Megs (Meg Steel) has been eliminated from MasterChef Australia 2026 in Episode 5, becoming the first contestant to leave the competition.

Her exit came after a critical mistake in the “Favourite Home Dish” elimination challenge, where her prawns were judged to be undercooked — a decisive error in a high-pressure round.

Episode 5 Elimination — Quick Summary

• Eliminated Contestant: Megs (Meg Steel)
• Episode: 5
• Challenge: Favourite Home Dish
• Reason: Undercooked prawns
• Bottom Two: Megs & Jackie Yu
• Safe Contestant: Casper (immunity)

What Happened in Episode 5?

After the excitement of the Jimmy Barnes Mystery Box challenge in Episode 4, Episode 5 marked the first elimination of the season — raising the stakes instantly.

The challenge was simple but deeply personal:
👉 Cook a dish you would make at home.

This tested not just creativity, but execution under pressure — and that’s where things went wrong.

Bottom Two: Megs vs Jackie Yu

At the end of the cook, the judges placed:

• Megs
• Jackie Yu

in the bottom two.

Where Megs Went Wrong

Megs presented a prawn-based dish that reflected her catering background, but:

• The prawns were undercooked
• This is considered a major technical fault, especially in elimination rounds

In contrast, Jackie’s dish had flaws, but was still technically safer, giving her the edge.

👉 Result: Megs was eliminated

Judges’ Reaction

The judges —

• Andy Allen
• Poh Ling Yeow
• Sofia Levin
• Jean-Christophe Novelli

— were visibly emotional about the decision.

Poh Ling Yeow gave a heartfelt farewell, praising Megs’ warmth and passion, and even expressing excitement about her future restaurant dreams.

Who Is Megs (Meg Steel)?

Megs entered the competition as a catering enthusiast with a dream:
👉 Opening her own restaurant called “Megs Place.”

Why fans loved her:

• Energetic personality
• Passion for feeding people
• Strong emotional connection to food

She quickly became a fan favourite, which made her early exit even more surprising.

Fan Reaction to Megs’ Elimination

The reaction online was immediate:

• Many viewers felt she left too early
• Some believed the decision was very close
• Others agreed that undercooked protein is unforgivable in elimination

👉 Overall sentiment: Disappointed, but understanding

Who Was Safe?

Casper didn’t have to cook in this episode because:

• He won immunity in Episode 4
• Sat out the elimination challenge

👉 A decision that proved crucial.

📊 Contestants Remaining

After Episode 5:
👉 22 contestants remain in the competition

What’s Next on MasterChef Australia?

Episode 6 (28 April 2026)

• Challenge: Invention Test
• Theme: Cereal as the hero ingredient

Episode 7

• Pressure Test featuring Maggie Beer
• High-stakes pastry challenge

👉 Expect tougher competition and more eliminations ahead.