Australia’s leading restaurant critic says it’s time for My Kitchen Rules to be AXED as the cooking show delivers its worst ever ratings
Rumours are swirling that Channel Seven will soon cancel My Kitchen Rules: The Rivals because of its dismal ratings.
And on Friday, leading restaurant critic John Lethlean agreed that the cooking program should be taken off the air, after ratings plunged to an all-time low of 422,000 (five city metro) on Wednesday.
Mr Lethlean shared a screenshot to Instagram of the midweek TV ratings alongside the caption: ‘#17 with a bullet. Please tell me this is the start of the end for ridiculous reality shows with “celebrity chefs”.’
Not going to plan! On Friday, renowned Australian restaurant critic John Lethlean agreed with speculation that the My Kitchen Rules: The Rivals should be taken off-air, after ratings hit an all-time low of 422,000 metro viewers on Wednesday. Pictured: MKR judge Manu Feildel
In the rankings – published by TV Blackbox – MKR sat at number 17 below Nine’s Millionaire Hot Seat (469,000), The Chase Australia (500,000) and Doctor Doctor (559,000).
As usual, Married At First Sight soared in at number one with 1.17 million, with Seven News coming in second with 963,000.
As MAFS did not air on Thursday night, MKR did receive much better ratings the following day – ranking at number eight, with 517,000 viewers.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for further comment.
Mr Lethlean is a food writer and restaurant critic for The Australian, where he writes an influential column in The Weekend Australian magazine, and has been considered an authority in the industry for more than 20 years.
Less than impressed: Alongside a picture of the week’s rankings, John said: ‘#17 with a bullet. Please tell me this is the start of the end for ridiculous reality shows with “celebrity chefs”’
No hope: Meanwhile, the show’s other host Colin Fassnidge (pictured) recently blasted his own network for the cooking show’s failings
It’s not John’s first time showing dislike towards MKR judge Manu Feildel, as back in 2014 he left a scathing review about his now-closed Melbourne restaurant, Le Grand Cirque.
‘I was angry, angry, angry after I read [Lethlean’s] review,’ Manu told News Corp in 2018.
‘And then, when my business partner turned around and said we have to close the restaurant, I was gobsmacked,’ he added.
Published in The Weekend Australian, the scathing review gave the eatery just one star out of five.
Lethlean called the South Yarra restaurant ‘très ordinaire’, evidently in a snarky nod to Manu’s French heritage.
!['Stupid decisions were made to go up against the tennis and [MAFS]': Colin said the show could have benefited from an earlier start or different air period](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/02/11/04/24586228-7989697-image-a-73_1581394247848.jpg)
‘Stupid decisions were made to go up against the tennis and [MAFS]’: Colin said the show could have benefited from an earlier start or different air period
Meanwhile, the show’s other judge Colin Fassnidge recently blasted his own network for the cooking show’s failings.
The fiery Irish chef told 2GB’s Chris Smith during a heated interview on Tuesday: ‘Not everyone’s watching it at the moment cause we’ve got some people in Channel 7 who don’t know how to program a show!’
The once-unbeatable cooking series has consistently failed to deliver with its new format.
‘A lot of work went into this and then some stupid decisions were made to go up against the (Australian Open men’s final) tennis and [MAFS], we should have started a week early,’ Colin said.
Seemingly frustrated, he added: ‘But what do I know? I’m only a cook!’
‘Not everyone’s watching it at the moment cause we’ve got some people in Channel 7 who don’t know how to program a show!’ said Colin Fassnidge about the show’s poor performance. Pictured: with Pete Evans (left) and Manu Feildel (right)