My Kitchen Rules used social media very well during its run. But has it backfired right at the end?

My Kitchen Rules, Australia's most popular TV program so far this year, faced an enormous backlash on Twitter tonight when the overwhelming majority of Tweeters stated, in so many terms, that the wrong team won.

MKR, as it's commonly known, impressed in some quarters with its embracing of Twitter and social media tool, Fango. The latter iOS app lets like-minded people follow a show as it airs and give their views live. But the comments there reflected what was seen on Twitter where multitudes tweeted along using the hashtag, #MKR.

But has it all backfired?

After a grand finale which saw boys versus girls cook five courses in a head-to-head final battle, few would have got to the final judgement without believing that the boys had won. According to the judges' comments throughout the night, the boys' only flaw had been the presentation on a single course, while the girls had their starter criticized as "too subtle" while their desert was deemed "stressed" with an element missing.

So it was a surpise to all, after having heard these comments reaffirmed in the final judgment, that the boys scored 8s and 9s while the girls scored 9s and 10s and subsequently won. The internets weren't happy.

Summing up the immediate aftermath were words and phrases such as, "rigged", "The boys should have won" and "I'm never watching MKR again!"

Here's a straight list of Twitter responses (concerning the result) using the #MKR hashtag straight after the decision:-

@BipolarBen f***ing rigged

@kristaaay_ WTF!!!!!!!!!!! How did the boys lose?!?!? Whatta crap show :( so devo

@ExtremeMessiah Congrats Leigh and Jen

@ffubyrotisih Nic and Rocco deserved it more #MKR so annoyed that the princess won -.-

@sforsophia NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

@richaaaa WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY D:

@bigboytony now the girls can go learn make a real congee

@crazypuff97 got trolled big time! Wikipedia says the winner is Nic and Rocco! #wtf

@Linka_D: I think it's obvious to all #MKR fans the wrong team won.. @PeteEvansChef @manufeildel can you explain how they won? The boys cooked better?

@ScotPittaway Friendship is the real winner #MKR

@RachelAnderssen: Congrats to Leigh and Jennifer on winning #MKR !

@MarvelousMattt: I do not understand how Nic and Rocco didn't win the competition. #MKR

@vivala_hayley: 12 ads in a row during the #mkr commercial break. I think it's safe to say the real winner was advertising.

@NicPowell Wrong decision #MKR I'll never watch reality TV again. With exception of Survivor. And maybe MasterChef. And the occasional Amazing Race

@BreezyRedden: What a load of baloney! The boys meal was obviously better! #yesijustsaidbaloney #MKR so true!!! Cray-Z!!!

@AmourBrad #mkr i dont get it ? they serve gravel, get into final.. dont dish up everything.. win final.. how can you not say it was rigged? *shrug*

@Kazbah1979: These judges are f***ed #MKR

@yatesy0794 #MKR more like My Kitchen's Rigged

@nickvernem My boys Nic and Rocco are trending worldwide!! Yet theres no mention of the team that actually won. What does that tell you #mkr

@Sam__1985 #mkr who did they sleep with to win? Nooooo those boys should have had that title??? This is coming from someone who hasn't seen it yet.

@GoIceGo See Conversation @manufeildel @peteevanschef I want to know how you came to those results in #MKR

@RachelAnderssen Congrats to Leigh and Jennifer on winning #MKR !

@Britt_Shanahan See Conversation @FOXMelbourne #MKR This is why Nic and Rocco should've won! #thinkingahead http://t.co/N3TVgQ8D

@grrowl more like my kitchen doesn't give a f*** #MKR

@MarkAmparo See Conversation @lizzylovette ok officially celebrating with you now! lol good to see the girls win! #MKR

@MsTipene The princesses should have been booted out after Thomas!! WILL NEVER WATCH ANOTHER CHANNEL 7 COOKING SHOW AGAIN! #MKR

@AKAVirtualPA See Conversation @SixInchHeel Yeah, what a letdown! #mkr

@natashasaurus You've been quoted in my #mkr story: "Twitter erupts into negative backlash over MKR final" http://t.co/lWIZwiUT

@Barbie_Ectassy #MKR n the winner is nic n rocco #aspiring chef xo

@Miki4JJ RT @natashasaurus: How did the girls even get tens? The judges said their first course wasn't perfect... #MKR

@jayde_ess RT @gilbo19: Nic and Rocco very stiff!! #hadtowin #MKR #rigged

@GAVKEEGAN01 See Conversation @daniel_moor they were raped - they completed every meal and got better reviews #rigged #MKR

@AUSKidrauhl RT @mryz: @FOXMelbourne @mcontheradio Nic and Rocco should have won #MKR

@24v RT @romeifyouwant2: #MKR - What a travesty. If that's not rigged television I don't know what is.

@rachelprasad RT @LukeMitchell__: The boys have it in the bag! #MKR

@DeeRose_9 Both teams did a great job but really don't think the girls should've won. Judges scores/comments didn't match up lol rigged much? #MKR

@HushedxAngel In reality... This Grand Final should be Megan and Andy vs. Nic and Rocco! Gravel should NOT have gotten them in for tonight's ep. #MKR

@MsTipene The judges should have stated from the start that they were going to award the team with the biggest sob story back ground the winner #MKR

@rubyprecious Ripped the f*** off! #mkr

@TheToftsView See Conversation @Uaskt Yep. They did by far the better and most complete desert and got 8s where the girls got 10s for an incomplete desert. WTF? #MKR

@thegreatjdilla: Nearly threw the remote at the TV when I found out Leigh and Jennifer weren't lesbians #MKR

@24v RT @saaddaniel: #MKR stands for My Kitchen's Rigged.

@sairzbarker #MKR personally I think both teams did an amazing job would be so hard to judge

@L_L_J_G RT @RugbyLeagueCric: I tell what is #Rigged it is #MKR . I tell you what is not rigged #Rugbyleague

@RozaaBreezy Leigh and Jennifer deserved the win!! They worked just as hard as the rest of the groups and clearly the judges loved their food #MKR

@natashasaurus American Pie 2 is on! I need some cheering up after Nic and Rocco lost... #MKR

@HushedxAngel See Conversation @ohbraids same, how these girls won, I don't know. They shouldn't even BE in the GF, it should be Megan and Andy vs. Nic and Rocco! #MKR

@MsTipene WHAT A CROCK OF S*** SHOW. #MKR

@Erination85 #MKR ... My Bitchin' Rules again I see ! Instead of Winning $250 Grand, Jen should Win a Poke in her Eye ! Nic and Rocco got Ripped Off

@mumoverboard #MKR I disagree with the decision on the finale as the girls didn't deserve a 10 cause they missed parts and 1st plate was bland. :(

@Kittenandangel The women judges were biased towards the girls both heavily criticized but gave tens please explain #mkr

There were many more. Some are shown here.

On Fango, the reaction was similar:-

Cilla Stoll Rigged badly..!

Steph Miller Nic and rocco should win :(

Jayden Stevens Why

Kyraa Karagiannidis This is so not right it should have been nic and rocco that won

Jacob Daniel Last time we watch mkr scam all about adverts

Juanita Sparkle Boys were inconsistent at times

Lisa Pulitano The boys were ripped off big time! Not meaning to knock the girls but Nic and Rocco were by far better chefs all round! MKR is rigged!

Ultimately, MKR will surely be waking up to a big ratings win, but time will tell what such a massive social media backlash will do for future series.

What do you think? Was it simply a case of editing in an effort to cause a more dramatic ending or did the wrong team win? Will the social media backlash have a long-term effect?

[update] Comments on the Herald Sun article aren't much better. Meanwhile, the comments on the official MKR Facebook page aren't much better - although there are allegations of comment deletion. We'll investigate tomorrow.