After an 11-year run, which included hosting one of the most successful shows in the network’s history, Manu Feildel is preparing to exit Channel 7.
In a wide-ranging interview with Zoe Samios in SMH, the celebrity chef has confirmed his television contract with the Seven Network is set to expire at the end of this month, and he has already started talking with rival networks and production companies regarding his future prospects.
“I’m at a time of my life now where I’m at the crossroad. Either TV is going to stop and I’m going to keep on going with my businesses that I’ve had or television is going to change its course. I’m at peace with whatever happens to me.”
Fieldel co-hosted the hugely successful My Kitchen Rules for 11 seasons. At its peak, the reality cooking format was regularly capturing 2 million viewers nationally and helped push Seven into being the number one network.
However, an attempted reboot of the format in 2019 failed dismally as fans tired of the format with ratings declining dramatically.
In a podcast interview with TV Blackbox last month, Seven’s Director of Programming Angus Ross confirmed the network had no current plans to revive MKR.
“We’d like to revisit the format at some point, but at the moment it feels way too soon.
“It’s certainly not anywhere in next year’s schedule.”
Fieldel’s exit from Seven comes after his co-star, Pete Evans agreed to exit the network in 2020 after several controversial incidents. Fieldel went on to appear in reality series Plate of Origin with Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan however the format was not renewed due to low ratings.
Feildel had been slated to appear as a judge on Australia’s Got Talent in 2020, however after production was postponed due to COVID-19, the network took the opportunity to recast the series which will now feature big names including Neil Patrick Harris, Kate Ritchie and Alesha Dixon.
In the SMH interview, Feildel indicates he would like to now start focussing on producing cooking/travel formats:
