MasterChef Australia: Chris Badenoch defends Laura Sharrad amid viewer backlash

Another MasterChef contestant has spoken out in defence of Laura Sharrad who has copped a lot of flak from viewers this season.

Another MasterChef contestant has spoken out in defence of Laura Sharrad who has copped a lot of flak from viewers this season.

Laura, who first appeared on the cooking show in Season Six before returning for this year’s Back To Win series, has been criticised by some viewers for her “smug” behaviour and “bad attitude” on the cooking show.

Many viewers have also grown tired of her propensity to cook pasta dishes, and have suggested she has received favourable treatment from judge Jock Zonfrillo, who she used to work for.

Laura Sharrad talking to Gordon Ramsay.

Eliminated contestant Chris Badenoch is the latest MasterChef star to stick up for Laura amid the social media backlash.

Speaking to news.com.au, Chris said: “Poor Laura’s copping it and I don’t understand it. I don’t understand why people decide to pick on certain individuals on a certain topic when others are guilty of the same thing.”

Chris acknowledged that Laura often cooks pasta dishes, but argued that’s to be expected.

“She owns a f***ing pasta restaurant, of course she’s going to do pasta!” he told news.com.au. “It’s what she’s best at and if she can do it, she will.”

Chris continued: “Reece has made a thousand f***ing tarts but he doesn’t get hit up for it. Reynold literally does the same dish every time, just a variation on a theme, and he doesn’t get plugged for it.

“I don’t know why people are giving her a hard time,” he said about Laura.

Chris’s comments are similar to those from fellow MasterChef contestants Brendan Pang and Khanh Ong who have also publicly defended Laura.

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Chris Badenoch was the seventh contestant eliminated on MasterChef.

MASTERCHEF STARS LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER

Speaking to news.com.au, Chris said that most of the MasterChef contestants send messages of support to each other during the season.

“When someone gets eliminated, you all have a chat and say, ‘I hope you’re OK,’ because it’s a bit of a media storm after you get eliminated,” he told news.com.au.

Chris added that it can be “difficult” for some contestants after being eliminated. He singled out Sarah Tiong who received some vile abuse online after being booted.

“When Sarah got eliminated she was copping a bit of racist crap from people, so you’ve got to be there to support everybody because the general public can be a**eholes,” Chris told news.com.au.

MasterChef Australia contestant Sarah Tiong. Picture: MasterChef/Network 10

WHO WILL WIN?

There are just six contestants left in MasterChef: Callum Hann, Emelia Jackson, Laura Sharrad, Poh Ling Yeow, Reece Hignell and Reynold Poernomo.

When asked who he thinks deserves to win the show, Chris told news.com.au: “I think if you’ve been watching it, Callum and Emelia have really demonstrated an amazing depth of knowledge and skill.”

He added: “They’ve been consistent during the entire thing and they’ve got a really good range of abilities. If the final was between those two, I’d be pretty happy with that.”

According to Sportsbet, Emelia is the favourite to win ahead of Laura and Reynold.

MasterChef Australia continues tonight at 7.30pm on Channel 10