BILLIE AND SARAH UNPACK MASTERCHEF 2022!

It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload the podcast last week. They might welcome back to TV Reload. My name's Benjamin Norris and on this podcast I go behind the scenes with the biggest players in television. Each episode you will get a front row seat with content makers like executive producers, writers, editors and casting agents, plus the talent that we see on our screens.

I was like, I'm not coming back.

Master Sheff has produced some of the biggest names in food.

Winning at the first time. I was pretty young.

The first time ever, it's funds versus favorites.

We just need to lift each other up and be supportive.

And you've impressed us week after week, not only with the caliber of your cooking, but with your incredible fighting spirit. FINALI is always going to be really intense.

Show in Australia.

I'm glad I can say now that all of that pain and waiting was worth it.

Hi, Sarah, how are you?

I'm good. I feel really good. I think you know.

Master Shepher's finished now and I'm excited for just like getting out there in the big wide world.

Again, it's a bit of a bubble, this reality TV stuff.

Absolutely, congratulations on coming second. I mean, this is a very good badge of honor. You might not have taken out the top prize, but to make it through this competition with such amazing talent, Like it's been the toughest season in terms of talent I think we've ever seen on the show.

Oh totally, even the fans. I'm just blown away with the types of dishes that they're cooking. And there were so many weeks where I was like, Yep, I'm getting eliminated this week.

Okay, I'm getting eliminated this week.

Can It just never happened, And I kept getting closer and closer, and to be in the finale felt incredible. I felt for the first time, I felt kind of at ease walking into the kitchen, so I kind of, you know, I didn't feel bad if I lost.

I was like, Okay, I've made it. This is a huge achievement.

And I felt just really excited to cook and I think I think it kind of showed through in my dishes.

I was really proud of what I put up, and.

I think that's the that's the best way to leave the competition just feeling proud of how I cooked and what I put up.

I think that the food that you cook on the show is like three D television. It's so visceral that when you're seeing home and you're watching your food, you can taste it or you just want to go and eat it, you know what I mean. And it's an amazing thing to be sitting at home just being like suitantalized by something that you can't smell and you can't taste.

I know, it's strange, isn't it.

Whether they going to invent like smell a vision or you know somewhere you can taste it almost through the TV. I guess you don't need it, because yeah, I mean, Master Chef does a very good job at.

That the closest it you're going to come to it. I don't think I want smellvision because there's way too many other categories that that's not going to work in our favor, my friend.

True, true, true.

Do you think that the right two people manage to make it to the finale? I mean, do you think that you and Billy were the right two people at the end?

Yeah, I mean I think Billy is amazing.

I think she's really talented and she is great at the competition.

I think she did a great job to get there.

I think there's other people that I would have loved to be closer to the end as well. Like I think Mindy is an incredible cook and she's really really talented. I would have liked to see her closer to the end. But yeah, I mean I think that, you know, you get to that point in your career where I feel like I'm really comfortable in my style and what I've achieved and I'm happy that I got to the end, and yeah, and I think I've worked really hard to get there, and I feel glad that I was.

In the finale.

How amazing is Mindy? Like I did this podcast with her and afterwards I was like looking at flights to fly to Byron, and I'm I needed to go on a cooking spiritual journey with that woman. And I what an amazing person to go to be alongside in a competition like this.

Well that's the thing.

I don't think I could have gotten to the end without having those friendships.

And I get this. They blew her Mindy and Aldo flew in yesterday just to be with me to watch the finale. I was telling my mom.

My mom staid bawling her eyes out, Like you you realize how lucky you are when you have when you gain friendships like that, and they're just so damn supportive, like when you meet such genuine, honest, like caring people, Like I think just winning mastership is nothing when I'm walking away with such incredible friendship since it's.

Huge, especially with those two. I mean, who does that. Who gets on a plane to go and sit next to someone and hold their hand. I mean it's you feel like that's what you'd love to do for your friends, but to actually do.

It, yes, I know, like, oh, it's amazing. Honestly, I am pretty needy though.

So no, I think high maintenance, and I think we ought to be. Billy seemed to be the one to beat from the start of the competition. I think with so much attention on Julie, people may have underestimated other contestants, maybe like Billy and yourself. What do you think?

I think?

So, I think throughout the competition there was you know, people that kept like really showing these incredible styles and it's just the hard thing about Masters, you have one bad cook and that could be sending you home. And we saw that with Sashy and with Mindy and you know a few other contestants in the show, and it's unfortunate, but it's a it's a cooking competition at the end of the day.

And so I think that probably, you know, Billy and.

I had these tools to kind of like where like that gets really tough, you can pull it, pull it out, and get through and the pressure doesn't get to either of us too much. So I think that really helps in a competition like mastershaf for sure.

What made you want to come back to the show? I mean, did you have a personal checklist?

No, I was like, I'm not coming back, to be honest, And you know, I had the chat with the producers and I was nervous, Like I think coming back into the show, you.

You obviously feel like you have something that you.

Have to prove, even though that's not necessarily the case, you do feel like there's something that you need, some sort of expectation you need to live up to. So I was definitely nervous about that, but I don't know, I felt like it was kind of the stars aligning.

And as soon as I.

Kind of fell into this kind of direction, all of my dishes just seemed to fall into place. And I think it was just kind of like this switch in my brain that I was like, this is my style of cooking, Like, this is what I do and it's not like cicating dishes that I've learned from people through my travels or anything like that. So yeah, I felt like that was a big realization that I feel like I didn't expect I was going to get throughout the competition.

Well. I think competition based reality shows can be quite a lot to put into your life. I like to say to people, you know, when you decide to do a show like this, you might not win. I mean for km second, which is pretty good, but the show will give you something. It'll shake up your life in a little bit of a way if you can ride that in the right way and you don't sort of try and make it into something that it's not. I

Yeah, totally.

And that's the thing I think that just realizing that when you go into reality TV. You have to kind of just go along with the process and you do find out what you're meant to along the way, and it can be yes, so many different things.

I think it does. It is a pretty incredible experience, and you do feel.

Like once you've been on one of these kind of shows, you've become like this little you know, group of people that you've all been through the same thing, and it's kind of, yeah, changed you in a certain way for sure, which a lot of people get something. Yeah, it definitely binds you together and you, yeah, you definitely get something out of It's kind of like a little bit of a psychology session in a certain mind.

Anyone that hasn't done reality TV that's listening to this is like, oh my god, these people have read way too much into this, but it's true.

It is like you just when do you sit down, you know, in these confessional rooms and like analyze your thought process, Like we don't do that in normal life, so never maybe that's why I'm an overthinker. It started by my first season.

I don't know, Like I think sometimes it can be a little bit like therapy, you know, because yeah, you're holding a mirror and then you're having these self referential moments where you get to sort of unpack things, and you're right, we don't do that in our real world.

Yeah, it's very true, and it does.

Yeah, it's just like, yeah, thinking through your thought process and kind of Yeah, I think it's a good thing, definitely.

I was chatting with Billy and I asked her, what advice do you guys have for contestants, you know, coming off the show, what does it take to survive in the real world, you know, like in real food world.

I think the biggest thing is and I've had a lot of conversations with the fans because yeah, they're just looking for that inspiration. But I think the biggest thing is to realize that no one's going to hand you a career on a silver platter after coming out of a reality show. You have to find your you know what you want to do, and you have to go for it. And the thing is, these reality shows give you a huge kickstart and a huge platform to launch off, but ultimately you have to do the work.

Nobody's going to do that for you.

And yeah, that's something that helped me when I kind of got out of Master Chef.

The first time, I.

Said to people, come off all reality shows, and I use Master Chef as the sort of the Is it a euphemism, I'm not too sure, but I always say, you know, being on a reality show, it's like being given a chef's hat. But there's no point in being given the chef's hat, you know, if you haven't opened the restaurant exactly.

And that's the thing. You need, the credibility behind you.

I think, you know, there's a lot of these contestants like I want to be a like a television personality, but I was like, but you need to. You need to have the substance there before you can can do that. You need to It can be anything. You could be a food writer, you could be you know, have a restaurant, or it could be I don't know, it could be some sort of product. But there needs to be some sort of heart and soul to what you do before

I don't know how you haven't become like a brand ambassador for everything in the beauty industry. I don't, like, you know, to the face of Ola, you could knock what is cape she's got?

Like, keep it coming, keep it coming.

You need it today, you need it today.

I need it for the next week. I need it for the next week, and then then I'll be all right.

But I guess, you know, with Mindy and that sort of personality, I mean, she and Aldo, they both are the sort of people that love to pick you up as well, so I think, you know, you can lean back into them as well. Yeah, how did it feel to be a part of this finale with two women? Was that important? Did that feel like something for you? I mean, I don't know if it is.

Yeah, I think it was.

It was kind of an interesting season because the women were actually quite you know, there's quite more, quite a lot more women for the majority of you know, towards the end of the season. And yeah, I mean it's

I think it's a really great thing to see.

And yeah, it's exciting that that can happen and it can feel pretty normal now, which is amazing.

I don't know why, but it kind of looked like at some point I was like, they kind of look like sisters in a way.

I mean, you do look, I know, it's we're very similar in our like body shape and hair and everything we are. It's quite Yeah, it's pretty funny. I feel even a little bit in our personality in ways as well, like a little.

Bit, I don't know.

There was a moment as well where there was a few like looks towards each other, which was a sort of genuine admiration at a time of competitiveness, and that was quite beautiful to watch for audiences to see that we can be competitive, but we can be supportive as well.

And I think that yeah, totally, and I think we all need to be like that in life, and I think we get you know, we start to feel you know, people start to feel insecure and kind of you know, there can be a bit of that putting down to other people. But I just think that if we're all lifting each other up, I mean, there's plenty of space in the world for work and for friendships that we just need to lift each other up and be supportive

Yeah, especially for younger audiences to be able to watch that on the TV as well. It's good to be able to have, you know, good role models. I think, you know, yeah, totally, we're getting intowards dangerous territory of being very wanky here, but you know, I still think it is very I still think it is very important.

I think that you know, obviously we all have had our experience. We knew that kind of coming into the competition this time around, that we've we're up against other favorites that have been working in the industry, so there's gone to be challenges where people.

Have an advantage over others.

And yeah, and I'm sure it's kind of gone the other way and different challenges throughout as well. And ultimately it's a cooking competition and you know, pastry or savory, whatever it is there, you need to be ready for it, because we need to be ready for everything in Master Chef. So yeah, I think that obviously she would have a lot more skills in that area, but that's it's a competition, so you know, it's I didn't go in thinking, you know,

Well after two seasons of working on the show, and I mean the show has evolved over time, you know, what do you think that they could do, Like, what do you think Channel ten and and of mole could do to try and spice up the show next time around?

I think that.

No, I mean it sounds like a stupid thing to say, because that means it sounds like we're trying to make it spicy where I know.

I was like, well, we could go to India.

I would love that. Do you know that it's so strange. I was saying this to Sashi. You know, when I was growing up, on Friday nights, we would always have takeaway. It's quite an Australian you know thing to do a Friday night takeaway night, and Mum would always say what do you want and all that. You know, all of our friends would be like they would want McDonald's and Hungry Jack's. My brother and I were like, we want Indian food, like amazing, that's all we wanted, you know.

Yeah, I mean it's just so damn tasty, Like I think that. Yeah, once you get a taste for it and you've got some good you know, Indian takeaway, it's very addictive. So we had a huge curry night last night. I made all of these different North Indian curries and it was, Yeah, it was a fun night, everyone eating with their hands and enjoying it and having.

Champagne darving and I'm jealous and I have Pomo I have.

You should have been there. You should have been.

There with.

Be.

I just turned up and you guys like, why is this guy that we've been doing this podcast? Why the hell is he here? You know us? Something I've been asking actually, no good A good question to ask you, I think before you go is sort of you know, what do you want to do now? What is this second experience of mastership conjured up for you? Like? Where are you going to take this?

So?

I mean I've been going back and forth from India for you know, the last eight years, and I'm getting to that point where I've realized that I do need to figure out something it's a bit more stable and not always on a plane every second week. And so over the last kind of eighteen months, I've been working on my own brand from scratch with my brother actually, and it's called I think you'll probably probably like this one. It's called Hot Toddy and it's a range of chili sauces.

Well, you know me very well because I ran into a friend of mine by mistake, just getting something from the shops yesterday, and when I saw her, she was like, do you want to catch up over the weekend? And I was like, do you know what we should do? Because it's really cold in Melbourne. I was like, I'm going to come around and we're going to, like in the middle of the day, we're going to have a hot Toddy.

She was like, yes, oh my god, Yes, it's so good.

In my mind, I love it.

I love it.

It's like they're just just such a good drink, such a good thrik.

When it's cold and it's miserable and you feel sad and just go and hang out with your friend and have a hot toddy. There's nothing better. I know. Something that I ask everybody that joins the podcast is a kind of a the scenes question. But what's something from behind the scenes, something that we didn't see that we won't see from your time on Mastership? Yeah, kind of like a tasty behind the scenes secret.

Hm, that's interesting.

Every nearly everyone has talked about the dancing and the singing and the cooking and the friendship, but stuff it is like, you know, I don't know for you, what are the what's the communication like between you and the producers after the show's done and you're waiting to find out the result. I mean, did they call you the morning of or did you watch it live with everything?

No, they called me the morning of, and yeah, I think that kind of three weeks of time between filming the finale and finding out. It's definitely something that is Yeah, it puts a lot of pressure on I'm sure Billy and myself. And yeah, it was like I was busy for a lot of it, but then that last week I played through my head winning and losing probably a one hundred times.

So it's like it's a very strange feeling.

But you know what, yeah, and yeah, I think that it's just leaning on, like we said that, support and having good people around you because you know, ultimately we're not we're not saving lives, we're cooking food and where you know, it's such a great opportunity, and yeah, feel just lucky that I went through it and to have, yeah, walked away getting to the finale, having amazing people around me, So it's all worth it. And yeah, it's a crazy it's a crazy thing. Like we kept saying to each other,

You need a little bit more time, a little bit more time. When people return on reality shows too quickly, You're always like, how are these people doing this? Oh? Yeah, yesterday I was talking to Reggie, who won Big Brother for the second time last night for Big Brother, and she was celebrating it because she thought she was the only person to win Big Brother twice in the world and I was like, no, apparently there's these people that have won it twice, but they do Big Brother that

It is, well, I mean it's crazy, but like we just did it twice for six months each time, Like that's a year of that's a year of our life as well.

Like it's so full. And how long was it when you were in your show?

How long did you film? Four months?

It was yeah, yeah, it's full on, right.

It is full on, But like, you know, it was such a bonding experience with the people that I did get along with on that show. Like, funnily enough, I'm talking to in a hotel room that I'm sharing with Leila Sabritski, who came second on my serious of Big Brother. Oh you know, and I was on the show ten years ago, Like it's lovely that we we're still mates. We're like booking accommodation and she was like, I would be offended if you didn't stay with we didn't stay in the same hotel room, you know.

So yeah, no, it is like even last night, Sam from my season six came as well, and yeah, like when I so after master Chef, I separated from my partner and Phoenix and I moved in with her and then I lived with her until we got back up on our feet and then like last night, like she's there with you know, mintin Eldo and it's just like it's just insane that you know, lifelong friends and yeah, it's it's amazing.

It's a huge thing for sure.

Well it's like family and you feel like family because Mastership does go on for you know. By the time, Sarah, there has been an absolute joy chatting to you, like it really has. And I wish you all the best coming out of the competition. And you know, I think like a lot of Australia you know, will be in your I'll be in your audience.

Thank you and I'm sure we'll be, you know, booking our trip to Byron and to stay with Mindy very soon.

I want to do something spiritual with her, which is not usually on brand for me, but she was talking about putting her feet in the sand and getting the pippies and you know, yeah.

She's amazing. She just yeah, she'll she'll make sure that we're all feeling.

Very relaxed, good for the soul. Anyway, I'll let you go enjoy chatting to the media today and good luck.

Thank you so much. Such an pleasure.

That was a really fun chat with Sarah. But now we have the winner of Mastership Australia fans versus favorites joining us. I think you're really gonna love this chat. So let's bring Billy into the podcast. Hi, Billy, how are you.

I'm really good. I'm yeah, feeling in a bit of shock, but feeling pretty good.

Well. Congratulations on winning Master Chef Australia. I mean, this is just so amazing and you've absolutely smashed the competition.

Thank you so much. It was really really hard, I think, but I had such a great time and learned a lot along the way as well. And to take out the title again, I'm just gobsmacked relieved as well.

Though you can think that the right two people had made it to the finale.

I think there were a lot of worthy candidates, and I think Master Chef is definitely you know, you're only as good as your last challenge. I think there's a certain aspect of luck. I think that gets you through some of the days. You know, if you pick out the right colored apron from the bag, or end up in a certain team or whatever it is. Sarah and I I think we got a bit lucky. We worked really hard, ended up in that final too well.

Everyone talked about it all season on the podcast. I was overwhelmed by it. I just couldn't believe how calm you would be. But I wanted to know where did you learn your ability on how to stay so calm and so focused in these pressure tests. I don't know.

I don't know where I learned it, but I certainly found that pressure tests were where I thrived, because, yeah, something about working under that pressure that I really really love. I guess. Yeah, telling myself constantly to stay calm probably helped a bit. But yeah, I wasn't really aware that I came across that calm until people started pointing it out, because I really felt like on the inside I was not so calm.

Well, I have to come clean on something. Talking to one of the other contestants, I said, I remember reading the book about Hannibal Lecter, and the author described Hannibal Lecter as his heartbeat would never go above a certain level. He was always calm when he ate people. And then I was like, I do I feel like Billy's the Hannibal Lecter of the kitchen. No matter what happened, you seem to just have this really, you know, the heartbeat never went above you just calmly put it all together.

Yeah, look, it's a strong reference, but I don't mind it. I don't mind it as long as you say of the master Chef, well, just you know, not how of a lector.

I didn't eat anyone, but you certainly serve some food for people to eat. So look, we'll try and leave it there.

Yeah, that's for sure.

You know, you've had a real journey since your first time on the show away from food. What has life taught you in between these two amazing wins?

Quite a lot, I think winning At the first time, I was pretty young, and you know, had the opportunity to go and work over at the Fat Duck for Heston for a little while, so it felt like I packed a few things in between seasons of going on Master Chef. I had a daughter as well, I got married. Yeah, so there was a lot going on, But the timing was sort of perfect when it came around for the second time, and yeah, the feeling was to go back and do it again.

What made you want to step out of the Fat Duck and maybe look into other things in your life away from food.

I felt like I'd given the Fat Duck a bit of a go. It wasn't wasn't exactly for me, while I really enjoyed it and I learnt so much there. It's a different, different type of cooking to what I'm used to. So yeah, got that experience sort of out of the way and did it traveling, and yeah, I just I just sort of went away from cooking for

Well, I mean I wondered whether or not cooking at the Fat Duck would just feel like a pressure test every time you cook someone a meal.

Totally. Look, there was the pastry kitchen was up, and every time I'd walk past, I'd see a chef blowing sugar balls, just you know, one at a time, one after the other, with no troubles whatsoever. So yeah, there was a lot of triggering moments at the Fat Duck.

Well interesting, you know, with that experience, what advice do you have for contestants coming off the show? What do you think it takes to survive in the real food world.

I think it takes a lot of grit and determination. Definitely. My advice would be to do what you want to do, not what you think you should be doing post mastershif because you can. Then I certainly did go into a bit of a spiral of what I thought I should be doing last time and not actually giving it any thought of what I wanted to do. So I've given that a bit a lot more thought this time, actually, And yeah, it just makes for a better experience post mastership, which can be pretty crazy.

It's like a real head versus heart thing. You know, you've got to keep the balance, and I think you've been able to do that, and that's sort of come across in the storytelling of where you've been and where you are now.

Yeah, totally work out that balance. It's very important.

I want to know about this finale. So you're in a finale, you're in it with Sarah. Was there a competitive energy between the two of you? What was it like for you inside the kitchen?

Look. I think by the time we got to finale, the competition had really really started heating up. The challenges seemed like they were getting harder and harder as each day went by. And finding myself at top two with Sarah, who is a force in that kitchen. She does this for a living, she has restaurants in India, and I just felt pretty small next to her. So, yeah, I had to really rev up a bit, I think, and have a bit of faith in myself and yeah, just do my best and try.

And get there was the Cuman Panicotta with Roseman and Rhubarb not setting. Was that the closest that you thought to maybe I'm not going to win this.

Yeah, definitely, I think I wasn't really aware of how I'm set it was when I when I took it out of the fridge, I looked at it and I thought it was set, But there was a layer I think, right underneath where it was it was still liquid. So yeah, when Jock started sort of poking around at dessert with his spoon, I thought, oh, no, I've just ruined any chance of taking this title out with an unset Paniconna the Crime in the Master's Chef.

Kitchen Crime for our Hannibal Elector of the Kitchen. Absolutely it did create, though, this ultimate TV moment for a finale. I mean, watching it myself, I was like, God, this is just so intense and more intense than any other episodes. Do you think that these moments get more TV magic put into them in the finale to create some more tension or is that exactly how it played out.

No, I think that's just how it That's just how it is. I think the finale is always going to be really intense because you know, you know that winning is on the line all the way through the competition, but until you're there at top two, that's when you're well. For me anyway, that's when I thought to myself, Oh, this, you know, I could I could actually win this here, and I hadn't really thought that all the way through. So yeah, that was that was a nice realization.

I kind of felt like you had this. I don't know whether it was a psychic vibe that I had, but I just watched you throughout the whole competition, and whilst I loved Julie and Sashi, there was just so many amazing people in this competition. I did sort of had this feeling like this knowing that maybe you thought this was possible, maybe you thought that you could take the competition out.

Yeah, well, I guess I have to have that feeling, you know, in order to have won it. I definitely knew I was capable of it, but I knew it was going to be harder than it was last time, considering the you know, returning contestants and the competition that they brought. So yeah, I knew it wasn't going to be an easy feat but I just tried to take it one day at a time and not think about that. But it was there in the back of my head and I really really wanted to get there.

Yeah, it kind of felt like you might have manifested this or something. It was just I don't know, there was a bit of a knowing thing for me from just a viewers' perspective, from.

My pinca, well, I like that's that may have worked for me.

Do you think that it was almost an impossible mission, though, for these fans to beat any of these favorites, because you know, it seemed on paper like it might be a little bit unfair, a little bit unbalanced. You know, was there any chance that they that these fans had any chance of beating someone like you?

I felt so intimidated going back into the competition up against the returning contestants, So I can't imagine how the fans would have felt. But they really really showed up. They put in a lot of work. Dan especially, he studied and practiced in every spare moment that he had and I think seeing his growth throughout the season because he studied the whole time. And yeah, they improved, They

Effort in Dan did such a great job, and he was such a crowd favorite, you know, for everyone watching the show. I wanted to know though, like in his situation, did he teach you anything about cooking?

Yeah?

Definitely. I think we all have such different styles. And Dan had sort of came in to the competition with, you know, a few different dishes under his belt. But as I said earlier, he practiced so much and he'd often, you know, asked me to come and taste something or ask for advice on something, and more often than not, I'd be tasting something that I hadn't even cooked before, and I'd be saying, how did you do that? Like what do you call this? So I learned a lot

I think that's the beautiful currency of this show, though, is that you can see that people's minds are open to being able to learn things from each other. There seems to be a real community amongst food that even the audience can feel, even though we're not necessarily seeing it, Like we're not seeing you guys back in your rooms cooking together or seeing that conversation flow, but you can really feel that community spirit amongst this show, it's quite palpable.

I yeah, have to agree. We just bonded really quickly this season. I feel like because we were sort of in a bit of a mentoring role to the fans, it just made for such quick friendships. But yeah, a lot of learning as well, so it was pretty special. I have to say I made some very very good friends over the last six months, and yeah, learned a whole lot about food as well.

Well.

I was reading online yesterday and someone was saying, Oh, look, if they did fans versus favorites again or something like this, maybe they'd be pelling people up and having some more mentorship from the people that have succeeded and have done so well that have returned to kitchen. Like, is there a way of more of a mentorship to the new people and less of a competition.

That could definitely work, after all, I guess the returning contestants, we've done it before and we know what it's like. I guess that is one of the bigger advantages, is just knowing what that pressure feels like and how to handle it in the kitchen. So we definitely had that sort of advantage going in, and yeah, to be able to sort of guide new contestants through that, I reckon would be pretty helpful.

How long have you had to wait to find out that you've actually won this thing? Like, have you been sitting around for a really long time feeling like you've been left on the shelf?

Not too long. It was only a matter of weeks. It was a bit longer the last time round in season seven, but yeah, this time it wasn't too long, which was nice. I wasn't sort of at the stage of pulling my hair out or anything like that, so it was okay.

If it was me. I'm just envisioning myself each with the wind in my head, try to keep it together.

I think I just tried not to think about it too much, and towards the end that was hard because you know, it was really heating up on TV and it's hard to escape it, really, But I'm glad I can say now that all of that pain and waiting was worth it.

I'm just always trying to picture everyone watching the show, Like for me, i'd be having a veno and the first half of watching the show, I'd be halfway through the glass, and I think by the time it was over, I'd be well and truly into the bottle.

Yeah, well, the show actually it had started while we were still filming, so a few of us left at that stage, and Alvin and I would have viewing parties together. Someone would bring the wine and someone would bring the cheese, and it was, yeah, lots and lots of fun. But yeah, the episodes that I have watched lately definitely had a glass or two of wine go with them.

That's my dream to watch TV with Alvin, Like I love him. I think he's just lovely, the.

Best he I don't think I've ever laughed so much at anyone in my life. He is one of the funniest people and the most kind hearted person. And yeah, it's just unbelievable. But you know, I remember watching Alvin on his season and making drunk with my mom and my sister, and then, you know, fast forward to twenty twenty two and I'm drinking wine on a lounge with him, watching us both on Master. Yet.

Well, let's manifest this you and Alvin on Celebrity goggle Box. That is a dream for me. I don't know if it's a dream for you, but I would I would love to be a fly on the wall watching you guys watch television.

Oh my god, I'm on board for that. That sounds wonderful.

Well, what can we see from you next? I mean, what has this competition done to you? Is is there a way in your mind that this show has allowed you to sort of grow and improve them? What do you want to do with it?

Yeah?

Absolutely, I've got my spark back for cooking. I feel like I'm more capable now of doing what I've always wanted to do, that's to open a little restaurant. So that's on the cards, probably after having a little bit of a break and they relax, maybe a little holiday or something.

I just love that what they give you when you win. And so you've now won two giant plates, and so you know, it's like you've got to get four of them now, so you can have people over for dinner and you can serve the food on these winning trophy plates. I think it's in your future.

Probably not the best.

Option, maybe not. Maybe that's a bit of a bit outlandish.

I like the idea of the plate. Maybe maybe like a cheese sport or something.

Really shock, we've got two of them, you know, Billy. Everyone who's joined the podcast throughout the series. I've been able to ask them this question, what is something from behind the scene, something that we didn't see that we won't see, something of a behind the scene secret in your time or mastership?

Oh wow, I bet you there's a lot. Have you heard about kmar dancing.

You've heard a lot about the dancing of Pema. I love joy. I think good shimmy and everyone's life is important.

Yes, look, I think one of my favorites. Well, it was a constant moment of master Chef in our downtime when we'd sort of sit in the green room, you'd look out the window and came mart. We'd be out there with the earphones in, just dancing, and it was just the most enjoyous thing to watch. And I really miss that now. I look up my window at home and I half expect to see her dancing that she's not there. But yeah, she's amazing. She's such a beautiful person.

We'll organize the screens. Who you compute it a little Latin Spanish shimmy which just comes on every now and again to keep him.

Motivated and absolutely just put a smile on my face every time.

Billy. It was so lovely to be able to have this chat with you. I think you just did such a fantastic job. I think Australia felt like the rightness and has won this. No offense to Sarah, but yeah, congratulations and you know I think Australia will be in your audience for life.

Oh well, thank you so much. It's been love way to chat to you, and thanks for their support.