Former contestants of Australia’s Married at First Sight (MAFS) have spoken out against the show, alleging it subjects participants to “control, manipulation and isolation”. The criticisms come as the UK version of the franchise faces serious allegations of rape and sexual assault, prompting a broader reckoning over reality TV safety.
In season 13, groom Tyson Gordon sparked controversy by saying he did not “stand for” woke people and later expressed a desire for a “submissive” wife – comments described by social services minister Tanya Plibersek as mainstreaming “coercive control”. Gordon later walked back the statements, claiming he meant “traditional”. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) has conducted ten investigations into MAFS and received 39 complaints, with the most recent in 2025 focusing on themes of domestic violence. No breaches have been found.
Concerns have been raised about the vetting of participants. Bride Awhina Rutene was matched with Adrian Araouzou, who had faced historical domestic abuse charges that were dismissed before filming. Rutene said the show “obviously needed a better vetting process” and described the environment as a “pressure cooker” where intimacy is forced. Another participant, Sierah Swepstone, wrote on Instagram that the environment is characterised by “gaslighting, psychological dependency and deprivation of autonomy”.
An anonymous former participant alleged that men with “criminal or domestic violence backgrounds are cast regularly” and that women on her season experienced “physical violence, assault, non-consensual touching”. She argued that constant camera surveillance, as used on Love Island, would improve safety. Olivia Rutherford, a season nine bride, said she does not believe the show can be made safely.
