‘My Kitchen Rules 2018’ axes all-female team over unacceptable behaviour

“My Kitchen Rules” has axed an all-girl team for their unacceptable behaviour mid-season. Production was reportedly shut down temporarily while Channel Seven investigated an incident involving an NSW female duo against a male team last month.

Sources told the Daily Telegraph that the two teams were involved in an off-camera altercation at a hotel in Launceston last month. They faced off in front of two other MKR teams and hotel guests. According to the report, their argument started in the hotel hallway after one contestant allegedly overheard another contestant making disparaging comments about a child with special needs.

“The women were walking past the room that the guys were in … and they said they overheard someone inside saying something particularly insensitive about a young boy,” an insider said. “The woman then started banging on the door and went [after] them.”

The men were said to be cooking dinner with other contestants from the show. When they opened the door, there were allegedly pushing and shoving. One contestant also reportedly spit during the altercation.

Show bosses almost immediately held a meeting in Tasmania, and again in Sydney once the cast and crew had returned. They decided that one of the contestants in question had crossed a line. “That the behaviour was well beyond the limits of what is deemed acceptable.”

The women were dropped from the line-up mid-season, with the show proceeding with seven teams instead of eight. The men in question were allowed to stay on for the duration of filming. According to insiders, the incident was hardly the first time both teams had clashed. They have had several on-air confrontations already.

Susan Wood, Channel Seven’s head of publicity, confirmed that there was an incident and one of the teams was dropped as a result, saying, “Someone crossed a line that shouldn’t be crossed.” She declined to reveal more details.

The producers were forced to advise the show’s commercial partners of the incident because they all-female team’s appearances in the show would remain until their sacking four weeks into the season. It is understood that the advertisers continued to support the show.

The new season of the reality show is set to premiere on Jan. 29.