Not only is My Kitchen Rules opening the door to possibly reignite old rivalries, but they’re clearly casting a shot across Ch9’s bow by lining it up against the series return of The Voice Australia season two and the start of the Logies. No longer is Logies night a free kick to the host broadcaster – it’s game on. Also MKR busy, but it does scream a little of “look at moi, no, look at moi – I’ve got one thing to say to you Kimmie…”. From the press release:

My Kitchen Rules enters a new phase on Sunday night (April 7) when eliminated teams return to fight for a place back in the competition.

Unbeknown to the teams still competing, those who depart after a loss at the sudden death cook-off will be given the opportunity to vie for a spot back in Kitchen HQ.

The first teams stepping up for the fight are:

Ali and Samuel – mates from Tasmania
Angela and Melina – real housewives from Victoria
Kieran and Nastassia – food geeks from Western Australia
Mick and Matt – father and son from Tasmania

It’s one last shot at the title in this two-hour special episode – but they’ll really need to earn their place when they are thrown into a real working kitchen cooking for real paying customers.

There’ll be blood, sweat and tears as teams are mentored under the watchful eye of chef and MKR guest judge Colin Fassnidge, who will be dishing out big serves of tough love as each team prepares a two-course meal in the kitchen of his restaurant, 4 Fourteen.

“Everyone has bad days in the kitchen, but now’s the time to step up. We have a restaurant full of paying customers – it’s about plating up your best every time. Customers won’t pay for mistakes,” says Colin.

Judges Manu Feildel and Pete Evans will judge every meal which comes out of the kitchen. But this time around, they’ll be doing blind tastings to decide who is the weakest team on the day.

“It will be interesting to see how teams deal with the pressure of a working restaurant,” says Pete. “They’re used to racing the clock at Kitchen HQ, but service with a room full of paying customers can be very intimidating.”

At the end of it all, one team will be left standing – and that team will win a spot in the MKR finals. With nothing to lose, this will be some of the most explosive cooking MKR has ever seen.

And just how will the other contestants react when they learn a team is re-entering the competition?

My Kitchen Rules airs Sundays from April 7 at 6:30pm and Monday-Wednesday at 7:30pm on Seven.