Married at First Sight (Australian TV series)

Season 1 (2015)

During the first season, four female contestants are matched with their ‘perfect’ male partner by a panel of experts. In the first episode, two couples (Michael & Roni, Clare & Lachlan) meet and wed. In the second episode, another two couples (Zoe & Alex, Michelle & James) do the same. They all embark on married life together for the rest of the series. In the fourth episode, all couples meet each other for the first time and discuss their current experiences.

Lachlan & Clare

Lachlan and Clare met and wed in the show's first episode. Despite their decision to continue their relationship at the end of the series, Lachlan and Clare revealed they had split but remain good friends. The Nine Network announced on 26 June 2015, that Lachlan would participate in the networks upcoming revival of The Farmer Wants a Wife.

Roni & Michael

Roni and Michael met and wed in the show's first episode. By the fifth episode, Roni and Michael found that their relationship was not working for them and they mutually decided to split.

Zoe & Alex

Zoe and Alex met and wed in the show's second episode. Following the conclusion of the series, Zoe and Alex are the only couple currently still together. In March 2016, Zoe and Alex revealed that they are planning to get married legally. After suffering a miscarriage in June 2015, Zoe and Alex revealed that they are expecting their first child in October 2016. On November 14, 2016, Zoe gave birth to their baby girl named Harper-Rose Garner.

James & Michelle

James and Michelle met and wed in the show's second episode. In early June 2015, news reports revealed that James and Michelle had split, with Michelle having remarried to a former boyfriend. It was revealed that the two are no longer in contact with each other.

Season 2 (2016)

After airing only one episode, the Nine Network on 19 May 2015, announced that the series had been renewed for a second season which aired on 4 April 2016. During the second season, four female contestants are matched with their ‘perfect’ male partner by a panel of experts. In the first episode, two couples (Erin & Bryce, Christie & Mark) meet and wed. In the second episode, another two couples (Clare & Jono, Simone & Xavier) do the same. They all embark on married life together for the rest of the series. In the fifth episode, all couples meet each other for the first time and discuss their current experiences.

Erin & Bryce

Erin and Bryce met and wed in Melbourne in the show's first episode. In the final episode, they both decided to stay together. After a year together, they separated in late 2016. Since the show ended Erin has started her own fashion label called Boy Is Mine and is writing a fashion lifestyle blog erinbateman.com

Christie & Mark

Christie and Mark met and wed in Sydney in the show's first episode. In the final episode, they both decided to stay together. On 15 June 2016, they announced that they had split up.

Clare & Jono

Clare and Jono met and wed in Melbourne in the show's second episode and quickly became the seasons most controversial couple. By the fifth episode, Clare decided that their relationship was not working as she felt 'uncomfortable' with Jono's constant aggressive outbursts and she decided to end the relationship prior to the couple's dinner. After the show it was revealed by investigative journalist Siobhan Duck of the Herald Sun that Jono Pitman had previously been arrested and charged with assault after a bar brawl and completed a court ordered anger management course. Jono was then matched with Clare Verrall, who had been open about being attacked on the street by a stranger only months prior to filming and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after the incident. A Nine Network spokesperson confirmed they were aware of Jono Pitmans violent history prior to coupling up the pair. Herald Sun Article

Simone & Xavier

Simone and Xavier met and wed in Sydney in the show's second episode. In the final decision, Simone decided to walk away from the relationship and they are now separated.

Season 3 (2016)

It was announced in February 2016 that show should would return with two seasons, season two & three, there will be a bold casting move this season. This season will be the first to include five couples & is set to include the series' first ever same-sex male couple. During the third season, four female contestants are matched with their ‘perfect’ male partner & for the first time a male contestant is matched with his 'perfect' male partner by a panel of experts. In the first episode, two couples (Keller & Nicole, Mark & Monica) met and wed. In the second episode, another two couples (Jess & Dave, Bella & Michael) did the same. In the third episode, one more couple (Craig & Andy) were wed. They all embark on married life together for the rest of the series. In the sixth episode, all couples (bar one) meet each other for the first time and discuss their current experiences.

Keller & Nicole

Keller and Nicole met and wed in Brisbane in the show's first episode. In the final episode, they both decided to stay together. Since filming, the couple have called it quits.

Mark & Monica

Mark and Monica met and wed in Sydney in the show's first episode. In the final episode, they decided to stay in the relationship. Since filming, the couple have decided to break up.

Jess & Dave

Jess and Dave met and wed in Sydney in the show's second episode. In the fifth episode, Dave felt their relationship was going nowhere so they broke up.

Bella & Michael

Bella and Michael met and wed in Brisbane in the show's second episode. In the final episode, they both agreed to stay together. Since filming, the couple had decided to split up.

Craig & Andy

Craig and Andy met and wed in New Zealand in the show's third episode. In the fifth episode, Craig decided to walk away from the relationship during the honeymoon, due to a lack of intimacy.

Season 4 (2017)

It was announced on 12 September 2016 the series would return in 2017 with an extended series which will see 10 couples be wed. During the fourth season, 10 female contestants are matched with their ‘perfect’ male partner by a panel of experts. In the first episode, two couples (Cheryl & Jonathan, Sean & Susan) met and wed. In the second episode, another two couples (Michael & Scarlett, Anthony & Nadia) met and wed. In the third episode, two more couples (Simon & Alene, Andrew & Vanessa) met and wed. In the fourth episode, another two couples (Andrew & Lauren, John & Deborah) met and wed. In the fifth episode, the final two couples (Michelle & Jesse, Sharon & Nick) met and wed.

Jonathan & Cheryl

Despite having a good start Jonathan and Cheryl began to develop cracks during their honeymoon. These cracks further deepened at the dinner party which resulted in Jonathan exchanging numbers with Scarlett and the duo spent the night texting. At the first commitment ceremony Cheryl claimed she didn't wish to continue with Jonathan as "he seemed more interested in someone else". The duo called it quits at the commitment ceremony. Jonathan is now dating someone else.

Sean & Susan

Sean and Susan broke up but decided to "stay friends" citing the fact that they live too far away from one another and Susan could not live on Sean's farm. Love is dead. However she now can not see a future without Sean in it. Susan and Sean have decided to say together in the last commitment ceremony, the couple seem to want to stay together and their real problem is the distance from society on the farm and the fact that they have different lifestyles.

Michael & Scarlett

Things started unraveling for the couple when Michael told Scarlett that he would not move to meet her halfway between their current states due to the fact that he was "established" and he thought that because she was less tied down so she could move to him. From then they really only saw each other as friends and nothing really was going to happen as Scarlett was not Michael's dream girl. After the first commitment ceremony, the couple decided to go different ways and later that night it came out that Scarlett and Jonathan (Cheryl's husband) had sent text messages to each other for hours the night before.

Anthony & Nadia

As of the last Commitment Ceremony, they have decided to stay together and Anthony has said that Nadia would have to move in order for him to provide for them both as he is in a "niche market".

Simon & Alene

As of the Final Commitment Ceremony before the Final Decision they have both decided to stay and have said that they have told everyone that they have feelings for each other.

Andrew & Vanessa

The Final Commitment Ceremony before the Final Decision they decided to stay, though the fact that they may have to do long distance for a while before they decides what happens may cause contention in the long run.

Andrew & Lauren

On the wedding night Lauren disappeared leaving Andrew unaware of her whereabouts. After a confrontation meeting, Lauren said she wanted to try again, but Andrew decided that he did not wish to continue the experiment with Lauren. Andrew has since re-entered the experiment with Hair Salon Manager Cheryl.

John & Deborah

After meeting and Deborah's initial disappointment that John was not a Polynesian man or someone with culture, John and Deborah seemed to get on each other's nerves because John was simply everything she hated. During the honeymoon they ended up sleeping in separate beds, and John removed his wedding ring which caused further tension between them. At the commitment ceremony Deb wanted to give it another crack and so they ended up staying, but the next day John left the experiment saying "They wouldn't be anything but friends and that's not what he was there for".

Michelle & Jesse

As of the Third Commitment Ceremony they are still together.

Sharon & Nick

As of the Final Commitment Ceremony they have decided to stay, Nick even going so far as to say "That he would go where as long as Sharon was by his side"

Andrew & Cheryl

After Cheryl left the experiment after the Jonathan & Scarlett texting scandal, she spoke to the experts and ask if they could set up a date between Andrew and herself. They went on two dates before they deciding that they would reenter the experiment together as an unmarried couple, this caused controversy around the table at the dinner party as she was at the dinner the week prior with Jonathan. Even though the couple originally had some sparks, they were thrown into the deep end of the experiment having to jump right into the home stays, tensions started to rise when Andrew met Cheryl's for the first time and it didn't go well, Andrew feeling like Cheryl didn't have his back enough against her dad. Andrew chose to leave while Cheryl chose to stay to see if the relationship could be salvaged.

When the couples all had a family get together the couple was put into an intense boot camp to see if Jon the expert could overhaul the bond that they had. They decided to give it another go, but when the boys and girls night came about Andrew spent most of the night bagging out and putting down Cheryl even going as far to say that his runaway bride, Lauren, "was way more fun". Some of the boys took offense to this, namely Sean and Simon, and even silently Andy. Sean and Susan told Cheryl about it the next day but when Cheryl confronted Andrew about it he got snarky and condescending even going so far to start mimicking Cheryl.

Season 5 (2018)

In February 2017, the series was renewed for a fifth season which is set to air in 2018.

Controversy and legality

Before the first season went to air, an online petition calling for the series to be axed attracted over 15,000 signatures.

There was also criticism that, unlike the original Danish series, such marriages would not be legal under Australian law. Channel 9 admitted that participants would not actually marry. A spokesman said "In order to comply with the Australian Marriage Act (1961) which requires one month and one day notification, a marriage in law was not conducted. Each participant embarked on a commitment ceremony with a wedding celebrant with all due intention to commit fully to this union for the duration of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, they are given the option to continue with the relationship or go their separate ways".

Second season participant Simone Lee Brennan described the program as "never [being] portrayed to its full authenticity," suggesting the man she had been paired with had been recruited by producers and was seeking a sports-presenting role, rather than an applicant also looking for a relationship.