Despite pleading guilty to a cocaine charge, celebrity chef and My Kitchen Rules judge Colin Fassnidge avoids jail time.
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As previously reported, the TV personality was arrested in Maroubra just after 3 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2025. The Traffic and Highway Patrol Command police had been doing random drug and alcohol testing. After he was arrested, Fassnidge allegedly tested positive for two drug tests. He was then charged with driving a vehicle with an illicit drug present in his blood.
Although he was set to appear in court in early February for the first time since he was charged with allegedly driving under the influence of cocaine, Deputy Chief Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis announced there had been a “misunderstanding” about the court date. The hearing was rescheduled for March 4.
Tsavdaridis stated a plea must be entered on the rescheduled hearing date.
Fassnidge’s Legal Team Says He Didn’t Put Anyone in Danger During the Incident
In the latest development, Fassnidge has pleaded guilty to the charge. However, his attorney stated that the celebrity chef was not “affected” by the drug while he was driving, nor did he put any other drivers in danger.
“You’ve only got to turn on the TV to see that people are being killed in our streets, homes are being firebombed, cars are being firebombed, homes are being shot up,” magistrate Jacqueline Milledge stated during Fassnidge’s hearing. “That’s the dirty, filthy reality of the drug industry.”
The court further pointed out that this is Fassnidge’s second offense of driving with cocaine in his system. He was previously fined for a similar incident in 2022.
Meanwhile, Fassnidget’s attorney spoke about how the situation has impacted the chef.
“He’s lost sponsors as a consequence of this; he’s put everything on the line; he will never do this again,” the lawyer stated.
The chef’s legal counsel also noted that he wants to “redeem himself.”
However, Milledge clapped back, “Why didn’t he redeem himself in 2022?”
The celebrity chef then told the court that one of his New Zealand productions has been put on hold during the legal proceedings. He stated that everyone attached to the project would lose their jobs if he went to jail.
Despite her reservations, Milledge stated Fassnidge supported numerous charities, describing his community outreach work as “magnificent.”
“I loathe them (drugs), I think they’re horrible. Why should you be given another chance?” she asked.
To which Fassnidge responded, “These past four months, it has been pretty dark.”
Fassnidge was ordered to serve a two-year good behavior bond and warned him that if he were arrested again, he would come back to her.
“I thank you for this,” he added. “And sorry for wasting everyone’s time.”