With an impressive collection of glasses – 52 to be exact, “one for every week of the year” – MasterChef Australia favourite Alvin Quah is used to looking at life through a stylish lens.
But when he entered the cutthroat world of The Traitors, Ten’s thrilling new murder mystery-inspired reality series, even Alvin had to ditch the oven mitts for some boxing gloves. In fact, the beloved cook teases things got so spicy, he left the show with some simmering resentment.
“To be completely honest, yes, I did leave with grudges,” Alvin reveals to Woman’s Day. “It took a few weeks for me to sort of zen out and remind myself, ‘It’s just a game,’ but I’ve been in touch with all the contestants since [and] we’ve said our sorrys and our apologies, and no one really took it to heart.
“But I think viewers think they know who these reality stars are, but they’re going to see a completely different side to them,” he teases.
COOKING UP THE DRAMA
It’s a far cry from the supportive, family-like environment Alvin, 51, experienced in the MasterChef kitchen, where contestants are encouraged to lift each other up rather than throw each other under the bus.
“Oh my God, The Traitors is so different to MasterChef,” he laughs. “It’s such a game of wit and strategy and it’s a bit of a mind game as well. If you think about it, MasterChef is all about everyone being their true, honest self, whereas this game is all about editing yourself, and looking around the room and trying to read people.”
Perhaps the most challenging aspect for Alvin were the fiery discussions.
“I hate confrontation,” he admits. “The Round Table terrified me. It’s like being the kid whose mum and dad are fighting and you’re thinking, ‘Please stop fighting!’”
The star reveals the drama even puts the highly rated UK version, which was known for its explosive double-crosses, to shame.
“The UK version is like watching a healthy debate,” he laughs. “The Australian version? Let’s just say it’s not as well-mannered or polite.
“It’s more like, ‘I’ve just got to keep interrupting you.’ Everyone’s fighting to be heard because every conversation could be the difference between staying in the game or getting murdered.”
JUDGING FACES, NOT FOOD
Also adding to his nerves was the celebrity cast, many of whom he barely recognised.
“I probably knew about 10 per cent of the cast,” he laughs. “I was looking around thinking, ‘I don’t know who you are… What am I doing here?’”
Ironically, Alvin says that worked to his advantage, as many of the reality stars had no idea who the former MasterChef favourite was either.
Among the famous faces he bonded with most was Australian Survivor favourite Kirby Bentley, while Love Island’s Claudia Bonifazio shattered his expectations.
“Claudia surprised me 100 per cent,” he says. “She was so genuine and real – not at all what I predicted a Love Island contestant would be”.
The experience also forced Alvin to confront his own assumptions.
“I learned I’m quite judgemental,” he laughs. “You think these reality TV stars are one thing, but they’re just human beings and they’re beautiful people.”
While he’s staying tight-lipped about whether he makes it to the end of the game, Alvin admits he just wanted to break his reality TV curse after placing sixth in both season 2 [2010] and season 14 [2022] of MasterChef Australia.
“I feel like that number just follows me around,” he jokes. “If I finish sixth again, it’ll be like I’ve been tattooed by the devil!”
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