Colin & Manu: Cocaine, Court & An Old Feud
Episode Description
Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel are two of Australia’s biggest stars. You might know them from the TV shows My Kitchen Rules or Off the Grid.
They're hilarious together, and their friendship truly is something special. But it wasn't always that way. In fact, they started out as enemies. We talk about how that feud turned into a beautiful bromance.
Colin opens up about his recent drug controversy and the impact it had on his family and his mental health.
And Manu shares some incredibly personal stories about his childhood, his absent father, and a career setback that sent him into a dark place.
There's plenty of laughs in this one, but there's also a lot of honesty and vulnerability. I think you’ll love this episode.
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Past performance does not guarantee future returns.
And remember, I’m not a financial adviser, so this is just general information. I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions. Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Life on the Road 01:47 Learning from Failure and Hard Life Lessons 04:31 From Feud to Bromance: How Colin and Manu Met 07:30 The Reality of Filming Off the Grid 12:00 Hunting, Fishing, and Adventure Storytelling 16:27 Business Partnerships and Resolving Conflict 20:05 Men's Mental Health and Emotional Vulnerability 26:40 Family Values and Parenting 28:15 The Pressures of Celebrity and Career Setbacks 31:14 Reflecting on Dancing with the Stars 36:01 The Truth Behind TV Personas 54:45 Lessons from Professional Kitchens 1:06:32 Colin on His Recent Drug Controversy and Court Appearance 1:11:12 Impact of Public Scrutiny on Mental Health 1:27:00 Planning for Life After Reality TV 1:29:31 Discussing Vulnerability and Crying 1:32:00 Regrets and Defining Success
Brief Summary
Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge discuss their feud-turned-friendship, brutal kitchen careers, Off the Grid, mental health, and Fassnidge’s drug-test case.
Key points
- The grind behind the fun on screen. They explain how long, exhausting filming days once pushed them to a breaking point, even though the finished show looks carefree.
- Making room for men to open up. The conversation turns to vulnerability, friendship, and a men’s group where people can share hard times without judgment.
- From circus school to TV. At 13, he trained in juggling, unicycling and acrobatics, but missed out on a place in a touring circus. Years later, he jokes that television brought him back to the circus.
- Rejected by the industry, then in demand. When he started television, many chefs stopped seeing him as one of their own. A decade later, he says, everyone wanted his job.
- The review that brought him down. One critic’s negative review led customers to disappear and the restaurant to close. He describes the following five months as the darkest period of his life.
- A cheap Valentine’s tradition. A Bounty bar and an orange became the couple’s running Valentine’s Day gift after a road trip from Perth to Sydney. He jokes that the tradition is affordable and recession-proof.
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Episode highlights
- The grind behind the fun on screenThey explain how long, exhausting filming days once pushed them to a breaking point, even though the finished show looks carefree.“We were mentally broken.”8:41Oct 17, 2026
- Making room for men to open upThe conversation turns to vulnerability, friendship, and a men’s group where people can share hard times without judgment.“No judgment whatsoever.”12:23Oct 17, 2026
- From circus school to TVAt 13, he trained in juggling, unicycling and acrobatics, but missed out on a place in a touring circus. Years later, he jokes that television brought him back to the circus.“The TV is a circus.”20:36Oct 17, 2026
- Rejected by the industry, then in demandWhen he started television, many chefs stopped seeing him as one of their own. A decade later, he says, everyone wanted his job.“Ten years later everyone wanted my job.”30:10Oct 17, 2026
- The review that brought him downOne critic’s negative review led customers to disappear and the restaurant to close. He describes the following five months as the darkest period of his life.“I was in a hole. I didn't know how to get out of it.”38:14Oct 17, 2026
- A cheap Valentine’s traditionA Bounty bar and an orange became the couple’s running Valentine’s Day gift after a road trip from Perth to Sydney. He jokes that the tradition is affordable and recession-proof.“Very affordable, sustainable.”44:48Oct 17, 2026
- Holiday turns into 16-hour shiftsA visit to Sydney with a chef friend unexpectedly became a job: he was told to start the next day and went straight into 16-hour shifts.“I'm on holiday, man.”52:44Oct 17, 2026
- A jungle holiday, apparentlyWhile other contestants were miserable, he loved the rain, the snakes, and the chance to play with animals. He says it felt like what he did at home.“This is great.”1:01:57Oct 17, 2026
