In a Married At First Sight First, a major couple swap showdown is set to unfold on the show this week which reportedly leaves the contestants 'livid'.
Married At First Sight is set to introduce a bombshell couple-swapping challenge this coming week.
The Australian series has been no stranger to cheating scandals over the years, but an upcoming experiment marks a first. This time, it’s the MAFS experts who are calling the shots, as they encourage the contestants to live with someone else and sleep in the same bed for three days.
According to the Daily Mail, the move leaves some brides and grooms “livid”, with some even refusing to participate.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, resident relationship expert John Aiken said the challenge was devised to put the couples out of their comfort zones.
“We’re constantly trying to throw challenges at the couples that they may experience in the real world, but in a very condensed short period of time,” he said.
“Some of them strengthen their bond as a result of these challenges, but other couples start to really come apart, and so how do they navigate that?
“It’s the tenth year and we need our participants to be constantly present and being aware of what’s going on in the experiment – they can’t be complacent.”
MAFS executive producer John Walsh downplayed the rather extreme relationship test, saying the show had dabbled with such initiatives in the past.
The publication went on to report that CEO Layton Mills was most furious about the challenge, arguing it would never happen in the real world.
Layton, who is in a happy place with his TV ‘wife’ Melinda Willis, is reportedly being paired with Bronte Schofield, who was abruptly dumped by her ‘husband’ Harrison Boon on Wednesday’s episode. This means either Bronte or Harrison must choose to ‘stay’ at Sunday’s commitment ceremony.
In what will no doubt make for explosive television, Melinda is said to be matched with Harrison, whom she has called out numerous times over the past few weeks for emotionally manipulating Bronte and fellow contestants.
At the dinner party, Harrison told Melinda she sounded like a “living nightmare” to be in a relationship with.
MAFS Australia is available to stream first on ThreeNow or on Three Sunday 7pm and Mon to Weds 7.30pm.