Married at First Sight UK expert Mel Schilling has offered a rare glimpse into the show's matchmaking process, sharing her golden rule for pairing couples. Speaking exclusively to Reach, the relationship expert revealed that she prioritises values over physical attraction when matching participants.
Schilling explained that many singles entering the MAFS experiment are exhausted from the dating world. 'So many people that I speak to who are coming into the MAFS experiment are just exhausted from the dating world, fed up,' she said. 'Whether they've had a series of relationships that have let them down or they've been hurt. They've not had any real success in the dating world and were feeling really defeated by it.'
The expert noted that many people fall into 'lazy patterns' by consistently pursuing their usual type based on 'superficial characteristics'. Her role involves encouraging participants to move beyond these preferences. 'We're not there to continue perpetuating their type, we're not giving them what they want necessarily, but what they need,' she said.
Schilling emphasised that physical attraction is not the starting point. 'It's nothing physical that's for sure, it starts with values,' she said, adding that tools like Google AI can help singles explore their values. She has partnered with Google AI to assist singles in their search for love.
Regarding the show's popularity, Schilling said audiences see themselves in the couples and can recognise patterns in their own relationships. 'They also sometimes take our advice and apply it to their own relationships which is wonderful but of course there's also the drama as well which is very addictive,' she added.
