SARAH'S MASTERCHEF ROMANCE 'WE'RE FAMILY NOW!'

After healing from a heartbreaking tragedy, she's found love with co-star Declan

- LUCY CROKE

Sarah Todd didn't expect to fall in love when she went back into the MasterChef Australia kitchen for a third time. But somewhere between the marinades and the mystery boxes, sparks flew with fellow contestant Declan Cleary and her life changed.

“It was such a beautiful thing to be distracted from the stress of filming,” confesses Sarah, 38. “We had the best time in the breaks, doing workouts and watching The White Lotus. You don’t walk into something like MasterChef thinking that you're going to meet your new partner. It was such a lucky thing to happen.”

Sarah and Declan, 27, are now living together in Melbourne. Their shared house is also home to Sarah's 14-year-old son Phoenix and Declan’s dog Sol, who has now become Phoenix's constant companion.

“Phoenix is totally obsessed with Sol,” Sarah laughs.

“They're playing until the moment they go to bed. It’s been really special for him. We're one big family now.”

Sarah’s third appearance on MasterChef - she came ninth in 2014's season six and runner-up in 2022's season 14, Fans & Favourites - hasn't just given her a new personal life, but it has also pushed her to show a more daring, creative version of herself.