MasterChef Australia fans have been having a lot of fun with the ‘secret romance’ rumours spreading like wildfire this year. While everyone loves a cooking show, what we’ve discovered is that people love it even more when it’s paired with a little love story.
The rumours of a potential relationship this season were sparked by Annabel Lloyd during Declan Cleary and Sarah Todd’s guest judge appearance on the show (with their baby twins in tow!).
“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,” she said.
“Is there anyone in our comp that could be future Sarah and Declan? I’m not allowed to say.”
This led fans to believe that the romance was between Annabel and Vinnie. However, after some digging, WHO found that this wasn’t the case.
If anything, the debunked rumour has only put viewers on high alert for genuine sparks. And during last night’s episode, eagle-eyed fans spotted what they believe is the biggest clue yet…
‘Most definitely chemistry there’
After the top eight contestants selected a Connoisseur ice cream to start the day, they were tasked with cooking a dessert inspired by their chosen flavour. Alyona Iljuhhina tackled a rocky road-flavoured éclair, placing her head-to-head with Petro, who has built a reputation for being skilled at desserts.
Unfortunately, she missed the mark with the judges, leading to some classic MasterChef hugs to console her. While hugging is commonplace in the MasterChef kitchen, there was one embrace in particular that fans – and whoever was operating that camera – chose to focus on: Petro consoling Alyona.
“Did anyone else catch the way Alyona and Petro embraced?” an excited fan commented online.
“I think Alyona and Petro have a secret romance after seeing that hug!!” another fan agreed.
“When Petro got through & Alyona didn’t, he put his arm around her shoulder. They were standing next to each other & got a bit touchy-feely,” another fan spied.
“Thought they were going to kiss on the last big long hug lol!” a viewer chimed in, with multiple other fans agreeing that there’s “most definitely chemistry there.”
The romance clues left by contestants on Instagram
Now, we all know the contestants are a tight-knit bunch. They’re constantly popping up on each other’s Instagram feeds—leaving us seriously jealous of all the behind-the-scenes fun and incredible food—but a few specific clues suggest there’s more than just friendship brewing.
For starters, Annabel has been having a lot of fun teasing the audience. After her comment last week sent fans into a total tailspin, she hasn’t stopped dropping hints about who the romance could be between. And while we can officially rule out a romance between her and Vinnie—since WHO understands Vinnie is already happily in a long-term relationship—Annabel is definitely keeping the mystery alive.
Viewers have even been commenting on her post, sharing their theories that it’s “Petro and Alyona after that hug”, with another fan joking that “if Annabelle won’t tell us, then the camera operators will do the heavy lifting.”
Frustratingly, Alyona and Petro’s comments on each other’s posts don’t give much away, but Alyona does follow who appears to be Petro’s sister, Sophia, on Instagram, which could be a telling sign…
It may not be what it seems
While fans are having fun speculating, others are worried it’s distracting from the purpose of the show itself. What’s more, Petro’s social media profile lists that he’s based in Melbourne, while Alyona’s states she is based in Sydney.
Yes, living in different cities certainly doesn’t signal ‘star-crossed lovers’, and long-distance relationships are very much a thing, but it’s just another factor to consider.
Whether the rumours are true or fans just want them to be, either way, whoever was filming and editing that episode knew exactly what they were doing…
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