Couple forced to leave 'My Kitchen Rules'

Kelly Cooke has been forced to withdraw from My Kitchen Rules with husband Ash after she went blind in her right eye.

The wannabe restaurateur from Melbourne, who has previously been tipped to win the Seven Network reality cooking series with her husband, suffers from opotic neuritis, an inflammation of the optic nerve that can cause loss of vision and blindness.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Seven bosses insisted that Kelly was not allowed to take part in a cook-off against fellow contestants Kane Lillywhite and Lee Chan due to health and safety concerns.

Kelly said: "It wasn't our choice to leave. We fought all we could to stay on the show and to do the cook-off. We offered for Ash to do the cook-off by himself if that's what it took. We wanted to stay in the show no matter what.

"Channel Seven's legal people said we had no choice - we had to leave. It was devastating to us. We knew what it would look like to some viewers.

Host Peter Evans added: "We could tell how upset everyone was to see Kelly and Ash go. It's a sad day."

Lillywhite and Chan were also saved from elimination last week when they beat James and Melanie Maddock in a cook-off.

It was recently announced that My Kitchen Rules will return for a third season next year.