My Kitchen Rules secret crisis

Colin Fassnidge faces the axe as his bad boy antics put the others offside

With his Ducati motorcycle, rock star swagger and hot temper, Colin Fassnidge prides himself on being the My Kitchen Rules bad boy.

But while the Irish chef’s big ego and take-no-prisoners personality might have initially impressed producers, his fiery attitude is now threatening to derail his TV career, amid strong speculation he’ll be fired after this series.

Fortunately Seven has already chosen his replacement – with Woman’s Day able to reveal that the “mystery” judge joining the reality show is Three Blue Ducks chef Darren Robertson, who is being groomed to take over from Colin once this season ends.

“Colin makes great TV, but behind the scenes he has been difficult to deal with the past two seasons,” reveals a source.

“He’s turned up to a couple of

shoots late and hungover. But he doesn’t apologise or feel bad, even if people are kept waiting.

“He can be rude to staff and very arrogant – the power’s gone to his head and he sees himself as equal to Manu and Pete. But the network doesn’t agree.”

The situation has become so volatile that producers are now secretly plotting to replace Colin, 42, with Darren.

“Darren was a dream,” our source says. “He was so eager to learn the ropes. He often turned up early and stayed late, which impressed people.”

Darren’s attitude couldn’t be more different to Colin’s.

“When Colin was on set for challenge rounds, he ripped into production catering,” the source reveals. “He doesn’t have a filter, which puts people on edge. No one is sure when he’ll turn on them.”

Colin’s never made a secret of his love of feuding, with everyone from fellow chefs to unhappy customers. He even told the new owner of his Sydney restaurant, Four in Hand: “We’re at war now, we’re done,” after he failed to say hello to him multiple times.

Amiable fellow judge Manu Feildel, 42, has revealed Colin launched a tirade against him before he joined the show.

Laying into Manu’s stint on Dancing With the Stars, Colin told The Sunday Telegraph: “If I did do a show it would be a good show. If you do these things it’s got to be on your own terms and not be [made to look] a fool, like making you wear a clown suit and dance around a studio.”

Asked if he was taking aim at Feildel, Fassnidge continued: “F**k, I’d be kicked off in the first week. Look, I don’t knock your man Manu, but he’s not going to go back in the kitchen again … and that’s fine, he’s changed careers ... but don’t go back and say you’re a full-time chef.”

With the cocky chef refusing to keep a lid on his opinions, it’s almost certain he’ll be out of the TV studio and back in the kitchen quicker than he thinks.

‘He doesn’t have a filter, which puts people on edge’