George Calombaris hits back at neighbour over ‘black box’ eyesore

MASTERCHEF judge George Calombaris has hit back at a neighbour who roasted him over a “hideous black box” recently appeared in his Toorak backyard.

MASTERCHEF Australia judge George Calombaris has responded to gym jibes by saying his Toorak neighbours will be “rapt” by the finished building.

The celebrity chef has been roasted by neighbour Helen Elsworth, who complained to the Victorian Building Authority over a “hideous black box” which recently appeared in the backyard of Calombaris’s home, which is owned by his wife, Natalie Tricarico.

The view from Helen Elsworth’s bedroom window. Picture: David Caird

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Ms Tricarico said the outbuilding — “a self-contained small gym” — was legal and had consent from neighbours.

Calombaris, launching the 10th season of MasterChef Australia at a VIP event in Melbourne tonight, told the Herald Sun: “It’s pretty simple. The project is not complete yet. It’s an unfinished building site.

“But there’s no question about it. Once it’s finished, our neighbours are gonna be rapt.”

But Ms Elsworth claimed it breached regulations and wanted it torn down.

Chef George Calombaris has been called “the worst neighbour”. Picture: Alex Coppel.

“He’s the worst neighbour I’ve had in my life,” she said. “He should be living in Central Australia somewhere, where he can’t bother people, not in the suburbs.”

A garden and trees were removed from Calombaris’s backyard to allow for construction of the single-level ­building, meaning Ms Elsworth can look directly into the home of the MasterChef judge from her bedroom.

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Calombaris said tonight: “I don’t want to upset anyone in my life. It’s not what I do. We’ve done everything to the letter of the law. I think they’re gonna be absolutely ecstatic with it.”

The VBA said an assessment officer would investigate.

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