Poh Ling Yeoh heartbreakingly admits she feels ‘guilt’ over her mother’s death: ‘It’s a wound I’ll have forever’

Poh Ling Yeow has heartbreakingly admitted she feels ‘guilty’ over the death of her beloved mother.

The former MasterChef judge, 50, lost her mother Christina to cancer in November 2022 and was working abroad when she passed away.

Now Poh has devastatingly shared her regrets about the trip abroad, saying it is something she still regrets as she reflects on Christina’s long battle with cancer.

“She was sick, she encouraged me to go, but I shouldn’t have done that – it will be a wound forever,” she said The Australian Women’s Weekly on Thursday.

‘She never complained during her entire treatment, she was so stoic. I was confident she would win the battle and buy at least a few more months, if not years.

“I took her courage for granted, but it turned out to be the worst throw ever.”

Earlier this year, Poh broke down in tears on MasterChef when discussing her relationship with her late mother.

Wiping away tears, the Malaysian-born presenter said her mother struggled to show affection until Poh shot to fame on MasterChef in 2009.

The heartbreaking moment started when contestant Nat revealed that her mother first told her she was proud of her when she landed a place on the show, before Poh opened up about her own experiences.

“After I was on MasterChef, it was one of the first times my mother ever said she was proud of me,” Poh shared through tears.

Overwhelmed with emotion, she continued, “I think that’s why I’m very emotional when I’m in this kitchen, because it affected so much of my life outside of cooking.

‘Cooking became the thing that united us, because we had this very Asian problem of having difficulty expressing our love.

“So it’s so amazing how this cuisine connects us in so many different ways.”

Two years after Christina’s death, Poh admitted that her grief still hits her when she least expects it.

The former MasterChef judge, 50, lost her mother Christina to cancer in November 2022 and was working abroad when she passed away

‘I notice that he comes along at the most unexpected times. I notice that your mind is not active then; like doing something very mundane, like driving a car,” she told Refinery 29.

“It’s almost like being busy and doing things, it’s a way to persevere [grief] hidden, but when you don’t realize it, it pops out to say hello.’

Elsewhere in her interview with Women’s Weekly, Poh also reflected on other relationships in her life, including the difficulties that came with two divorces.

Poh revealed why she has decided to remain single after being married twice, and shared what her dealbreaker would be in a new relationship.

‘I don’t know how I would deal with anyone else in my life. I’ve had two marriages and I think I need to find a new model. “I think keeping separate homes is brilliant,” she said.

Poh married her first husband Matt Phipps in 1989, but they split after nine years together.

The reality star then tied the knot with Jono Bennett in 2014, but went their separate ways in early 2021 after six years together.

She remains on good terms with both of her ex-husbands and has previously spoken openly about how she manages to maintain close friendships with both of them.

Speaking to The Australian Women’s Weekly, Poh shared her regrets about the trip abroad, saying she still regrets it when she thinks about Christina’s long battle with cancer.

Poh also discussed her close relationships with her two ex-husbands Matt Phipps and Jono Bennett. Matt is now married to her best friend of 20 years, Sarah Rich (all pictured)

After her divorces, Poh ran the Jamface cafe in Adelaide with both her exes and Matt’s new wife Sarah Rich, with their ‘love square’ business deal generating widespread interest.

Poh spoke on the Share My Mood podcast about how she navigates her relationship with Matt, who is now married to Sarah, her best friend of 20 years.

She revealed that she is still friends with both Matt and Sarah, describing it as ‘amazing’ and ‘weird’ that they have all managed to maintain such a close bond.

“He’s still my ride or die, Matt and we still have the biggest roommates for his partner, who is my best friend,” she told the KIIS Network’s Will & Woody.

“That’s the part of the whole wonderful, weird story. We’re all still really good friends.”

Poh said she worked through her “unresolved love” to build a “healthy” relationship with Matt, which allowed them both to move on.

She shared, “I think if people are still triggered by their partners, I think there’s something about them that still has a hold on them and you want to get rid of that so that you’re an empty vessel that you can go to.” . new relationship with.’

She revealed that she and Matt broke up because she felt like she no longer “recognized” herself amid their “dysfunction.”

Poh candidly said that it made her realize that their relationship wouldn’t work like a marriage, but instead they managed to remain good friends after their divorce.