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September 27, 2026 \u2014 5:30am<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Peter Helliar never imagined that, after a 30-year career as one of Australia\u2019s best-loved comedians<\/a>, he\u2019d wind up taking a gig on a cruise ship. Yet here he is, aboard the Sun Princess, hosting new TV series Chefs Ahoy.<\/p>\n Over four episodes, Helliar will emcee culinary duels between Australian chefs and cooks, as they vie for the approval of guests at the \u201ccaptain\u2019s dinner\u201d. \u201cYou hang around this industry long enough, and you get these lovely little surprises,\u201d says Helliar. \u201cIt was a pretty quick \u2018Yes!\u2019, I have to say.\u201d<\/p>\n Editor’s pick The series, premiering this week on Nine (the owner of this masthead), hinges on a series of rivalries. MasterChef alumni Courtney Roulston v Minoli De Silva; Miguel Maestre v Dan Hong; another MasterChef standout Khanh Ong<\/a> v Three Blue Ducks\u2019 Mark LaBrooy; and influencer chef Vincent Yeow Lim v the ABC\u2019s Alice Zaslavsky. But there is also ample air time for showing off the facilities and attractions on the ocean liner, and the ports at which she docks \u2013 in Greece, Japan, Spain and Korea.<\/p>\n The promotional aspect \u2013 the show is made in partnership with Princess Cruises \u2013 initially bothered Helliar \u201cto a small degree\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI think a few years ago, [warning] bells might\u2019ve been louder,\u201d he says. \u201cBut you watch free-to-air TV now, and so many shows are obviously sponsored. The Block<\/a> is one that comes to mind. You don\u2019t blink at it any more. And for these shows to exist, they really do need a sponsor to come on and say, \u2018We\u2019ll foot the bill\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI made a choice to make my Instagram page an apolitical space. There are enough people speaking up about things.\u201d<\/p>\n Peter Helliar<\/p>\n It also makes for an upgraded travel experience from other reality shows Helliar has appeared on. Since leaving The Project in 2022<\/a>, he\u2019s done I\u2019m a Celebrity \u2026 Get Me Out of Here!<\/a>; Taskmaster Australia<\/a>, filmed in New Zealand; and The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition, on which he came fourth with his wife, Bridget.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the reason I left [The Project],\u201d Helliar says. \u201cI was having to pass on too many things. I was looking over my shoulder at what others were doing and had this degree of envy. And I never wanted to be like that because The Project was such an amazing job.\u201d<\/p>\n It was also a relief, he says, to retreat to \u201cthe silly corner\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI made a choice to make my Instagram page an apolitical space. There are enough people speaking up about things. I\u2019m not saying there won\u2019t be something in the future that might turn my head, but I think there still needs to be space, particularly for comedians, to just entertain.\u201d<\/p>\n He jokes that he\u2019s \u201cconducted some welfare checks\u201d on Dave Hughes, whom he replaced on The Project. Hughes has made headlines<\/a> over the past few months for his increasingly political social media presence and furious criticism of the government.<\/p>\n \u201cDave\u2019s passionate,\u201d says Helliar. \u201cHe\u2019s honest. He\u2019s generous. He says what\u2019s on his mind \u2026 The people that I hang out with [including ex-Project panellist, conservative broadcaster Steve Price], I don\u2019t always share the same opinions. I think there\u2019s some truth to what [Hughes] is saying. Would I go about it the same way? … We\u2019ll see where it all ends up, but he\u2019s a great mate and always will be.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Article Helliar has his plate full without the politics. Currently, in the middle of a national stand-up tour, he has also written a feature-length thriller with actor Damon Herriman and a dark comedy\/action series with his How To Stay Married co-writer Trent Roberts. He\u2019s planning more instalments of Frankie Fish, his tween adventure novels, and he has a golf podcast with fellow comic Lehmo and former cricketer Damien Fleming. Helliar says he would also love to revive his ABC anthology comedy It\u2019s a Date<\/a>, to reflect modern dating.<\/p>\n And of course, his footy-bogan alter-ego, Strauchanie, endures. Helliar recently treated Melbourne fans to some in-character shows at the Basement Comedy Club ahead of the AFL grand final.<\/p>\n \u201cI still get asked about Strauchanie a minimum of six times a week \u2026 They\u2019ve been great crowds and fun shows. To be honest, now I just choose what I want to do based on, \u2018Is it going to be fun?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Chefs Ahoy premieres at 8.40pm Wednesday, September 30 on Nine and 9Now. <\/p>\n Want more TV? We\u2019ve got you.Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n![\"Peter](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/92a40bd779961026f34ef0c0f653a28eb88ca490.jpeg\")
Peter Helliar hosts Nine\u2019s new cooking series Chefs Ahoy.Nine<\/p>\n![\"Anthony](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/67a2f6e9212a8bef53d488ad3b95f76a4d53affd.jpeg\")
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Peter Helliar hosts Nine\u2019s new cooking series Chefs Ahoy. Tim Thatcher<\/p>\n![\"Dave](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/c6d7f8ceea7b421a6d84c0387ea0dd18e6215a89.jpeg\")
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