'Okay, we're just crying tonight': MasterChef viewers are left in tears as contestants Khanh Ong and Reynold Poernomo reveal their emotional family backstories

MasterChef viewers were in tears just minutes into Wednesday's episode, when the show's contestants opened boxes to discover old family photos.

And the emotional rollercoaster continued as Khanh Ong and Reynold Poernomo revealed the emotional backstories behind their childhood photos.

'Okay, we're just crying tonight,' tweeted one viewer, while another added, 'Guess who's crying in front of the TV?'  

'Oh dear we are all crying at home after listening to #Khan and #Reynolds story!' commented one fan.

Added another: 'Was anyone else crying like they were chopping onions watching these guys talk about their childhood photos!?' 

One viewer said they wanted to 'reach through the screen and hug' Khanh, 27, and Reynold, as they spoke about immigrating to Australia. 

'My immigrant a** can't stop crying,' tweeted one viewer.  

Others thought it was an indication of how the rest of the emotionally charged episode would play out.   

'Oh OKAY so I'm just going to be crying for the next hour. Alright, sure,' tweeted one viewer, while another wrote, 'Well didn't think I'd be crying already but far out this episode.'

Some thought the situation was only made worse by the current coronavirus pandemic.  

'In the time of pandemics, crying is easy - but sobbing is unexpected. Moved by #Reynold and #Khahns stories. Much love to our fabulous contestants,' tweeted one viewer.

'REYNOLD CRYING. MELISSA CRYING. KHANH CRYING. NO ONE CAN HUG. I'M CRYING,' added another fan.

After each being presented with a family photo sent in by their loved ones, both Khanh and Reynold, 26, struggled to contain their emotions as they discussed their experiences as immigrants. 

Khanh revealed his photo was of him and his parents when he was two years old, and it had been taken on the day they arrived in Australia.

'I was born in a refugee camp. And that's... after we got approved to migrate,' he sobbed, calling it 'a massive change in our lifestyle'.

Reynold's photo showed him as a little boy sitting in between cardboard boxes, and he revealed he was often left alone as a child because his parents would be hard at work in their restaurant.

'I remember immigration getting my parents taken away for a little bit. The restaurant closed down, of course. My brother was getting food for me when I was hungry,' he said in between tears.

His moving story caused judge Melissa Leong and many of his fellow contestants to break down. 

MasterChef continues Thursday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten