After walking off on Josh during the showdown between Wollongong power women Mel and Cyn and Melbourne hipsters Court and Duncan, Amy started Wednesday's episode determined for a fresh start.

But minutes into the show, the verbal barbs started flying. The first squabble was over how much fish to buy. And later resulted in Amy banishing him from the kitchen.

"Do not tell me to settle," Josh says after Amy encourages him to calm down.

His remarks aren't limited to his MKR teammate, however. Other contestants also copped a spray.

When Adelaide amateur chef Tim finds himself in a pickle in the middle of the street food challenge, he rushes into Josh and Amy's shipping container to see if they'll let him borrow a saucepan. But Josh isn't having any of it.

"Top teams are going to elimination today, mate," he said. "That's yourself."

Josh has gone to ground after a wave of social media backlash against him for the way he has treated his wife on the show. The behaviour has even forced judges Pete and Manu to counsel Josh off-camera.

Several of Josh's fellow contestants have leapt to his defence, however, arguing the WA boy isn't all bad.

Queensland contestant Della - who had a lot to say to Josh on Tuesday night's episode - told Fairfax Media that while she is "fed up" with King Neptune's behaviour, he does have a funny side.

"I don't think he deserves all the hate," she said. "There's a lot of good in Josh. [The producers] just don't have the time to show the light and dark in every person... that's just how they have to do it."

Della said she wasn't surprised that Josh has been portrayed as a villain, pointing out he likes to stir the pot both on and off camera.

???"When the camera is on Josh, you could see him getting off on it and giving the producers what they want," she said. "But Amy isn't like that. I found it really difficult [to watch], but we all have flaws. What you see with Josh is what you get."

Mother and daughter duo Valarie and Courtney - who are in Melbourne to promote their new Coles sauce - were also unsurprised that the majority of viewers see Josh as villain. Valarie told Fairfax Media she thinks it comes down to Josh and Amy's age.

"They don't have a filter," she said. "They get angry and don't realise - or maybe they do - that there's so many people watching. It's a bit of a shame that they can't keep their emotions in check because they're a very loving couple."

So is Valarie annoyed, even just a little, that this season of MKR quickly turning into the Josh and Amy show (and therefore detracting from their exceptional cooking abilities)?

"It's part of the show," she said, brushing aside the question. "The public will see through that sort of thing. We're very confident and comfortable in our abilities and we know what we're doing, so it doesn't worry us."

But Josh eventually showed signs of a turnaround on Wednesday night, saying: "We've given a lot of bad seafood. And I'm just waiting to get grilled again. We're going to Sudden Death again for sure."

The seafood king was made to eat a tiny slice of humble pie by hosts Pete Evans and Colin Fassnidge, who schooled Josh that fileting leatherjacket was a no-no but went on to deliver the smiling pair high praise: "Your fish was cooked beautifully. I wanted to just keep going back for more. It was a bloody good laksa."

"I think, Josh, you should stay in the doghouse a lot more. You got banished from the kitchen. And do you know what. It paid off. That dish was spot-on," raved Colin.

"Amy, that laksa - the paste, the balance, the heat - that was, you know, that was banging. It was so good. Dish of the day for me," said Pete.

Instead it was Mark and Chris, and Brett and Marie in Sudden Death.