MasterChef‘s Reynold Poernomo made headlines last month after a series of homophobic comments he made online in 2014 emerged.
However, his co-star Reece Hignell has defended him and says that Reynold has changed in the six years since.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Reece who is openly gay said: “I trust when Reynold says he is different now. I am friends with him and know him and I believe what he said when he apologised.”
“If you aren’t able to develop as a person, how will equality ever happen? My personal belief is that if Reynold wasn’t able to change his opinion over the last six years, then how are we going to change the world?” he added.
Reynold was 20 years old when he replied to a comment in a bodybuilding.com thread that asked: “First gay couple featured on the Disney Channel. Do you agree with them?”
“I wish the world made a united decision where they will capture all gay people and put them on a remote island full of gays, that way straight [people] will be happy and the freaks can go on and f**k themselves,” Reynold wrote as a response.
In another thread titled “Is homosexuality a mental illness?” Reynold responded “Yes end of thread.”
Following the scandal, Reynold released a statement to Daily Mail Australia saying he was “ashamed” of his comments.
“I would like to offer my sincere and deepest apologies for the comments that I made in 2014. I am ashamed of these comments and I regret them immensely,” he said.
“At the time these comments were made, I was a very immature, close-minded and insular 20-year-old. I have grown and matured a lot in the last six years. I am not the person I was back then.
“I have many friends and colleagues that are part of the LGBTIQ+ community. I wholeheartedly support them and care deeply for them. I am truly sorry and apologise for any offence or hurt I caused.”
Cake shop owner Reece’s dramatic 35kg weight loss since his last time on the show has also been a talking point on the series.
In a chat with the Daily Telegraph, the season 10 favourite admitted that he focused more on the show than his health due to the stress of the competition and has since adopted a plant-based diet and a regular fitness routine.
“I lost quite a bit of weight which was great, but to be honest it was so annoying when I first came back [to MasterChef] because people were like, ‘who’s that guy?’” he revealed.
Reece and Reynold have both made it to the top eight for MasterChef: Back To Win, however if the Instagram clues are anything to go by, Reece won’t be making it to the final.
Eagle-eyed fans believe Reynold along with Laura Sharrad, Emelia Jackson and Poh Ling Yeow are the final four of season 12.
The contestants were reportedly self-isolating together, but now that production appears to have wrapped, Adelaide local Laura and Sydneysider Reynold have arrived home, judging by what they posted on their respective Instagram accounts.
Meanwhile, Poh and Emelia were spotted socialising together on Instagram in Melbourne, making fans believe they too have made it to the final.
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