‘I SAID NO TO THE SHOW!’

Despite being a passionate cook, Collette Dinnigan wasn’t keen at all when she was approached to star in Celebrity MasterChef. “Truth be told, I said no more than a few times,” the 56-year-old tells WHO.

While it took some convincing, Dinnigan says she’s glad she took the dive. “I think the pandemic has taught us all that sometimes opportunities present themselves that are out of left field,” she shares. “I’m really happy to have pushed myself outside my comfort zone and accepted this challenge!”

As for Dinnigan’s perfect meal, the Aussie fashion designer says it’s all down to a good drop, fresh produce and some special people to share it with. “A glass of Australian or New Zealand pinot noir, fresh bread with extra virgin olive oil, garden salad with a homemade dressing, either pan-fried fish or chicken and seasonal vegetables,” she says of her ultimate feed. “Of course, the company completes the meal and it would be with my closest friends and family.”

Dinnigan is hoping to take out the win for charity Hope Delivery, run by pal and celeb chef Neil Perry, which supports seasonal workers and international hospitality workers who have been affected by the pandemic. “We’ve got an incredible group of contestants,” Le Nevez says of his fellow cast. “You don’t have Collette Dinnigan, Ian Thorpe and Rebecca Gibney on your average reality show.”