A Smorgasbord Of ‘Masterchef’ Fans Reckon Diana’s Win Was An Inside Job

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Published

July 25, 2017

Yesterday’s MasterChef finale showed we need a moratorium on foods that looks like other food. Forcing contestants to make fiddly sugar-shelled desserts resembling a fucking 17th Century still-life, within the intensely stressful confines of a reality TV show, is probably a war crime of some sort.

So, it was a bit of a shock that contestants Ben Ungermann and Diana Chan both managed to plate up commendable takes on Kirsten Tibballs’ Trio of Fruits. The former powered through a nasty gash suffered earlier in the episode, and the latter persevered despite busting the stem of her ‘pear’.

If there’s one thing that gets us every time, it’s the wonderful camaraderie we see between our contestants. ? #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/90thGEcGme

— #MasterChefAU (@masterchefau) July 24, 2017

Scoring of the final dish began with Chan on slightly better standing due to her earlier efforts, but Ungermann landed on a powerful final tally of 89. Chan seemed set to equal that score, when none other than final judge Matt Preston awarded her a 9/10, bringing her total to 90.

A deserving champ, for sure, but viewers couldn’t help but wonder what exactly convinced Preston to bump that score juuust high enough for Chan to walk away with the $250,000 in prize money and a column in Delicious. Seemingly not content with Preston’s voting, things have gotten a little… conspiratorial.

Just cop some of the responses to Ungermann’s one-point defeat.

rigged….

— Jedd Timbs (@jedd3333) July 24, 2017

that last round score pretty much shows how rigged it was…

— Jedd Timbs (@jedd3333) July 24, 2017

Congrats Diana but that was rigged Masterchef! You just wanted her to win! Such bullshit scores judges! Ben won that last round??

— Marcus Evans (@marcusevans94) July 24, 2017

lmao rigged af. Why would they all score 8 then leave Matt last to score a 9. yeah ok lol.

— Y-FI (@fackeddx) July 24, 2017

most blatant rigged result Masterchef Finals. Ben’s fruit clearly met brief, comments support that. Preston out scoring creator – JOKE ????

— Cheryl (@Allen5Cheryl) July 24, 2017

Absolutely rigged. More faults than her contestant, but miracously just scrapes in the one point she needed to win.

How??

— Lucy (@FutureMrsBingaz) July 24, 2017

Bit strange everyone gives an 8 but she needs a 9 to win and of course Matt gives a 9. #masterchefAU pic.twitter.com/DYBGuIDBW3

— Maddy (@maddyrrose) July 24, 2017

They were undoubtedly both good-but we were going “damn, it’s gonna be a draw”… then that iffy 9 appeared. Nope, that felt all wrong

— James Tarry (@JT__photography) July 24, 2017

We’re not going to wade too deep into this one: as previously stated, we reckon anyone who could even plate a halfway competent rendition of that hellish dessert should be lionised and awarded at least two Michelin stars.

But blimey, a lot of you are sore that Ungermann didn’t walk away with the top prize. Fans have been so vocal that judge Gary Mehigan even posted a pretty sincere message to Chan after the cameras stopped rolling, saying “you deserved the win & don’t let anyone tell you otherwise”.

To @diana.chan.au you deserved the win & don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The food you cooked in the semi final & grand finale was outstanding. Not every comment makes it through the edit which is a shame but we ate it no one else did…on the money & delicious. Now over to you a big bright & shiny future…?? @masterchefau #MasterChefAU #homecooks #chefslife #yum #yummy #delicious #greatfood #superstar #cooking #homecooking

A post shared by Gary Mehigan (@garymehigan) on Jul 24, 2017 at 6:01pm PDT

Look at that image, and tell us the show would have conspired behind the scenes to screw someone else out of winning. Actually, maybe don’t – we know exactly how tinfoil some of the most diehard MasterChef fans can get.

Photo: Diana Chan / Instagram.