There is already a lot of controversy around Meghan Markle’s impending guest appearance on MasterChef Australia, the competitive cooking reality television show.
Fox Digital was informed by a royal analyst that the backlash surrounding her casting might ultimately work to her advantage.
After taping the episode during her trip to Australia with Prince Harry earlier this year, the Duchess of Sussex will serve as a guest judge on Sunday’s show.
Fans’ reactions to the announcement were divided prior to its release; some applauded it, while others questioned why she was selected despite not being a professional chef. Some even called for a boycott.
According to Richard Fitzwilliams, “Every time Meghan’s name gets in the papers, even if it is negative, it builds up the power of her brand.”
“It also helps to hype the show before it starts,” he continued, adding, “She was chosen as a guest judge to boost the ratings of the show.”
Another analyst countered that Meghan Markle still has trouble persuading viewers of her legitimacy in the food and lifestyle industries. Helena Chard remarked, “I don’t believe she’s a qualified chef. But then, they’ve had Steve Irwin as a guest judge before and he wasn’t a chef either. So it’s not really about culinary credentials.”
This follows the debut of Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, and her Netflix lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan.
This video is relevant because it features official news coverage of Meghan Markle’s guest appearance on MasterChef Australia, detailing her role alongside the show’s judges.