MasterChef Australia viewers outraged over controversial detail in elimination cook: 'Ignored'

Sunday night's episode of MasterChef Australia featured a nail-biting elimination challenge, presided over by seafood legend Rick Stein. Sue, Nat, Mimi and David found themselves in the bottom four of the first round of the test and then had to battle it out to star in the competition.

After weeks of proudly holding onto the only immunity pin to be granted in the season, Nat finally conceded defeat and traded the shiny gold brooch for the safety of the gantry. While the move seemed like the smartest thing to do given her predicament (her oil wasn't hot enough and her garfish failed to fry properly as a result), several MasterChef viewers felt that the decision was forced.

Taking to a Facebook fan page one person wrote, "It was very clear that the makers wanted Nat to use the pin, coz when the seafood king himself said that he loved Nat's dish...Andy cut him off to set his own narrative and pushed Nat in the corner to use her pin. She shouldn't have been in the 2nd round to start with!!!"

"Also, all of the judges standing in front of her station staring her down didn't ease the stress," someone replied. "I agree, she shouldn't have been in the bottom. I thought Rick's liking it should have had more sway. There were other dishes that should have been in the bottom."

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On X, other viewers were puzzled by the fact that Rick's opinion on Nat's first dish - squid noodles - had not been enough to save her from having to participate in the second round of the seafood challenge.

"So basically Andy and Sofia told Rick Stein to piss off," one person wrote.

"So...Nat is not safe...even though Rick liked her dish... So bogan Andy's opinion counts more... Noted..." wrote another.

"Jamie Oliver's opinion would have trumped the regular panel so why doesn't Rick Stein's?" pondered a third.

"The seafood king is here. But we completely disregard his opinion on the seafood dishes," chimed in another viewer.

"So the judges ignored Rick’s feedback on Nat’s dish….noted," someone else said

In the end, regardless of Rick's opinion, Nat is safe for now and it was David who was sent home after using liquid smoke on his salmon which the judges were underwhelmed by.

Fans suggest MasterChef is 'rigged'

Meanwhile, fans think that Nat is a shoo-in to win the competition, with many having expressed the opinion that her victory has 'been the plan' all along.

"Nat has been a favourite of judges from the start," someone wrote in a fan group. "My opinion only."

"I have thought Nat from day one," added someone else.

"Nat for sure...she even plates beautifully," echoed yet another fan.

A few fans thought that it was "preordained" that she was going to win based on how the season had been edited.

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"I think it’s obvious… she’s had the most air time out of all contestants since day one…" someone theorised.

"That’s been the plan from day one," another rather mysteriously said to which someone replied, "Are you saying it’s rigged because it can’t be".

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