WATCH VIDEO: Meghan Markle Doomed as “Hate-Watch” on Kids’ Cooking Show – Furious Aussies Launch Viral Petition to Boot Her Before Cameras Even Roll!

In a move that has ignited immediate fury across Australia and beyond, Meghan Markle has been confirmed as a special guest co-host on the revived Junior MasterChef Australia for 2027, pairing with chef Poh Ling Yeow on Network 10. Yet, according to exclusive reporting, the Duchess of Sussex is already “doomed to be a hate watch,” with critics warning the children’s cooking competition risks becoming a platform for mocking the polarizing royal rather than celebrating young talent.

The announcement, which followed Markle’s guest judging appearance on the adult MasterChef Australia earlier in 2026 (filmed during a short Australia visit and credited with delivering the show’s largest Sunday overnight audience since 2023, around 1.6 million viewers), was initially framed as an “easy yes” by Markle herself. She cited her love of cooking with her own children and excitement about working with young contestants aged roughly 9–13. Producers and Yeow have spoken positively of prior on-set chemistry. However, the casting has drawn sharp pushback almost immediately.

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A Change.org petition calling for her removal quickly gathered thousands of signatures (reports cited figures in the thousands within a day or so, with one version temporarily paused or under review by moderators). Signatories and critics argue an Australian food personality should have been chosen instead, questioning Markle’s professional culinary credentials and suggesting she is primarily trading on residual royal-adjacent fame for a paycheck. Street interviews in Melbourne captured blunt local sentiment: residents called the decision “a joke,” asked “Why do we need her?”, and accused her of wanting money while “trading on royalty, which she is no longer.” Some online commentary was even harsher, with viewers insisting “We don’t want her here” and questioning her suitability near children.

A TV industry insider told Radar Online that there is “genuine concern that next year’s Junior MasterChef show could simply become a hate watch so critics can mock Meghan, rather than a cooking show.” The source continued that many will tune in “simply because Meghan is involved, but not necessarily because they want to see her succeed,” adding that her divisive profile guarantees strong reactions and risks shifting the focus away from the young contestants. “The danger is that the conversation becomes about her rather than the children taking part in the competition… For a program built around children, family viewing and food, the last thing anyone wants is for the contestants to become secondary to a debate about a celebrity presenter.” The insider noted producers know she guarantees headlines, but those headlines “can cut both ways,” and a sizeable audience has already decided they do not want her there. Markle is said to be walking into a divided audience where some will watch closely hoping she makes a mistake.