TV

Masterchef favourite Courtney Roulston quietly revealed her sexuality and fans are having ‘a meltdown, in a good way’

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Courtney Roulston has been engaged to her partner Sophie for six years. (Courtney Roulston/ Instagram)

Courtney Roulston, the recently eliminated contestant on Masterchef Australia: Back to Win, has said she was completely unprepared for fans’ reaction to her sexuality.

Roulston, 39, was eliminated in Sunday’s episode, April 19, having previously been a favourite on season two of Masterchef Australia.

The chef has been engaged to her partner for six years, and at one point during the show she casually mentioned: “I’ve been tinkering with the idea of opening a wine bar with my partner Sophie.”

She told Now To Love that when the episode aired, she received a text from fellow contestant and friend Khanh Ong, which said: “Doll, you’re trending on Twitter!”

Roulston said: “I had no idea, that definitely wasn’t a planned thing – I guess it’s just a natural thing to talk about your partner.

“I didn’t even think about it at the time and I didn’t know the internet would have a meltdown about it, but it was a meltdown in a good way.

“Ten years ago that probably wouldn’t have gone to air and I guess that’s a sign of the time that people are becoming more accepting of things.”

The “meltdown” was an outpouring of love and support on social media, as fans were surprised and overjoyed to find out that Roulston was queer.

One fan dubbed the Masterchef contestant “Queen Courtney” for being “gay and fabulous”, while another wrote: “Courtney is queer like me??!! ONE OF US.”

Roulston, who works as a chef for the Sydney Swans football team, also discussed being a woman in the macho restaurant world.

She said: “It’s just been a male-dominated sector for so long… Women are getting a bit more respect in kitchens and if you lead a kitchen you’ve got to possibly tell a male when they’re doing something not right or how you want something done and I’m sure any woman that’s married to a man would tell you it’s very difficult to tell a man how to do something.

“A lot has changed, a bit more respect for women has been found and women are getting the confidence to lead their own kitchens so it’s great to see. It’s been a long time coming.”

This year, the winner of Masterchef Italy proposed to his boyfriend in a powerful live television moment.

The gorgeous proposal took place at the very end of the finale of the show’s ninth season, in which gay chef Antonio Lorenzon was crowned the winner.

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