In a blink-and-you’d-miss-it moment on MasterChef Australia, did one contestant spill that there’s a secret romance blooming between two contestants? It seems so!
On Sunday night’s episode, former contestants and current happy couple, Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary, returned to the MasterChef kitchen to host a challenge. As they spoke about their unexpected love story, one contestant shared a surprising insight.
“This is wild that they both were on Back to Win and met and fell in love and have twins. Like that is the cutest thing, that’s the most beautiful story I’ve ever heard in my life,” Annabel Lloyd said.
“Is there anyone in our comp that could be future Sarah and Declan? I’m not allowed to say.”
Umm, what??
So which contestants could be romantically linked? A convincing internet theory is claiming its season faves, Annabel Lloyd and Vinnie Gibaldi. But is it true?
Read on because WHO has the full scoop.
The romance clues left on Annabel and Vinnie’s Instagrams
There’s been growing suspicion online that Annabel and Vinnie found a special connection on MasterChef due to their adorable Instagram activity.
Annabel has been known to poke fun at Vinnie online. “BTS of food, friends & Vinnie’s overcooked tart shell,” Annabel captioned the carousel. “ACTUALLY,” commented Vinnie.
Vinnie has made multiple appearances on Annabel’s Instagram, often appearing alone, lounging on the sofa or under a blanket.
On Annabel’s Instagram posts of her MasterChef dishes, Vinnie is a frequent commenter, with comments including “absolutely divine brev” and “okay this was epic.” Annabel comments just as much on Vinnie’s posts and in one reply to her, he wrote “u real one.”
Annabel follows both Vinnie’s personal Instagram account, Vincent Gibaldi, and Angelo Gibaldi on Instagram, who is potentially a relative of Vinnie.
‘The biggest clue is right in front of our eyes’
Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed that in some of their confessionals, Annabel and Vinnie are wearing matching chilli necklaces.
“Since the beginning, I thought Annabel and Vinnie had something going on, especially since they were both wearing a little red chilli pepper on a chain,” a fan wrote in Facebook comment.
Case closed? Not quite!
Are Annabel and Vinnie from MasterChef in a relationship?
Sorry to all the Vannabel shippers out there, but this is nothing more than a rumour.
Despite all the online speculation, WHO understands that Annabel and Vinnie are just very good friends and in fact, Vinnie is already in a long-term relationship.
MasterChef contestant Alita Harvey-Rodriguez also shut down the fan speculation, telling WHO that the “intel is very off”.
HOWEVER, she suggested two different contestants were involved, adding “that’s not the romance you’re chasing.”
So then, which MasterChef Australia contestants will be the next love story?
It might not be Annabel and Vinnie in a relationship, but who else could it be? A mystery! If the speculation turns out to be true, another couple will join the ranks of MasterChef love stories.
The tradition began way back in season one when Chris Badenoch met Julia Jenkins. The two started dating after filming wrapped, were married in August 2013 and they’re still going strong.
Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary’s love story began in the Back To Win kitchen, with reports saying they met while filming season 17 in late 2024, before the season aired in 2025.
Their friendship quietly turned romantic during the high-pressure competition, with Declan later revealing he only found the courage to ask Sarah on a date right before she walked into an elimination challenge. Sarah said yes, and the pair quickly fell for each other.
By June 2025, they had confirmed they were a couple and had moved in together after filming wrapped. In October 2025, they announced Sarah was pregnant with their first child together, before later revealing they were expecting twin girls.
On Christmas Eve 2025, they welcomed daughters Claudia and Charlotte. The reportedly engaged couple is preparing to tie the knot in the near future.
But when it comes to Annabel and Vinnie, the two are just newfound BFFs with matching necklaces — and we’re here for this dynamic duo!
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