Is Married At First Sight real or fake? Former contestants weigh in on producer-driven drama
Despite the illusion that it’s their big day, the couple’s wedding ceremonies are all for show as the Australian Marriage Act orders couples to notify the court one month and one day ahead of tying the knot.
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A match made in MAFS: All the Married At First Sight couples who are still together
MAFS stars Kerry & Johnny Balbuziente welcome their first child together
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“Each participant embarked on a commitment ceremony with a wedding celebrant with all due intention to commit fully to this union for the duration of the experiment,” a Nine Network rep confirmed.
“At the end of the experiment, they are given the option to continue with the relationship or go their separate ways.”
And seeing as many couples split after or even during the show, can you imagine the amount of paperwork Channel Nine would have to churn through?
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As for the contestants, they’re real, although not all of them apply for the show.
Former MAFS grooms Jono Pitman and Ryan Gallagher were both headhunted for the series, the former of whom was hit-up at a Sunday footy game.
“I said no, but took the producer’s card. Then they called me when I was at the pub and was convinced it was a good idea!” Jono told TV WEEK.
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A match made in MAFS: All the Married At First Sight couples who are still together
MAFS stars Kerry & Johnny Balbuziente welcome their first child together
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However, there are rumours that producers hire a sprinkling of actors to help amp up the drama.
“… I wonder how many paid actors they’ve hired this year? I know most were actors in our season. I can’t believe it hasn’t come out yet,” former groom Telv Williams wrote on Instagram when discussing the 2019 cast.
Some of the 2019 cast, including disaster couple Billy Vincent and Susie Bradley, along with Mike Gunner, Sam Ball and Dino Hira, were revealed to have backgrounds in acting, while Jessika Power and Melissa Lucarelli had modelling experience.
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The following year, eagle-eyed fans noticed that contestants including Amanda Micallef, Vanessa Romito, Mikey Pembroke and Cathy Evans had dabbled in acting with the latter even having a performing arts degree.
“I’m not going to deny that I did a performing arts degree but that was a degree should lead on to drama teaching,” she told Now To Love in 2020, adding: “I was thinking of being the next Mr G from Summer Heights High!”
“There’s no shame for me to admit that I completed a degree but I can definitely say I haven’t been an actor in Australia ever. It’s a career choice I made so long ago as a teenager that when I became an adult and developed into a young woman after I finished the degree, I realised this is probably something I don’t want to do.”
Even controversial 2021 groom Bryce Ruthven had a stint on Home and Away – and we have the pics to prove it!