A team was disqualified from The Amazing Race Australia after producers concluded a contestant breached the show's code of conduct following an alleged incident at a hotel in Nepal, Network Ten said.
TikTok creators Luke and "Sassy" Scott O'Halloran said they were subjected to what they described as "homophobic, offensive, intimidatory, and disturbing" remarks and gestures by Dan Middleton, the brother of SAS Australia host Ant Middleton, during a day off from filming. The pair said the encounters escalated over multiple approaches and left them and others at the hotel feeling uncomfortable.
"Dan Middleton approached us six times, making remarks and gestures that we found homophobic, offensive, intimidatory, and disturbing," Luke and Scott O'Halloran told Sydney Confidential. "Each time he came over to us, the encounters felt increasingly more aggressive. At one point, he was right up in our faces, surrounded by some of the other cast members, who seemed to us to be as uncomfortable as we were."
The O'Hallorans said AFL star Brendan Fevola physically stepped between them and Dan Middleton on more than one occasion in an attempt to defuse the situation. Reports that the incident had occurred first emerged in April, and producers later informed cast members of an outcome.
Network Ten confirmed that a team had been disqualified for breaching the show's code of conduct. "Network 10 takes the health, safety and well-being of all contestants seriously," a spokesperson said. "Following a breach of the production's code of conduct by one contestant, on a day off during production, a team from The Amazing Race Australia was disqualified and swiftly sent home."
Host Beau Ryan addressed viewers during a broadcast, saying, "Overnight, due to a breach of the code of conduct, Ant and Dan have been removed from the Race."
Ant Middleton, who presents SAS Australia, was not reported to have been directly involved in the alleged incident, but both he and his brother Dan were disqualified and removed from the programme. Network Ten did not disclose further details about the investigation or any disciplinary process beyond the statement that the removal followed a breach of production rules.
The O'Hallorans rose to prominence on TikTok and now host The Luke and Sassy Scott Podcast, in addition to touring live shows across Australia. Cast dynamics and contestant behaviour have periodically drawn scrutiny on reality competitions, and production companies commonly cite codes of conduct to govern off-camera as well as on-camera behaviour.
Producers made the decision amid concerns from other cast members about safety and comfort at the hotel, according to the O'Hallorans' account. Fevola's reported ultimatum — that he and his daughter Leni would leave the show unless action was taken — preceded the removals, the O'Hallorans said. Network Ten declined to comment on individual cast interactions or on specifics of producer conversations.
The Amazing Race Australia, which follows teams racing across international locations to complete tasks for prizes, has faced several casting and production challenges in past seasons related to off-screen incidents. The show's emphasis on contestant wellbeing has led producers to enforce conduct rules meant to protect participants and the integrity of the series.
No criminal charges linked to the reported hotel incident have been announced. Representatives for Ant and Dan Middleton did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Network Ten said it would not discuss ongoing production matters but reiterated its commitment to contestant safety and wellbeing.
The disqualification will alter the composition of remaining teams on the current season and may affect how producers proceed with casting and oversight for future international shoots. The network did not indicate whether footage involving the disqualified team would remain in the televised episodes or be edited from the broadcast edition.
The show is continuing its scheduled broadcasts while production and post-production decisions are finalised, and Network Ten said it would continue to follow its established policies when responding to incidents that occur during filming.