Truth behind MAFS Australian groom Sam Ball's disappearance to NZ

The couple had a tense reunion at the first dinner party. Photo / Channel 9

He was labelled "Australia's most hated man" by viewers after abruptly leaving for New Zealand and ignoring Elizabeth Sobinoff's calls just one day after their wedding on Married At First Sight.

But according to one ex-contestant, there's a very good reason why Sam Ball didn't contact his new "wife" for five days — and MAFS producers are behind it.

For those that missed it, Sam skipped his honeymoon to attend the funeral of his ex-girlfriend's mother, only to return unannounced at the first dinner party during last night's episode.

Sam is feeling the heat over his treatment towards Elizabeth. Photo / Channel 9

What followed was a fiery confrontation between Sam and his TV spouse, with Elizabeth blasting him for not answering any of her multiple voicemails — which he claimed he never got.

After the episode aired Telv Williams, who was paired with Sarah Roza on last year's season, took to his Instagram story to slam how Sam was being treated.

Accusing the MAFS experts of being "absolute rubbish" and "inciting a little bit of hate" towards Sam, Telv claimed the lack of communication between the couple had been deliberate.

"I can guarantee you that the producers would have told him he wasn't allowed to make any contact with his wife because you're not meant to talk to them," Telv said.

"If you're not around each other they don't want you to talk to them when you're not on camera. So don't be too harsh to Sam, he's done nothing wrong — f**k you experts!"

Meanwhile, Sam has given his only explanation as to why he didn't contact Elizabeth while he was overseas, telling 9Honey it was because of global roaming.

"I missed her voicemail completely, didn't even hear a call, and it's a random number so I wouldn't have had it saved," he claimed.

Telv Williams was paired with Sarah Roza on last year's season of MAFS. Photo / News Corp Australia

"And like I said, being in the headspace I was in I didn't even think of contacting Elizabeth, because we'd just met, and I'd made the other family a priority and went into work mode. I completely switched off and focused on what was at hand."

Sam is also feeling the heat over his comments about Elizabeth's weight, with 2Day Fm host Ed Kavalee hanging up on him during a fiery interview on Thursday morning.

"Sam, thank you, you are just one of the great guys. Hang up! I've had this bloke, he is the worst. God help me," Kavalee said.

"He's body shaming a woman on national television and his response is, 'Haha, she said something about me, everybody online thinks I'm cool.'"