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Meghan Markle’s upcoming appearance on Junior MasterChef Australia is “doomed to be a hate watch,” according to an insider who spoke to Radar Online.

The source predicts the Duchess of Sussex will attract plenty of negative attention when she turns up on the kids’ cooking competition next year.

Meghan is set to join the next edition of Junior MasterChef as a special guest. Filming is scheduled to take place in Melbourne in 2027.

Reports differ on the size of the gig. Some describe Meghan as a special guest, while others claim she’ll co-host the series, which is returning to Australia after six years away.

Meghan herself has confirmed that she’s on board for the 2027 season, and she said the decision to sign on “was an easy yes.”

The insiders seem far less enthusiastic than she is.

According to sources, Meghan’s presence could end up stealing the spotlight from the competition itself. The whole show is supposed to revolve around young home cooks, and a royal guest star has a way of pulling focus.

Another insider claims the stint could spell trouble for the show, with Meghan expected to bring a fresh wave of backlash along with her.

Meghan is no stranger to the franchise. Earlier this year, she served as a guest judge on the flagship MasterChef series.

She’s also no stranger to cooking content in general. Meghan has spent the past few years building her lifestyle brand, As Ever, and promoting its products to fans.

That brand has drawn its own share of criticism lately. Meghan was recently slammed for plugging an As Ever product while disturbing allegations against her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr., continued to dominate headlines.

One insider summed up the complaint in four words: “It’s a bad look.”

Philippine authorities are reportedly investigating claims that Markle Sr. possessed child sexual abuse material. He has denied the accusations, but he may soon face criminal charges.

Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., reportedly discovered the material at their father’s residence and alerted authorities.

Meghan’s Junior MasterChef announcement drew a similar wave of backlash when the news first broke, and the hate-watch prediction is just the latest round.

The Australian gig also lands at an awkward moment for Meghan and Prince Harry in the UK.

The couple relocated to England in August, and they’ve been living at a non-royal base outside London ever since. Before that, Harry and Meghan spent six years in California after stepping back from their royal duties in 2020.

Harry has said the return to the UK was a last-minute decision rather than a long-planned one.

“We’ve had plans in the past, and I think for lots of people, it’s like, if you’re going to make a big move like this, that’s going to take a lot of planning,” he explained. “For us, it was very short.”

Not everyone in Britain has welcomed them back. A recent poll found that many respondents would rather not see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stay in the country at all, and Brits urged Harry and Meghan to relocate to Australia instead.

Some critics were even more blunt, telling the couple, “We do not want them here.” Ouch.

That Australia idea came from poll respondents and critics, not from any announced plan by Harry and Meghan. As far as the reporting goes, the family’s home is still in England.

For now, Meghan’s next stop down under is the Junior MasterChef set, with cameras set to roll in Melbourne in 2027.