Once again, Eliot’s lack of accountability led to a righteous grilling from the other couples during the latest Married At First Sight Australia dinner party, with a tone-deaf comment leading to a verbal bloodbath.
And Eliot’s brazen comment wasn’t the only one that turned heads, with Billy confessing to Adrian he wanted to do a “wife swap” amid the marital turmoil they both claimed they were facing.
Gaslighting seems to be the name of the game for a lot of grooms on the show at this point, as they constantly deflect and defend their often unacceptable actions while turning their back on their spouses.
But in reality, were we really so naive as to think runaway groom Eliot was a “changed man” and had reflected on himself and his actions?
Shocked faces and gasps were a theme of the night, and became most apparent when Eliot, coupled with new wifeVeronica, reunited with ex-wife Lauren and her new groom Clint.
There was always going to be tension and a war of words, but no one was prepared for what would come out of Eliot’s mouth.
With a throwaway tone, the groom said Lauren had “about five margaritas” on their honeymoon and “might not remember” the awful things he said to her, accusing her of lying.
Even the most casual viewer at home would’ve jumped out of their seat hearing something like that, I know I did.
Clint, clearly distressed by the comment, looked ready for a fight as he berated Eliot, while Veronica’s face dropped as she realised her new groom may not be the great guy she thought he was.
“I feel sorry for Eliot’s new wife. She’s probably going to get sick of him anyway,” Lauren said earlier, and she may not be wrong.
Tensions were brewing between Sierah and Awhina and Billy and Adrian, with all four coming to the party separately following a week of turmoil.
“Nothing adds up,” Billy lamented after reflecting on the fact he found out Sierah and Adrian went for dinner together.
Adrian’s childish outburst last week over a promotional shoot left Awhina reeling, and his petulance was on full display at the party as he continued to gaslight his bride.
“Pathetic,” the experts agreed in unison as they watched the livestream in horror.
Billy turned up to the latest dinner party alone, with his wife swap comments later being revealed. Photo / Nine AU
While Sierah tries to atone for her sins by apologising to Awhina, the conversations continue to spiral and result in the shocking revelation that Billy had earlier asked Adrian for a wife swap.
It’s a sudden departure from the nice guy attitude most audiences might perceive Billy to have, leaving Awhina seemingly as the only one left with a moral compass.
Some of the more subtly weird moments of the night came through the interactions between Jacqui and Ryan.
In true Jacqui form, seeing the other loved-up couples (like a healed Tony and Morena) was an opportunity for her to ask Ryan to “say something that makes me feel good about myself”.
The other couples couldn’t help sniggering at the farcical nature of it all, especially when Ryan compliments his wife for keeping fit and healthy by eating fruits and vegetables.
But this bizarre occurrence still wasn’t enough to overshadow the earlier drama as Sierah walked out in shock and dismay.
Billy admits the wife swap comment wasn’t acceptable, but the damage is already done as the experiment continues to spiral out of control.
Beth, new to all the drama after marrying husband Teejay last episode, earlier said she was “looking for a bit of fire and a bit of spice” after her “chill” honeymoon. Boy did she get it.
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024 and has taken on the unofficial role of MAFS correspondent for this season. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.
