If you have also been missing one of Australia’s favourite home cooking competitions, the wait is finally over!
My Kitchen Rules has announced its launch date for 2026, alongside some surprising twists and big personalities that are sure to keep fans on their toes this year.
The show celebrates home cooking at its finest, featuring contestants from all across Australia and all walks of life.
This year, the pairs will be competing for the grand cash prize of $100,000, and culinary icons Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge will return as co-hosts and judges, bringing their beloved flair, banter, and expertise to the show.
Speaking to WHO ahead of the seventeenth season, Manu and Colin teased the “drama” ahead, what makes this season stand out and what it’s like to co-host alongside one another.
“I just love travelling around Australia meeting new people and getting cooked for, and finding new recipes and new ingredients and so on,” Manu told WHO. “Obviously, working with Colin makes it a lot easier than anything because we hang out a lot together, we’re good mates and it’s very easy to work together.”
“Good answer,” Colin joked in reply.
What makes this new season stand out?
Describing the 2026 season, Colin has promised that it will be “one of the most jam-packed, fiery [seasons]” and revealed that “there was a walkout”.
“You’ve never got a dull moment,” he said. “There’s a lot of cooking, but there’s also a lot of personality in this show, and a lot of surprises. That was quite diplomatic, wasn’t it!”
When both co-hosts were asked to rate the drama this year out of 10, both responded with a firm “10”.
Manu also compared the drama to the stress of being a professional chef in a busy restaurant.
“Dealing with the drama is a lot harder [than a busy restaurant],” Manu said. “Well, with restaurants, we’ve been doing them for a long time.
“But dealing with opinions left, right and centre – and [metaphorical] knife-throwings – can be quite difficult at times.”
Clashing personalities and rivalries? It’s safe to say this season will have some major surprises and bombshell dinner table revelations in store for fans.
What makes My Kitchen Rules so successful?
My Kitchen Rules first premiered on February 1, 2010, and has been giving audiences piping hot drama and meal inspiration for 17 seasons.
Both Manu and Colin reflected on what it’s been like to be a part of such a success.
“Well, it is a successful show, so obviously it’s easy to be part of something that works,” Manu admitted candidly. “If it wasn’t working, we’d probably be walking away from it, but it is.
“It’s been doing well for a long time, it’s still doing well today, so we’ve still got a job.”
“I would say everyone can relate to someone in the show,” Colin said. “Whether you’ve got a neighbour or an auntie or a friend who’s like that, or someone you don’t like is like that.
“But there’s someone that can relate to everyone in this show.”
How does My Kitchen Rules work?
There are many exciting stages to the My Kitchen Rules competition, in case you’re not up to speed!
The competition begins with each team of two hosting a temporary ‘instant restaurant’, where they transform their own homes into a themed pop-up restaurant for one night, cooking an entree, main, and dessert for the judges and their fellow contestants.
The guest teams and professional judges then score the three-course meal out of 10, with the lowest-scoring teams facing elimination or cook-offs and the highest-scoring pairs advancing to the next stage of the competition.
The top performers then move to a professional studio kitchen, otherwise known as Kitchen HQ, where they face intense cooking challenges, pressure tests and elimination rounds.
In the Grand Final, the remaining teams cook a final multi-course service, with the winner earning the cash prize and the MKR champion title.
When does My Kitchen Rules 2026 premiere?
Season 17 of My Kitchen Rules returns to Seven and 7plus at 7.30 pm on Monday, 28 September.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Share this post