My Fiction Rules: My Kitchen Rules Lovebirds Frena and Steven have broken up

MKR contestant Frena Yusof said she’d found her person in fiancee and cooking partner Steven Budgen. But now it seems there’s a new Steven on her menu.

Billed as the My Kitchen Rules lovebirds, time has been called on the engagement of cooking couple Steven Budgen and Frena Yusof.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that while Channel 7 has been spruiking the great love story of its contestants, the pair in fact broke up just weeks after shooting wrapped earlier this year.

Yusof was quick to get off the phone when contacted on Thursday.

“I will have to get back to you,” she said.

Seven too issued a swift “no comment”.

MKR couple Steven Budgen and Frena Yusof broke up just weeks after shooting wrapped. Picture: Supplied

Yusof meanwhile at the weekend confirmed the split on social media.

“Hey everyone, I’d just like to announce that Steven Budgen and I are no longer together and it is a mutual decision,” Yusof wrote on Instagram post titled ‘FACTS’.

“We just want different things in life and we have grown to be two different people. However, we are still good friends and we’d like to keep it that way.”

Yusof explained that the series was filmed “quite a while ago”.

“We gave it our all and it didn’t workout and it’s for the best,” she continued.

“We have both moved on and have decided whatever it is we need to do for ourselves are all out of respect and mutual understanding. Don’t worry, there isn’t any bad blood. Like any relationship sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

Yusof (right) was quick to get off the phone when contacted on Thursday. Picture: Supplied

In an earlier promotional statement for the series, Yusof said “we are a chilled and laid back couple who love a good laugh,” and that competing on MKR was a longtime dream of hers.

“I have buried this dream for a very long time, but now I have found my person in Steven and we are a team,” she said.

“We’re best friends, and he’s made me believe I can achieve anything.”

Yusof is understood to already be dating a new partner, whose name is also Steven, from about three weeks after filming ended.

Her new man, whose last name is Spiel and is listed on IMDB as a writer, director and producer, has a picture of the couple as his Instagram profile picture.

Yusof’s new man Steven Spiel has a picture of the couple as his Instagram profile picture.

Budgen, an actor, may meanwhile be in the market for a laser appointment as he has two tattoos, one on each arm, dedicated to the relationship.

He has a wolf on one arm that he has said represents himself as a “lone wolf” before meeting Yusof. On the other bicep, Budgen has a portrait of Yusof’s face with a space left underneath that he has said was reserved for their future children.

The question is whether the heat of the on-camera kitchen broke up the pair, or if they weren’t so “rock-solid” — something they told Seven was their biggest competitive strength — to begin with.

My Kitchen Rules duo Frena and Steven in a promotional image for the new series.

Yusof and Budgen found themselves at the bottom of the leaderboard on Tuesday night’s episode, after making last-minute changes to their traditional Malaysian menu.

Betting site Sportsbet placed the formerly engaged couple’s odds at winning in fourth place, after their unset dessert gaffe spared Victoria’s dad and daughter duo, Alice and Peter Bottomley from elimination.

During Sunday night’s episode, Yusof appeared to take a dig at the edit she and her former partner had received when she lamented the fact the couple were being portrayed as the series villains.

“Being painted as a villain on a reality TV show,” Yusof wrote.

“Must be a childhood dream. Love that for me. Being honest doesn’t seem to do it these days – instead, be pretentious.”

Yusof previously described her and Budgen’s personalities as yin and yang.

“We are so different from each other, but that’s what works,” she said.

“As a teenager watching MKR in Malaysia, I never thought my skills would match up, but having a supportive partner means a lot.”

The couple had claimed to be planning a Southeast Asian trip with cooking classes after they returned from filming.