MY KITCHEN RULES: THE RIVALS

7PM, SUNDAY, SEVEN

IT’S always a risky move to mess with a tried and true formula. And so, Seven’s decision to spice up their MKR recipe after a decade on air was a bold one. But I am pleased to report that the gamble has paid off. Bringing back some of the show’s most popular past contestants (season four winners Dan and Steph and runners-up Jake and Elle, as well as the catty Sophia and straight-talking Romel) to compete against a batch of newcomers breathes new life into the format, while retaining all the things about the show that fans enjoyed. It’s clear that judges Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge (both pictured with Pete Evans) are relishing their roles as mentors too, as it allows them to show off their culinary prowess and engage in some amusing competitive sledging.

Plus, with so many colourful characters and reality-TV veterans assembled on the one show, it ups the ante on the drama and the strategising.