Take a rare look inside

SIX COUPLES QUIT! MAFS IN CRISIS

While many of the marriages are struggling, the MAFS brides have bonded – for now

Sex, lies and fights threaten to shut down the reality show S evenseasonsin,realityTV juggernautMarriedAtFirst Sighthasbeenhitbyoneof itsmostcriticalissues. Sixofthe10coupleshave left–orarethreateningto quit – themostwatchedprogramon AustralianTV.‘There’salotofdramaand turmoilbehindthescenes,’ashowinsider tellsOK!.‘Producersarescramblingto ainingcouples ouples hanging shave um-of-two her NS many

struggling on producers made

inute decision to 2019 bride Lizzie arriage to Sam Ball red early on last year. izzie didn’t hesitate to ger once again. ‘I’m back ve I deserve,’ she says – ve the show that made her o! bewildered husband Luke Eglin leave the show before they’d even reached their second commitment ceremony.

‘While the signs were there from the very beginning that Poppy wasn’t coping, she wasn’t expected to walk off so soon,’ the insider tells. The reality bride has since blasted her ex in a Facebook rant, calling him ‘a complete dick’.

That departure, combined with a number of fragile marriages including Mishel and Steve’s, Michael and Stacey’s, Amanda and Tash’s, Hayley and David’s, Natasha and Mikey’s and Connie and Jonethen’s, means that marriages could potentially fail before the hit series is at its halfway point. ‘We’ve never known anything like it,’ the insider tells. ‘Producers are seriously worried.’ That some brides and grooms are doing little to conceal they’re single publicly – while their marriages are still playing out on air – is also causing headaches for production. Bride Tash Herz has been spotted kissing another woman at the beach, Hayley Vernon enjoyed a wild night out at a strip club with Jessika Power and Natasha Spencer has been spotted out in Sydney with an ex. ‘It’s chaos,’ the insider tells. While MAFS still tops TV ratings, some fans are questioning whether it will ever really succeed in helping people find love. ‘It’s just all about the drama now,’ said one online. With drama already threatening six couples, perhaps the show should be rechristened Divorced At First Sight… th dtrytopersuadethe oserelationshipsar bya hreadtostay.’ week M F fS readyseentearful PoppyJenningsan IZZI ETU With so couple FS, a last Sobinoff. Her A new-look rry a st to get the and help s famous, ‘We love that Lizzie is back,’ a fan gushed online

NOT THE BEST TRACK RECORD? So far, almost 60 couples have married across seven seasons of MAFS. But to date, only three pairs remain together. ‘It’s not a great result for a show where couples are matched by experts,’ a show insider admits. Cam Merchant and Jules Robinson married for real in November 2019, while two other couples are also still dating.

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BUSTUPS If you though last year’s season of MAFS served up drama, viewers – and the remaining brides and grooms – are in for even more of a wild ride. Bring it on!

Mishel has accused her groom Steve of ‘not listening’ to her Luke (left) had to leave after his bride Poppy missed her kids too much

While Natasha Spencer and Mikey Pembroke’s relationship heated up this week (following the revelation they’d consumated their marriage), off screen, Natasha has shared with OK! she experienced domestic violence during a relationship in her early 20s.

‘One ex was a really horrible person,’ Natasha, 26, says. ‘He was physically and emotionally abusive.’ The financial analyst says she managed to leave the relationship with ‘great’ support from her family, but admits it ‘took me a long time to get to a place where I felt happy again’.

Thankfully, Natasha says she’s ‘in a good place now and ready to find love with someone kind’. Our fingers are crossed for you! NATASHA: MY SECRET PAST If you or someone you know needs help, contact Lifeline for 24/7 support on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au