Tag: premiere

I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! 2017 premiere

JMo and Dr Chris are back in the jungle and on our tellies tonight from 7-8.30pm on Ten.
Chat away but remember you may get spoiled if you peek before it starts in your time zone.
THE FIRST FIVE
Here we go – just as many people suspected, it’s Nat Bass, actress, Rogue Traders singer and host of So You Think You Can Dance Australia.


And the man better known as Roseanne Barr’s ex, Tom Arnold. And, just patting myself on the back here – I totally raised him as a possibility back before Christmas.

Here's the proof
Here’s the proof


Nazeem Hussain, who is a hilarious comedian with a strong grasp of social issues and politics, is there for some culturally diversity (filling the Akmal role from last year). Let’s hope Ch 10 airs what should be some very interesting campfire chats with Steve Price, who we already know is going in.

Tegan someone who won a beauty pageant who we’ve never heard of – sorry Tegan. I’m sure you’ve raised tonnes for charity. She says she is a brand ambassador. According to Google this means she spruiks beauty products.

Collingwood footballer Dane Swn (carn the Pies!).

The first five are welcomed by Dr Chris and JMo and Tom Arnold says he’s never seen the show but he was inspired by Russell Crowe and Curtis Stone to do it – hopefully the first of many instances of name dropping. Steve says everyone on The Pane had no idea but Peter Helliar and Carrie Bickmore posted on Instagram their suspicions were confirmed on Thursday when they tried to call him and his mobile was off.
These five celebs will form a team and have to wait to see who their rivals are. They change into their navy and red jungle uniforms, board a plane and do the parachute thing. Tom’s comment: “That was hard on the old nut sack.” Poor Nat Bass is trying not to cry – not that I blame her – but Swanny is giving her locer room pep talks.

THE NEXT FIVE
As we already knew, it’s radio presenter Steve Price who, being in SA, I only know from being the token right winger on The Panel and I usually change the channel when he’s on.


And then the other one we knew: Lisa Curry. Who does not know that crochet is not pronounced cro-sherr.


And next, here’s a surprise: it’s Ash Pollard from MKR two years ago (and then Dancing With the Stars). So this is the outspoken blonde reality star – not Keira from the Bachelor. Steve fails to recognise her even when she says they’ve met, live in the same suburb and have the same manager. Interestingly she is allowed to tell Lisa she was on MKR, despite it being on Channel 7. Ash will be good fun – they promoted her as a villain when MKR started but she actually turned out to be quick witted and a good sport. She might stir Steve just for fun.


Next up it’s OH MY GOD HERE COMES THE WINNER OF THE SHOW. No-one is going to vote a Play School presenter off – especially not Jay Laga’aia. And he has eight kids – what the heck!


And then it’s another non-surprise and what the heck has Casey Donovan done to her hair? I know she has curly hair but she is out-boofing Ash – and Ronald McDonald red.


A helicopter lands and Jay tries to shield the women from the wind and red dust, while Steve ducks round the back. It’s JMo and the Bondi Vet. This team gets to wear khaki and the red pants and they are abseiling out of a helicopter. Lisa mentions she was married to a helicopter pilot and, yes, Google, says Grant Kenny ran a charter business that had 60 birds. Poor Casey has tears trickling down her face as they are in the air (well, she did say earlier she was “up shit creek”). She does it, though.
But abseiling down wasn’t the only challenge – now they have to do slide off a giant rock and do a flying fox thing down to meet the other team. Steve is thrilled by the news.


To his credit, Steve, at 62, goes first and is fairly stoic throughout. Amid much screaming Ash does some dance poses mid-air and Tegan at least recognises her. Casey freaks out again but goes through – “I feel like a Christmas pork!” she yells out to the waiting celebs as she dangles awkwardly above them.

THE CELEBS GET THE “AFRICA WILL KILL YA” TALK AND THEN IT’S CHALLENGE TIME
Snake man freaks them out with a spitting cobra and various other deadly animals.
The Dr Chris tell them the winning team “will get not just the fastest route into camp”. JMo: “I love a fast root” but you don’t really hear it because Ch 10 mutes her for a bit. The winners get comfy pillows and the pick of beds but they have to do the usual “put your hand in creepy crawlies” thing. Each team gets to choose who the other team’s hand putter is and, unsurprisingly, Ash and Nat Bass are picked. The others have to climb into tanks that are filling up with water and catfish. (Hey, that’s a beauty treatment you’d pay for in some countries to remove dead skin!)


Inside the first mystery box is mice and Ash and Nat are screaming so much they’ve guaranteed they will be voted in by the public for every challenge.
The second box contains cockroaches (far easier than mice) and the producers would be thrilled with the facial contortions they are getting out of Ash. Nat sticks her hand in a box of scorpions while snakes and frogs are added to the water tanks.
The key finders have to don gloves for the next box, which seems to be some kind of iguana – so the gloves must be more for its protection than their’s. Baby crocs are then released into the water tank. The next box sees a tonne of screaming but they’ve just pranked the girls with some soft toys that jiggle, while the last box is snakes. Nat Bass gets what appears to be a little nip from a snake.
Nat Bass’s team of skydivers wins.

TIME TO SEE THE CAMP
They’re having trouble lighting the fire and Ash cleverly suggests they use a tampon as a kind of Jiffy firelighter – terrific idea. Casey earlier pointed out the challenge winners all picked beds away from the fire, so they’ll be colder at night. And, surely, if you are worried about animals, being near the fire is a better idea?
TOMORROW NIGHT
There’s a promo saying two more celebs arrive tomorrow. Both have famous exes and one of them is Australia’s hottest male model. Hmmm …maybe Next Top Model mentor Didier Cohen? He dated Kelly Osbourne, I think. Does Millsy count for his fling with Paris Hilton?



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MasterChef premiere chat – Sun, May 1

Hi gice. Let’s boom, boom, shake, shake the room …

I hope to have a premiere recap up later (allowing for SA time difference), but chat away in the meantime. And for those of you drinking tonight, feel free to have a big slug when the phrase “food dream” or the word “journey” are uttered.
HERE WE GO …
So we start with a fast-paced montage of the highlights of the season and it does look jampacked and super glossy. MC’s budget (and ad revenue) must be sooo much bigger than MKR’s – no dodgy home restaurants where people’s carports have been decorated with velvet curtains to hide the Colorbond. Good to see some past contestants return to set challenges down the track, including this little number from our old fave from last year, Reynold the dessert king.

Reynold's dessert creation - looks like spheres and soda siphon microwave sponge are still trendy.
Reynold’s dessert creation – looks like spheres and soda siphon microwave sponge are still trendy.
And then there’s this blue orb thing, which looks super cool.
No idea what this is but I can't wait to see them make it.
No idea what this is but I can’t wait to see them make it.
Wannabe contestants are ushered into the warehouse, along with their loved ones, and the judges are treated like rock stars when they walk in. Matt is wearing a stunning purple tartan suit and a black cravat with a shimmer to it.
First cravat of the season.
First cravat of the season.
Usual spiel about the winner getting $250,000 but, unlike last year, Matt says they don’t have a set number of aprons to give out.
First up to cook is teacher Celia, who got through in 2014 with her audition macarons but had to pull out due to lasting effects of a brain injury she’d sustained in a snowboarding accident. Okay, yes, it’s the usual “I’m doing it for my kids” “you can achieve anything” yadda yadda, but how cute is little Nathan (even if he does have a rat’s tail) encouraging his mum whip up a spectacular plate, and the footage of Celia cooking with her kids at home. We know she’s going through anyway, but that dessert looks awesome.
Yum!
Yum!
“It’s a level up from what you brought us before,” says Gary. Surely it’s time to bring in the kid for a teary hug?
Aww. First one through.
Aww. First one through.
It’s schmaltzy and the “uplifting” music is corny, but I’d rather watch someone with a brain injury cook a killer dessert than fame-hungry people who barely know one end of a spoon from another on MKR.

Next up is the coffee roaster dude with one of those button earrings. We know he gets in because we’ve seen footage of him in the preview, freaking out in a team challenge. Good on him for giving the death dish, risotto, a go – and for wearing a glove when handling the raw meat. Hope he’s not one of those “I don’t do desserts” guys.

Matt the coffee roaster has an intense look about him.
Matt the coffee roaster has an intense look about him. George likes him because they have the same hairdo.
The risotto is a winner but George’s “Will you make us proud?” goes down like a lead balloon. And then he pulls out the signature “big boy”. Can we hurry up and get to the cooking competition?
Next, Anastasia serves up water buffalo from her friend’s farm and it has that “garden on a plate” look George favours.
Remember when we used to want our plates full of food?

Remember when we used to want our plates full of food?
It’s the first time they’ve used water buffalo on the show. Way to guarantee air time – but not coming to a Coles near you soon. The judges love it.
They whip through the next few people.
Charlie the golfer has done a poached pear and it looks simple, but it’s amazing how many times people have served up hard pears on MC. What’s with golfers and cooking shows – first Tarq on MKR and now this dude.
And here we have Michaela, 23, from the promo, who plans to do a croquembouche in an hour. Even if she fails they’ll bring her back next year for a redemption arc. Her profiteroles look pale and her filling is runny. She spends her time in front of the judges spinning sugar, which is always entertaining when you know it’s not you cleaning up after.
Michaela's in a spin.
Michaela’s in a spin.
Gary doesn’t look impressed at her decision to do croquembouche in the one-hour timeframe. Gary likes the spun sugar but that’s about it. “There’s a fine line between bravery and experience,” says Matt, kindly.
More montage and I hope we get to see who made this.
Yum!
Yum!

Aw, the poor lady who spilt cinnamon everywhere.
Aw, the poor lady who spilt cinnamon everywhere.
Some decent-looking macarons which could have won people a finals spot five years ago aren’t enough to win an apron.
Carmen the qualified surveyor from Perth has the familiar story of Asian Aussie going to uni to please parents. She’s been working as a waitress to get her foot in the door of the hospitality industry.
Look at the gloss on that caramel!
Look at the gloss on that caramel!
As she plates up her choc pave with salted caramel and peanut and popcorn ice cream, George makes little monkey noises of excitement and then leans in to sadistically ask: “Are you nervous?”
Gary goes to his happy place.
Gary goes to his happy place.
Of course, she gets through – this ain’t no season one cupcake challenge standard cooking. She almost comes a cropper afterwards when her excited family tries to Clothesline her to the ground with jumping cuddles.
Zoe, 31, is making a Greek yoghurt panna cotta and she’s brought half of Greece with her to cheer her on. What’s the bet Yaya gets a cuddle from George later on?
Yaya rocks a comfy cardy.
Yaya rocks a comfy cardy.
Oops – they’re multiplying!
Can Channel 10 give the yayas their own show?
Can Channel 10 give the yayas their own show?
Zoe’s other Yaya is there, too, and soon it’s not a cooking competition – it’s a competition to boast about what they each taught Zoe and to shower her with compliments. “They look beautiful Zoe – so like you,” says Zoe.
In the judging chamber the panna cottaa has the necessary wobble. Matt thinks it’s one of the best they’ve had. George heads out to fetch the family and Yaya No.1 pounces on him like a long-lost son.
What a good Greek boy that Georgie is.
What a good Greek boy that Georgie is.
Even Gary and Matt get a cuddle. Hope she didn’t break a hip doing the zorba after.
Heather gets through with kingfish sashimi. That’s all we know. Tall Ash gets the nod for his barra and scampi and a couple of other people, including an airline captain.
Miles the ranger from Central Queensland is doing a spicy Laotion pork belly dish – that’s going to be tough in the time. Looks like he’s passed on his passion for cooking to his son, who’s now an apprentice chef. He wants to start a cafe in the former Shell servo in which he lives. “I like bold flavours. I don’t have too many subtle recipes in my entourage (sic),” he tells the judges. Matt notes the pork needed more time, but the flavours were good. He tells them he’s been practising hard and they give him the nod to cook again for the second chance round.
Ranger Miles, I don't think you'll last long, but what a lovely family you have.
Ranger Miles, I don’t think you’ll last long, but what a lovely family you have.
Harry, who made the salmon dish, also gets a second chance, as does Lauren who made a super sweet peanut butter and jelly dessert, and nameless rapping Turkish delight girl. Souffle girl gets another go because Matt likes her balls, but not her souffle.
Nicolette, 19, is doing a lemon dish using fruit from her dead grandad’s tree. Poor grandma has come along to the audition and she looks like she should be home having a rest and a nice cup of tea.
Pretty
Pretty
She’s Greek, so of course they send George over to make her cry. She’s through, and at 19 she’s one of the youngest to ever appear on the show. SA’s Laura (who lost to Brett) was also 19.
Then it’s the siblings and we’ve been led to believe only one will make it through. Why can’t they both make it, if they’re good enough? Would be good to see them go head to head in challenges, although they would have the edge on other contestants in terms of emotional support in the MC house. Little sis is up first with a dessert and she embarrasses her teenage kids by mentioning her pants are falling down as she cooks.
Theresa's pistachio fallen ice cream looks cool.
Theresa’s pistachio fallen ice cream looks cool.
You know she’s in when she gets the spoon percussion on the stainless steel bench from Matt.
But they make us wait to see if big bro got in – first there is pork belly guy and another panna cotta girl, the fish ‘n’ chip girl.
An Adelaide lady is up next.
Hopefully we'll learn your name one day, Indian lady from SA.
Hopefully we’ll learn your name one day, Indian lady from SA.
She’s from an Indian family and she likes to talk as much as she does cooking, especially since her father told her being a chef was a man’s job.
And now we get big bro Jimmy cooking tuna with granita and, George style, he pulls out chopsticks to plate, much like George and his tweezers. He seems a cheery soul and his warmth makes for good TV. They are totally going to make his sister give him an apron.
“That is one of the best dishes I’ve tasted in top 50 ever,” says George.
Stoked.
Stoked.
I’m Team Jimmy – any of you who are Team Theresa are dead to me.
They’ve given out 19 aprons in this episode and Matt says there are five to give away tomorrow to the second chancers – what happened to no limit on the aprons? There are 11 people left, but then the announcer says only four will make it through. Does someone leave? Guess we have to stay tuned.



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House Rules starts tonight

logo house rules
We’ve barely drawn breath from MKR and House Rules is upon us. And then on Sunday it’s MasterChef, The Voice AND House Rules. Tell ’em they’re dreamin’. I’ll be sticking with MasterChef and probably fast forwarding the House Rules room reveal. I’ll fastforward The Voice auditions but last time I stopped watching the battle rounds because they just weren’t that good.
So, if anyone is an avid HR or The Voice fan and would like to do recaps, all contributions welcome! I’ll probably have a squiz at HR tonight to get the lay of the land.
houserulesteams
Here’s a link to find out more about the HR teams https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/#page1
It’s on Seven at 7.30pm.

Some thoughts: * Yes, those cheeky country twins are good TV and I quite like the SA couple (the lanky gardener and his designer wife). The navy couple are the TV villains, it seems.

“Hollywood Deco” usually ends up looking tacky. As does a black and white kitchen.


* Love the views but the exterior of that house is pretty rubbish as well as the interior. Were they going to demolish it but then got accepted for House Rules? Did anyone catch what suburb of Melbourne this is?
* The couple who own the house want their kids to stay home as long as possible. Really?
* So, one token non-Caucasian couple?
* Plumber and blonde girl didn’t want any glass in the family bathroom? You can tell their kids are young.
* Is the design advisor lady a poor man’s Shayna Blaze?

Swear I had that belt in the 80s - she doesn't look very "designy".
Swear I had that belt in the 80s – she doesn’t look very “designy”.

Eek - not much good having a flash house if there's a possum in your roof.
Eek – not much good having a flash house if there’s a possum in your roof.

Do we get a disclaimer at the end that no animals were harmed in the making of the show?
* No 14-year-old girl wants a linen cupboard in her room.
* Double-sided fireplace fits the brief for Hamptons style.
* It’s a bit rough that the rookie team got a room that’s structurally unsound.
* So Rob is the new Lauren who was the new Zana who was the new Jess?

I’ll check back in with this for room reveal on Sunday, but there is a double episode tomorrow (Thurs) if you’re keen.



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Married at First Sight to start

MAFS
Channel 9 has sent out a “save the date” for the second season of Married at First Sight. They’re needing a win with this one after a string of low-rating reality franchises (Farmer, Reno Rumble). It starts Mon week, so that’s April 4.
Shame they’re all young, hetero couples, but that’s Nine for you.

And here’s contestant Clare (not the ex-“wife” of Farmer Lachlan, as I first thought) talking about why she went on the show last time http://tinyurl.com/j5r7rea



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