Pete Evans’ 60 Minutes interview is SMASHED in the ratings by MasterChef

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Anti-vaxxer Pete Evans’ 60 Minutes interview is SMASHED in the ratings by MasterChef – as viewers switch off from his bizarre conspiracy theories

By Monique Friedlander For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

Anti-vaxxer Pete Evans said goodbye to My Kitchen Rules last month following months of low ratings and the growing success of rival cooking show MasterChef.

And the embattled chef received a painful reminder of MasterChef’s popularity on Sunday night, after the Channel 10 program beat his interview with Nine’s 60 Minutes in the ratings.

While Pete’s rambling discussion about COVID-19 conspiracy theories and vaccines attracted 639,000 metro viewers, MasterChef’s top 10 reveal episode earned a solid 803,000.

Pictured: MasterChef's Poh Ling Yeow

No one likes an anti-vaxxer! Pete Evans’ interview on Nine’s 60 Minutes was smashed in the ratings by Channel 10’s MasterChef on Sunday. Pictured right: MasterChef’s Poh Ling Yeow 

60 Minutes’ audience was down from 716,000 a week ago. 

Meanwhile, Channel Nine’s The Voice, which aired just before Pete’s interview, fared much better on Sunday night with an audience of 874,000.  

Unfortunately, many viewers switched channels as soon as The Voice’s credits rolled.

Poor turnout: Pete's rambling interview about COVID-19 conspiracy theories and vaccines attracted just 639,000 metro viewers

Poor turnout: Pete’s rambling interview about COVID-19 conspiracy theories and vaccines attracted just 639,000 metro viewers

Popular: MasterChef's top 10 reveal episode earned a solid 803,000 metro viewers

Popular: MasterChef’s top 10 reveal episode earned a solid 803,000 metro viewers

During his 60 Minutes interview with Liz Hayes, Pete claimed he was ‘skeptical’ of the coronavirus pandemic, vaccines and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates.

He even broke down in tears while ranting about how social distancing rules had robbed him of ‘free will’ by prohibiting him from hugging his elderly mum on Mother’s Day.

Later in the segment, Pete also suggested that he feared for his life due to his public profile and polarising opinions.

Success: Meanwhile, Nine's The Voice, which aired before Pete's interview, fared much better on Sunday night with an audience of 874,000. Pictured: The Voice coach Delta Goodrem

Success: Meanwhile, Nine’s The Voice, which aired before Pete’s interview, fared much better on Sunday night with an audience of 874,000. Pictured: The Voice coach Delta Goodrem 

WHY VACCINES ARE IMPORTANT

Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases before they come into contact with them.

Immunisation not only protects individuals, but also others in the community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases.

Research and testing is an essential part of developing safe and effective vaccines.

In Australia, vaccines must pass strict safety testing before the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will register them for use. Approval of vaccines can take up to 10 years.

Before vaccines become available to the public, large clinical trials test them on thousands of people.

High-quality studies over many years have compared the health of large numbers of vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Medical information from nearly 1.5 million children around the world have confirmed that vaccination does not cause autism.

People first became concerned about autism and immunisation after the medical journal The Lancet published a paper in 1998. This paper claimed there was a link between the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. Since then, scientists have completely discredited this paper. The Lancet withdrew it in 2010 and printed an apology. The UK’s General Medical Council struck the author off the medical register for misconduct and dishonesty.

Source: Australian Department of Health 

Meanwhile, furious viewers flocked to Twitter to express their frustration with 60 Minutes for giving Pete a platform to peddle his unscientific and absurd ideas.

‘Why does the media keep giving him a soapbox? Seriously, NO sane person gives a flying f**k what he thinks and those who do, don’t access commercial media anyway,’ one viewer tweeted.

Another added: ‘Why are 60 Minutes giving Pete Evans free advertising? The whacko conspiracy stuff, the anti-vaccine BS etc are all designed to harvest eyeballs to sell his books, his supplements and processed foods.’

'Why are they giving Pete Evans free advertising?' Meanwhile, viewers flocked to Twitter to express their frustration with 60 Minutes for giving Pete a platform to peddle his absurd ideas

‘Why are they giving Pete Evans free advertising?’ Meanwhile, viewers flocked to Twitter to express their frustration with 60 Minutes for giving Pete a platform to peddle his absurd ideas

History of Pete Evans’ controversies

October 2014: Pete claims the Paleo diet can prevent autism

March 2015: His book is pulled from shelves due to its bone broth recipe for infants

July 2016: Pete claims vegan women should eat meat during pregnancy, advises against wearing ‘normal’ sunscreen, and claims Wi-Fi is ‘dangerous’ 

August 2016: He says osteoporosis suffers shouldn’t eat dairy

September 2016: Pete claims camel milk could supplement breastfeeding 

April 2017: Pete campaigns against the ‘mass fluoridation of public water’

December 2018: Pete reveals he looks directly into the sun

April 2020: Pete’s ketogenic recipe book is slammed by health professionals and he is fined for promoting his ‘healing lamp’ 

May 2020: Reveals he is an anti-vaxxer during Kyle And Jackie O radio interview 

June 2020: Shares his conspiracy theories about COVID-19 on 60 Minutes