Matt & Gary JEALOUS OF MANU!
The former Ten stars have been kicked to the kerb as the French chef takes centrestage
Seven sent foodie fans into a spin late last year with the announcement they were bringing th the “dream team” to our TV sc screens for hot new cooking sh show Plate Of Origin.
And while viewers were d delighted to see Masterchef’s M Matt Preston and Gary M Mehigan team up with My Kitchen K Rules’ Manu Feildel o on one show, an on-set spy te tells Woman’s Day old loyalties reigned re supreme.
The source reveals muchloved lo chef and Seven darling Manu, M 46, was the clear favourite fa throughout filming, with w the network ensuring its it long-serving talent was given gi the star edit over former Ten T personalities Matt, 59, and an Gary, 53.
“Seven made sure they looked lo after their own,” says the th source.
“Matt and Gary have obviously o been embraced by Seven S but there were clear directives d that came from the very top and were fed down to the writing, producing, filming, and editing teams.
“That was to make Manu the star of the show and have Matt and Gary as the co-hosts,” the source adds.
The insider says Manu was strategically placed in the middle of the three at all times, given the most dialogue and was even given first pick when it came to who did his hair and makeup.
“He had first dibs on all suiting and accessories, and even got to choose which hair and makeup artists he wanted before anyone else,” says the spy.
“That didn’t sit right with Matt, who believes his flamboyant satirical style sets him apart from the other judges,” says our source.
TEAM SPIRIT
While the trio had been putting on a united front in the lead-up to the show’s premiere last Sunday night, the former Ten pair hinted at some friction, with Matt telling Woman’s Day there was a “fair bit of ribbing that goes on, whether the cameras are running or not” and even cheekily taking aim at the French star.
“We had to remove Manu’s French eye-patch because he started out a little oneeyed...” Matt said.
Perhaps even more telling, when Manu spoke of the friendly rivalry that went on between him and former Masterchef judges Matt and Gary, he said he was never competing and concluded that My Kitchen Rules was “always the best”.
“It’s nice to have them on my team now,” he added.
‘We had to remove Manu’s French eye-patch’