A New Zealand version of Married at First Sight has been canned - for now

A local production of Married at First Sight for TV3 has been put on hold.

A New Zealand version of Married at First Sight is on hold - but producers are hopeful it will still get made.

The reality show follows four couples who meet at the alter and marry for a month, deciding at the end of the series whether they want to stay together or split.

Three seasons of an Australian version of the romance-based show have been made, with a fourth due to begin airing in January. It screens here on TV3.

Married At First Sight's panel of experts, John Aiken, Mel Schilling and Dr Trisha Stratford, watch over the show's four couples and provide expert advice.

A New Zealand version of the show was well underway for the same network, but producers say it's now on hold indefinitely.

Greenstone TV managing director Richard Driver told the Herald some casting had been done, with "experts arranged and a lot of the scheduling and contra and honeymoon destinations" organised.

"We had a positive steer that it was proceeding," he said. "Time is of the essence on this kind of show and you need to lock people in as soon as possible."

TV3 has been approached for comment. Chief content officer Andrew Szustermansaid in a statement that "putting a show into development doesn't mean it ends up in production".

"Like all broadcasters, we are constantly looking at content ideas and opportunities and often put these into development," he said.

Driver told the Herald he hadn't been given an official reason for Married at First Sight NZ's delay, but he believed it had something to do with The Bachelor NZ's third season being approved.

"From a programming point of view, I would have rested The Bachelor, kept it off for a year. It would have come back stronger in 2018."

TV3 has confirmed a third season of The Bachelor will air in 2017, despite the show's controversial second season ending with Jordan Mauger splitting from the winner, Fleur Verhoeven, just a day after it ended.

Dominic Bowden is replacing Mike Puru as host.

Driver said few changes would be made to a local version of Married at First Sight - if it ends up getting made.

"It worked well and we wouldn't have tampered with it, it would have just been with New Zealanders ... I think it's great television actually.

"I think it should be made and Greenstone would love to make it."