For MKR judge Colin Fassnidge, filming this year’s season brought many memorable moments – but one memory stands out more than others.
The well-known two-hat chef has met plenty of celebrities over the years, but only one has made him blush.
“Well, Nigella Lawson has always been a crush of mine,” Colin tells 7Life when asked to name the biggest highlight of making MKR this year.
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Last year, Colin came in towards the end of the season to judge in the finals, while Nigella and Manu Feildel toured around Australia, meeting the contestants at home for their instant restaurants.
That meant that Nigella had already flown back to the UK by the time Colin’s period of filming began, and so they didn’t have a chance to meet.
This year was different, and he remembers the moment being somewhat embarrassing.
“When I met her this year, I was just standing there looking at her, and Frenchie (Manu) stopped the filming because he said I had my mouth open like a schoolboy,” Colin laughs.
“All the crew were like, ‘awww, you’re going red!’”
Colin makes a point of noting that he wasn’t gaping at Nigella simply because of her legendary beauty, although he admits that was part of it.
It had more to do with the fact that he has always been a big fan of what Nigella does – the way she instills passion into home cooking and creates fabulous food, despite not being a classically trained chef.
“They say to never meet your heroes, and she was always a culinary hero of mine,” he says.
“And then to meet the actual person, and for her to be so personable and nice, she totally lived up to every expectation.
“I was like, “Nigella, I follow everything that you do, and you’re not a chef!’”
So, in this case, meeting his hero worked out?
“I have so much respect for Nigella,” he affirms.
“I just love what she does.
“So to meet her and for her to be that nice person, that was just incredible.”
My Kitchen Rules premieres 7.30pm Monday, 4 September on Channel 7 and 7plus
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