MAFS UK fans have 'worked out' which groom Ella has an 'affair' with
Ella 'cheats' on Nathanial
Last updated 12th Oct 2023
Believe it or not, we are somehow nearing the half way stage of this year's Married At First Sight UK, and whilst it's been pretty dramatic so far, things are going to be turned up a notch in the coming weeks!
As fans will know, Nathanial Valentino has already dropped HUGE spoilers by sharing a video on social media where he revealed 'the real truth will come out', and fans were later alluded to the fact that his bride Ella Morgan actually 'cheats' on him with another groom.
But whilst the scenes are yet to play out on screen and the groom in question is yet to be unveiled, fans believe they've now worked out exactly who it is...
Following the break-down of his relationship with Shona Manderson, which eventually leads to the experts telling them to leave the show, viewers think Brad Skelly is the groom in question surrounding the drama with Ella.
One wrote: 'I predict sexually adventurous Brad will try to run off with transgender Ella. He has the look of wanting something a bit more exciting'. (sic)
Another added: 'I'm actually concerned that Brad is gonna be making moves on Ella ya know, getting bad vibes #mafsuk #mafs'. (sic)
Another commented: 'The way Brad was shoving women out of the way to physically embrace Ella. They gonna cheat together'. (sic)
A fourth then predicted: 'Brad's gonna be the one to crack on with Ella, isn't he? And I am LIVING FOR IT'. (sic)
HOWEVER, in another twist, some viewers also think the groom in question could be late arrival JJ Slater!
JJ, who was matched with Bianca Petronzi, so far hasn't found a strong connection with his wife, and in a preview for Thursday night's (12th October) episode both JJ and Ella admit they would like to kiss each other.
Of course, scenes of Ella's apparent affair are yet to play out on screen, but a TV source previously told Mail Online: "There's no denying that Ella and Nathanial were instantly attracted to each other the day of their wedding. But Ella's natural type is a straight man with masculine energy so one of the other grooms ticked more of her boxes.
"She didn't want to hurt Nathanial or go against the process because being part of the show means so much to her.
"Ella was looking for love and with the other groom, he adores her body and mind, and they had a much better chance of enjoying a long-lasting relationship together."
Check out all of the things you didn't know about MAFS UK:
What really happens at the dinner parties?
The dinner party episodes of Married At First Sight UK are always a source of drama, but what happens behind the scenes? Speaking to The Tab, former bride Amy Christophers revealed that filming for the dinner parties can start as early as 8:30am, and sometimes filming doesn't end until 3am.
In order to add to the drama, Amy revealed that the couples are kept separate before entering the dinner party. She said: "You'll be sat waiting in room, and then they move you out of it, and into a different room. And slowly, you get closer and closer to the party - and you're staggered out so you don't see the other couples before you walk in, and you have no idea what order you're going in."
Are there limits on alcohol?
Many fans have wondered if the alcohol is free-flowing during the explosive dinner parties. Before they enter the party, the couples are allowed to drink as much as they would like to. However, after the mixer, they return to their individual rooms - not only to 'sober up', but to also give the show's crew a chance to set up the dinner party.
Are the arguments real?
Former groom Adrian Sanderson confirmed that the arguments we see on screen are in fact real. In an Instagram Q&A, he said: "People keep on saying that this is fake drama. It's not fake, they tried to keep it as authentic as possible. That's what they tried to separate us as much as possible and that's why problems happened when we went back to the apartment."
This was also echoed by 2022 bride Chanita Stephenson, who told OK! Magazine: "A lot of people think it's scripted but it definitely isn't. The dinner parties really are that dramatic. Sometimes, they tell you to talk about certain topics but never what to say, it was very real."
Who pays for the weddings?
The wedding episodes are a real highlight of the show, as the couples meet for the very first time at the altar. In terms of the cost of the wedding, the brides and grooms get a budget, as explained by Chanita. Speaking to OK! Magazine, she said: "You get a budget, everyone gets a budget, the brides and the grooms - the brides get more than the grooms - and from that, you have to find a wedding dress.
"Don't get me wrong, the budget's not the best and especially with the cost of wedding dresses, because they are so expensive so you do what you can, like I said, you have to go buy a wedding dress off the shelf.
"Within that budget, that includes your wedding dress and your bridesmaids. My bridesmaids got their own dresses and I put a bit towards it, but because the wedding dress is so expensive, it all goes on that."
Who plans the weddings?
Former MAFS UK bride Chanita explained that the couples know very little about the wedding, as it is planned for the couples. She said: "They do your hair and make-up for the wedding day and obviously they plan the whole wedding.
"It's quite difficult (to plan) because you're not allowed to know anything about your wedding day. The brides and the grooms get given a booklet each and you write down your preferences.
"So you put how you might want to have your hair, what bouquet you would like, what kind of interior you would like for the wedding and your flowers and stuff, and I think they compare you and your match and kind of go in between."
Do the brides and grooms get paid?
Many of us have often wondered if the MAFS UK cast get paid whilst on the show, and the answer is that they do get some money to cover their time on the show, but don't get paid.
An E4 spokesperson told Cosmopolitan UK: "Contributors do not get paid to appear on Married At First Sight but are provided with financial compensation for loss of earnings due to the time taken for filming."
Can the cast use their phones?
As with many TV shows, the MAFS UK brides and grooms don't always have access to their phones. Former bride Alexis Economou told Grazia that the contestants are given a production phone to enable them to speak to each other.
She said: "We were told that we'd have our phones until the morning of our wedding, but I think someone was in the car and found out who one of the husbands were, so production were worried that it would be leaked." Contestants are allowed to have their phones until they begin filming for the up-to-date episodes.
Do they really get married?
Many of us will be curious to know whether the marriages show on the show are actually official. A show synopsis on the Channel 4 website confirmed that they are, in fact, not legal weddings. It says: "Following the Australian format, rather than legal marriages, the couples will make a lifelong commitment to one another at a glamorous ceremony, overseen by a wedding celebrant, that includes guests, bridal gowns, dancing, speeches and cake."
However, the weddings seen in the first five series of Married At First Sight UK were in fact real.
Where are the apartments?
After meeting for the first time at their weddings and jetting off on an idyllic honeymoon together, the couples move in to an apartment together. But where are they based?
The 2023 apartments are situated in Wembley, North London, with all of the couples staying in the same block. The apartments boast a living space, bedroom and a balcony.
What is the application process like?
According to Closer, the application process is pretty intense. In order to ensure that perfect matches are found, candidates are put through workshops, background checks, interviews, tests and personality questionnaires.
In terms of putting themselves forward for the show, some of the brides and grooms apply, whilst others are scouted - often via social media. Out of the 2022 MAFS UK cast, only eight applied to be on the show.
Does it actually work?
There are a few Married At First Sight UK success stories, with some of the couples who have been paired together on the show staying together. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), show expert Paul C Brunson said: 'I've been on 3 previous #MAFSUK series. From those, 5 couples are still together, 2 babies have been born (including the first MAFS 🇬🇧 baby), and a third baby is on the way and due soon. For the record, I predict a baby will come from one of the couples in this series!'
2021 MAFS UK couple Tayah and Adam are now engaged and even welcomed their first child, Beau Emily Aveling, in October 2022! Zoe and Jenna from the 2022 series are still loved-up, marking their one-year anniversary in April 2023. Meanwhile, Owen and Michelle were matched on MAFS UK in 2020 and are still happily together, with the couple sharing the news that they are expecting their first baby in December 2023.
Who leaks stories to the press?
During the 2023 series, lots of stories from filming were leaked to the press before they'd aired on TV, leaving certain cast members and viewers very annoyed. 2023 contestant Luke Worley took to social media to express his anger at this, where he also revealed the cast are fined a huge £10,000 if they are caught leaking any stories.
Ella's rumoured affair isn't the only scandal to hit the current series of Married At First Sight UK.
Despite things looking up for Terence and Porscha after confessions week, the pair were rocked by drama this week after Porscha kissed other men during a game of spin the bottle.
Following an explosive dinner party, Terence shocked his fellow cast members by making the decision to leave the experiment, which led to Porscha going on a furious social media rant to reveal the 'truth'.
Married At First Sight UK airs Monday-Thursday at 9pm on E4.
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