Colin Fasssnidge has revealed details of his new series with My Kitchen Rules co-star Manu Feildel.
The new series, Off The Grid, was announced as part of Channel Seven’s 2025 programming lineup at the network’s recent Upfronts event in Sydney.
And the Irish-born celebrity chef, 51, has revealed the series will see him and Manu, 50, go on an ‘off the beaten path food adventure’, travelling around New Zealand in a caravan.
Colin told Yahoo Lifestyle the idea for a road-trip series had been brewing for years.
‘Manu had an idea to do a thing called ‘A Big Lap Around Australia’ and no one wanted to do it, but when we were in New Zealand I said: ‘We should do it in a caravan”. It was Manu’s idea, but I made it better.’
The celebrity chef duo have certainly been known for trading barbs in the past and Colin added that viewers could expect a few spicy exchanges on the show.
Colin Fasssnidge has revealed details of his new series with My Kitchen Rules co-star Manu Feildel. Both pictured
There’s also set to be fair bit of horseplay and even bathing one another, as evidenced by photos shared to Instagram that were taken during production.
‘Me and Manu, as you can see on MKR, get on well and take the p**s out of each other, but what you see on Instagram is exactly what is on the show, he said.
‘There’s a lot of love on the show, and there’s a lot of arguing as well. ‘We’re like a married couple without the sex, I’ll put it that way.’
Colin also revealed that the series would air ‘early next year’ ahead of the fifteenth season of My Kitchen Rules.
Manu recently opened up about his former feud with co-star Colin, admitting that it was all now water under the bridge.
Appearing on Jess Rowe’s Big Talk Show podcast, the French chef said the war of words began when Colin was less-than-impressed with a meal he received while dining at his Bilson’s Restaurant in Sydney.
After relocating from France to Australia in 1999, and cutting his teeth in several Aussie restaurants, Manu opened the kitchen as head chef at the now defunct Sydney restaurant.
Manu told host Jess Rowe that Colin was quick to voice his displeasure about his dining experience on X.
‘There’s a lot of love on the show, and there’s a lot of arguing as well. ‘We’re like a married couple without the sex, I’ll put it that way,’ they teased of Off The Grid (pictured)
‘He came to Bilson’s restaurant and he wasn’t happy with his meal and we were awarded two hats at the time,’ Manu said.
‘I think he said something like I was a clown and i should go back to France and hang my jacket and learn how to cook.’
Manu added that it was Colin who continued to throw fuel on the social media fire as he loves to ‘poke the bear’.
‘We never met each other, we just knew [of] each other,’ Manu said.
‘He loved the social media war. He’s addicted to it. That’s his life, he just loves to poke the bear.’
Off the Grid, will see him and Manu go on an ‘off the beaten path food adventure’, travelling around New Zealand in a caravan
Manu admitted when he was informed Colin would be joining the cast of My Kitchen Rules, he was dumbfounded.
But it appears that producers knew exactly what they were doing, betting that the tension created between the pair off-screen would translate into ratings gold.
‘That was the beginning of a fight. I think it was a one way fight where he kept on going at me,’ Manu said.
‘One day the production of MKR decided to bring a third judge in and it was announced that it was going to be Colin Fassnidge.’
‘I said to the producers, “are you kidding me? The guy hates my guts,” and they said “we know”.’
Wanting to make the best of things, Manu said when Colin arrived for his first day of shooting, he welcomed the Irish-born chef with open arms.
‘I was always so comfortable in my shoes already I’d been there for about eight years,’ he said.
‘When he walked in I welcomed him at the door. I said, “welcome to MKR.” I said I found this very difficult at the beginning and that “if you need anything from me do not hesitate to call”.’
Manu’s words proved to be just the thing to broker a peace deal between the pair, with Colin eventually apologising for his past behaviour.
‘After the end of that year of production, he knocked on my door after the grand final and he went, “I would like to apologise for being an a**ehole” and we became good mates since,’ the celebrity chef said.
