired how relatable and genuine Meghan is.

You know, there’s been a lot of talk, but honestly, she was just lovely. I can’t say enough good things about my time with her – it was truly a pleasure.

She’s relaxed, funny, and incredibly professional. As an actor, she naturally transitioned into the role of a judge with ease.

Poh shared that she greatly admired Meghan’s ability to stay calm and collected despite facing a lot of public attention and criticism.

Poh expressed sympathy, saying that despite the negativity directed towards this person, it’s important to remember they are still a human being with feelings. She described them as genuinely kind and lovely.

Recent reports claimed the Duchess of Sussex earned as much as $380,000 for a surprise appearance on MasterChef Australia, but the actual amount is even higher.

As a long-time follower of Meghan, I was surprised to learn from the Daily Mail that she didn’t actually make any money from her ‘As Ever’ line! Apparently, she didn’t even actively promote the products – things like flower sprinkles, preserves, and wine – which is really unexpected. It seems she wasn’t financially involved at all.

The 44-year-old made a low-key visit to the reality cooking show’s set on Wednesday to film her part of the program at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m hearing she was with the production team all day on set! Network 10 has since confirmed she’ll be joining us as a guest judge on an upcoming episode of the new season – so exciting!

Early estimates from TV industry experts indicated she might have earned as much as $250,000 US (about $380,000 Australian) for her appearance on the show.

While Rob McKnight, a former television executive, downplayed the amount Meghan Markle was paid, he said she realistically could have asked for anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000.

He praised Network 10’s publicity stunt as a smart move, especially considering it’s typically the least financially powerful of the major networks.

‘It has shown Ten is the little engine that could.’

It was absolutely wonderful having Meghan join us in the MasterChef kitchen! That’s what Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli shared with the Daily Mail last week, and as a huge fan, I couldn’t agree more. It really brightened things up!

She was absolutely lovely and quickly felt comfortable. When we introduced her to the contestants, their reaction was amazing – they were completely stunned and thrilled!

The Duchess immediately made everyone feel comfortable, getting to know us by tasting the dishes we’d prepared. She generously shared her love and expertise of fresh ingredients, cooking, and hosting, and we’d all welcome her back anytime.

Meghan and Prince Harry are currently on a fast-paced trip to Australia, combining official royal duties with business ventures like paid speaking engagements.

Meghan isn’t the first member of the royal family to be on MasterChef Australia. King Charles and Queen Camilla, her in-laws, have both appeared on the show previously.

In 2018, while on an official visit, Prince Charles and Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, were featured on a TV episode filmed in Darwin.

People online criticized the royal couple for not being shown eating the food prepared by contestants, which included a tart made with raw wallaby and green ants.

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2026-04-21 06:27