EXCLUSIVE: The season 15 runner-up opens up about what viewers didn’t see on TV.

MasterChef’s Rhiannon Anderson has opened up about her secret struggle during filming. Photos: Channel 10 / Instagram/rhiplenish

She appeared to be one of the happiest contestants on this year’s season of MasterChef, but Rhiannon Anderson has revealed she was secretly struggling during filming. The fan favourite, who returned for ‘Back To Win’ after coming second on season 15, had previously shared on social media that she had undergone emergency surgery in 2024.

She told her followers on December 31 that she was entering 2025 with “a renewed gratitude” for her health after experiencing one of the toughest years of her life. In addition to having a hysterectomy, the mother-of-five underwent an operation to remove a “melon-sized fibroid” from her stomach.

“Thankfully, the tumour was benign; however, had I left it, the potential to turn cancerous was high,” she revealed.

Speaking with Yahoo Lifestyle following her surprise elimination in Sunday night’s episode of MasterChef, Rhi admits she hadn’t 100 per cent healed from her surgery when she filmed the show late last year.

“This season, the toughest part was definitely managing my health,” she details. “I was still very sore and swollen from the surgery I had in July. Filming days are rewarding, but can be long due to the logistics, so I really had to look after myself.”

Rhi wasn’t the only contestant this season who was struggling with their health, with Pete Campbell exiting the competition after appearing in just two episodes due to being diagnosed with cancer.

Rhi became the seventh contestant sent home in Sunday night’s episode. Photo: Channel 10

Rhi reveals the biggest surprise returning to MasterChef

Despite her secret health battle, Rhi shares that she was surprised by how comfortable she felt being back in the MasterChef kitchen.

“There was only one season between my inaugural season and returning for Back to Win, so everything was still very fresh in my mind. I think because of that, I wanted to just come in and enjoy myself,” she remarks.

“I was so excited to get the call, as MasterChef Australia has completely changed my life. To find out so many from our season were coming back was such a relief and extremely comforting.”

Rhi says she would’ve loved to take out the title after coming second on her original season, but is incredibly proud of her experience nonetheless.

“After seeing the incredible talent this year, I thought it would be a bit of a stretch,” she confesses. “I’m hoping my bestie Declan [Cleary] will go all the way. My other top pick would be Sarah Todd, she’s so inventive and creative with her flavours.”

Rhi says she would love to see her ‘bestie’ Declan Cleary win the competition. Photo: Instagram/declancleary

Rhi’s exciting post-show plans

Speaking about her plans outside of MasterChef, Rhi says she is going to travel around Australia later this year with her husband and daughter.

“We are starting a YouTube channel ‘Rhiplenish on the Road’ and it will see us cooking, meeting local farmers, visiting farmers markets, waterskiing and showing everything this country has to offer,” she describes.

Rhi previously received $40,000 after finishing in second place on season 14, and told Yahoo Lifestyle at the time that she had plans to film her own cooking show and write a cookbook.

“I definitely want to do a cookbook and dedicate it to my mum,” she said. “When she passed away, I found a cookbook in her house, and it was from 1971, before I was born, and it had a message from her sister saying ‘We expect to see your name in print’. So it was a dream of my mum’s, and I want to do it for her.”