They’re competing against each other tonight for the coveted MasterChef title, along with a whopping $250,000 in prize money.
But MasterChef’s Back To Win grand finalists Laura Sharrad, 24, and Emelia Jackson, 30, are actually great childhood friends who met years before they both starred on the reality cooking show.
In fact, they’ve known each other since they were little girls in primary school.
“Emelia’s mum taught me at primary school,” Laura told TV WEEK last month.
“I’m five years younger than Mils, but my first memory of her is in the school playground.”
Laura and Emelia have been friends for years.
(Image: Instagram)
The pair actually competed together on MasterChef in 2014.
(Image: Channel 10)Emelia says she has a “photographic memory” and can still clearly remember Laura as well, in her “little school uniform”.
They later attended high school together, albeit in separate years, at Siena College, an all-girls Catholic high school in Melbourne.
The female duo then miraculously found themselves reconnected during season six of MasterChef in 2014.
They both made it to the final few contestants, with Emelia placing third and Laura coming runner-up against winner Brent Owens.
So in 2020, Emelia has advanced on her previous position, but Laura is hoping to beat her second position and take home the title.
Both Laura and Emelia have become so close to victory before.
(Image: Channel 10)But despite their fierce competition in the kitchen and their professional rivalry, both Laura and Emelia say they are closer than ever – and the competition won’t ruin their friendship
“I think it’s so important to have a friend like Laura in the competition,” Emelia previously told TV WEEK.
Laura also added: “This competition will never come between us.”
Fans melted over this wonderful moment of friendship on Sunday night’s episode, when Emelia stopped mid-cook to help out Laura.
(Image: Channel 10)As they faced off on Sunday night’s episode, the pair were praised by fans for their exceptional sportsmanship, as Emelia stopped her cook to help our Laura as she struggled to peel and core an apple.
“Friendship, it’s a beautiful thing,” Laura wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of herself and Laura.
Ahead of the finale, the friends both posted tributes to one another on social media, “Two besties, one epic night. Girl power,” Laura wrote, while Emelia said, “Love ya little Loz.”
WATCH BELOW: MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo explains why he carries worry beads.
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