‘Not a Single Cent’: Australian Politicians Reject Taxpayer-Funded Security for Meghan Markle’s Junior MasterChef Return
Meghan Markle’s upcoming return to Australian television has sparked a political debate over who should pay for her security. Just a day after confirming her role on the revived Junior MasterChef Australia, the Duchess of Sussex faced a firm response from Victoria’s major political parties, with both Labor and the Liberal-National Coalition ruling out the use of public money to fund her personal protection.
Meghan is expected to travel to Melbourne for filming early next year, with production scheduled to take place over several weeks. As the debate intensifies, political leaders have made it clear that the cost of her security should not fall on Victorian taxpayers.
Both Major Parties Reject Public Funding
According to Melbourne’s Herald Sun, the Victorian Labor government has dismissed the prospect of paying for the Duchess’s private security arrangements if it is re-elected.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has taken an equally firm position, promising that a Liberal-National government under her leadership would not provide taxpayer funding either.
“Not a single cent of Victorian taxpayer money should be spent on this. And under a Liberal and Nationals government I lead, it wouldn’t be,” Wilson said.
With both sides of the political divide taking the same stance, responsibility for Meghan’s personal protection during filming is expected to rest with the Duchess herself or the production network, rather than the state government.
Meghan Returns to Television With Junior MasterChef Australia
The security dispute follows the announcement by Paramount Australia that Meghan, 45, will co-host the revived cooking competition on Network 10 alongside chef and television personality Poh Ling Yeow.
The Duchess previously appeared as a guest judge on Season 18 of MasterChef Australia. During that episode, contestants were challenged to prepare a meal “fit for a duchess”. The appearance attracted the franchise’s strongest Sunday audience figures since 2023, making Meghan an appealing addition to the upcoming spin-off.
Meghan has also expressed enthusiasm about returning to the programme and working with its younger contestants.
“I had an incredible time with the whole team at MasterChef this past April, so when they approached me to come back and work with this young group of talent, it was an easy yes,” she said.
She added that she enjoys cooking with her own children and is looking forward to seeing what the young competitors create in the kitchen.
“I can’t wait to see what they cook up,” she said.
Network Backs the New Presenting Partnership
Paramount has welcomed the pairing of Meghan and Poh, highlighting the combination of the chef’s culinary experience and the Duchess’s enthusiasm for cooking and encouraging young talent.
“With Poh’s culinary expertise and Meghan’s enthusiasm for cooking and nurturing young talent, Junior MasterChef Australia promises to serve up plenty of inspiration,” the network said.
The series is expected to air across Australia in 2027, following production in Melbourne in early 2027.
What We Know About Meghan’s Junior MasterChef Return
- Role: Co-host of Junior MasterChef Australia alongside Poh Ling Yeow.
- Network: Network 10, under Paramount Australia.
- Filming location: Melbourne, with production expected to begin in early 2027.
- Broadcast: Expected to air across Australia in 2027.
- Security funding: Victoria’s Labor government and Liberal-National opposition have both rejected taxpayer-funded personal protection.
- Previous appearance: Meghan’s guest-judge appearance on MasterChef Australia in April 2026 coincided with the franchise’s strongest Sunday ratings since 2023.
While Meghan’s return promises another high-profile television appearance, the question of security funding has already become a point of political contention in Victoria. Both major parties have made their position clear: public money will not be used to cover the Duchess’s private security costs.
