You’d be forgiven if you thought you were watching Survivor and not Married At First Sight Australia this week considering the power plays, heated language, and side-taking that occurred between “team Jamie" and team Lauren“.
“The bogans just keep boganing with their boganic ways,” she tells producers, noting she intends to leave the experiment with Clint in tow to avoid the other contestants loudly prying into her personal life.
But while Jamie, in her naturally expressive way, tries to get to the heart of the issue, Lauren writes her off as a “troll” and verbally berates her and Awhina for being “a bunch of drunk bogans”.
Her brutal comments are getting testier and ruder by the day.
That doesn’t sit well with Rhi and Carina, who want to play a “Switzerland” role in the conflict. While they don’t condone the name calling, they ultimately admit they feel Lauren was ambushed.
Then, a bombshell revelation hits.
“I don’t have a connection with Clint, there is no spark,” Lauren says, leading Jamie to come to the conclusion that Lauren is leading her husband along for the ride.
Naturally, word gets back to Jamie’s husband Dave, another strong personality who has struck up a friendship with Clint and wants the best for him.
“I’m ready to expose Lauren to the rest of the group,” Dave tells producers, before advising Clint he should “play it smart”.
Clint, conflicted by the information, confronts Lauren, who assures him that the rest of the brides are lying and that she’s committed to their relationship.
“I’ve got no time for Jamie,” he says, siding with his wife and getting caught up in her version of the truth.
Clint goes to bat for his wife Lauren. Photo / Nine AU
In other worrying developments, Awhina is in her love bubble again with Adrian, and the audience can’t help being concerned that the temperamental groom is putting on a front again to mask his past appalling behaviour.
Unusually, Veronica and Eliot have turned a corner and, similar to Beth and Teejay, seem to be the least drama-prone pair of the night.
The final retreat-night drinks quickly turns into a catastrophe when Jamie asserts that she has “no interest in being civil with Lauren”, who thinks the night is giving “last supper vibes”.
Dave is quick to call out Lauren’s “troll” comment about his wife and demands an apology, but an outwardly naive Clint stands up for his wife.
Team Lauren also seemingly gets the support of Rhi and Carina, who believe Jamie should’ve approached the situation differently.
“Clint is blinded by the fact he likes her,” Dave says, with an unusually quiet Jacqui also going to bat for team Jamie when she says Lauren “shouldn’t speak like that”.
Adrian, sticking up for Awhina, also supports team Jamie.
Carina wants to play Switzerland, but Jamie feels slighted. Photo / Nine AU
Rhi and Carina try and stay neutral, but the damage is already done, and Jamie is left “beyond hurt” by her former allies.
“My friends have completely dropped the f****g ball,” she cries, as we await to find out if another commitment ceremony will turn into a Survivor-style tribal council.
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.
