Things are getting emotional on My Kitchen Rules 2026! As Round Two puts the new Gatecrashers to the test, recent Instant Restaurants have been a breath of fresh air to fans, as home cooking and vulnerability have been prioritised over mindless dinner-table feuding.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty of drama at the table, but recent episodes have leaned more into the kitchen chaos, resulting in quite a few tears being shed.
Oliver and Harrison’s Instant Restaurant, ‘Bloody Bellissimo’, promised meals as quirky as they are, and it certainly delivered.
However, it was when the best friends from Sydney’s inner west served their main meal, ‘Nduja Stuffed Squid with Polenta Bianca, that things got emotional, as Oliver broke down crying, hoping to make his Nonno proud.
While this sparked a mixed response from fans, it also showcased something Australian reality TV rarely shines a light on: vulnerability (particularly, vulnerable men).
Speaking to WHO, Angus and Simon unpacked this moment, getting candid about their first impressions of the pair.
MKR fans divided over Oliver’s emotional response
As Oliver stressed over his cooking and placed more and more pressure on himself in the kitchen, Harrison remained calm by his side, comforting and encouraging his friend.
After Oliver cried tears of joy upon receiving a rave review from the judges, the two friends were filmed hugging outside, something the Australian public rarely sees spotlighted on reality TV.
While there were occasional comments from viewers claiming they could “do without all the tears”, most fans praised the show and the contestants for their vulnerability.
“Real men can hug. Beautiful friends,” one fan wrote online.
“I love these guys! So genuine! Love their friendship and way they support each other. Hope they do well,” another agreed.
“It actually has become more about the cooking and the background of the teams that are cooking this round, and it has been more enjoyable,” a third chimed in.
Spotlighting real people and emotions on a show about the realities of home cooking? Who would’ve thought! A win indeed.
Angus and Simon had a different first impression of Harrison and Oliver
When asked for their honest review of the moustache-wearing Gatecrashers, Angus and Simon admitted that they were sceptical of the pair.
“I think just as a couple of lads, especially early on, we were like, ‘I’m not really sure about these guys. I don’t know how to make sense of them,'” they confessed to WHO.
“What is interesting at the dinner table is that you get a sense of how good people are by the way they talk about food. That’s how it’s intense. And Oliver knew his stuff. He was quite clearly well-read.”
The Adelaide best mates went on to admit that this did “intimidate” them a bit, but not for very long.
“I was intimidated by them, but I always thought that they were beatable,” Angus said. “And that’s what I think the beauty of the competition is. As good as someone might be, they’re all beatable.”
It looks like Angus and Simon weren’t too fazed by Oliver’s emotional moment, with their eyes firmly fixed on the competition ahead.
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