My Kitchen Rules 2026 has certainly leaned into the drama this season, with Round Two bringing just as much heated and controversial commentary as Round One.
One of the biggest contestant clashes has been between Zoe and Zac, and Angus and Simon. After Zoe revealed that she was a pescatarian, refusing to taste anything with meat on her plate, the contestants expressed their surprise, asking why she applied to be on the show in the first place.
However, while the other contestants have leant into the dietary requirement, even serving her special meals, Angus and Simon still haven’t let their gripe with Zoe go.
This reached a whole new level during Alisha and Deanne’s redemption cook, causing quite a few awkward side-eyes at the table.
Speaking to WHO, Angus and Simon confessed why they kept pushing the debate.
What did Angus and Simon say to Zoe?
The dinner table chatter kicked off to a wholesome start, promising a drama-free night ahead.
However, when a discussion about the menu prompted contestants to ask Zoe more about herself, Angus decided he needed to keep “pestering” the pescatarian.
“Are you here to win the competition?” Angus interrupted.
While both Zoe and Zac replied that they were “confident” in their cooking ability and were there to win, Simon told Angus to “go harder”.
After Angus continued to push Zoe’s buttons, she snapped back by asking Angus why he “still has a problem with [her]” being at the table.
To this, Simon replied: “Oh, it’s pretty simple. We think that Zac is really confident and we think that you’re the weakest link at the table.”
This stunned everyone at the table, including Colin and Manu, with Harrison and Oliver calling it very “mind-gamey trash talk” that was dangerous given that they haven’t even seen Zoe and Zac cook yet.
Zoe called these comments from Angus and Simon “disrespectful”.
“Are you happy to carry yourself like that?” Zoe asked Simon. “Or do you think at any point that you owe me an apology?”
The Adelaide best mates didn’t back down, shocking Krysten and Lucy.
“This isn’t the usual Angus and Simon,” Lucy said.
The off-camera reason Angus and Simon were so ‘fired up’
While it looked like this “trash talk” came out of nowhere, Angus and Simon told WHO what really led to the dinner table clash.
“I think really we just went on autopilot then,” Angus said. “It sort of got out of our hands because these things just kept getting brought up.
“I think we were getting increasingly agitated because we had to keep explaining ourselves. And we were thinking, what’s not to get? We don’t think you can cook. We don’t think you should be here. And you’re annoying me. I mean, let’s move on.”
“I had to sort of straighten that out with her in a cutting way,” Simon added. “You know, sometimes, when the first direction you’re taking is not working, try something else.
“So I was like, well, ‘We’re doing the explanation bit, and you’re not getting it. So I’m just going to tell you exactly what I think anyway.'”
The best mates continued that Zoe constantly asking them what their problem was became “very frustrating” for the pair.
So, while it was “disrespectful” and “mind-gamey trash talk” to some, to Angus and Simon, it was them at the end of their rope.
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