First clip of MAFS UK released as groom plays huge prank on bride
The new series is nearly upon us!
If like us you're a huge fan of Married At First Sight UK, you are no doubt counting down the days for the arrival of series nine, which is set to land on E4 sometime in September.
Although bosses have so far kept tight-lipped about this year's cast, E4 have now dropped an exclusive first clip from the 2024 series, which sees a cheeky groom playing a huge prank on his new bride.
In the clip, a groom called Kieran from Newcastle is awaiting the arrival of his unknown bride, whilst sporting some fake teeth. He says in the clip: "This could really end up bad. But I just want to know if this girl is fun."
As bride Kristina nervously makes her way down the altar, she clocks eyes on Kieran and says: "Oh my god", before saying to the camera: "These teeth. What the f---k."
Former MAFS UK contestants and fans were quick to comment on the exclusive first-look video. Erica Roberts wrote: 'Surely not 😭😭😭😭', with Laura Vaughan adding: 'This is gold 👏👏👏'.
Chanita Stephenson then commented: 'OH MY GOSH !! imagine lmaaooooo'. (sic)
Bosses are yet to unveil a start date or the cast for the upcoming ninth series, but filming did take place at the beginning of 2024.
Check out all of these facts about MAFS UK you didn't know:
Do they get married for real?
Many of us will be curious to know whether the marriages 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.
Do the cast have their phones?
No! During the experiment, the cast aren't allowed access to their personal phones. Instead, they are given production phones which only include numbers of their fellow cast members. The cast are allowed banking and shopping apps, but they don't have access to their social media accounts during filming.
Do the cast choose where to go for their honeymoon?
They don't! As the 10th series aired in 2025, former bride Erica Roberts confessed on TikTok that the couples have zero idea where they are going on their honeymoon, and only find out when they open the envelope, which is shown on screen.
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. Former contestant Erica Roberts revealed in 2025 that the cast get a budget of just £1,200 by production "which is meant to cover the wedding dress, the shoes, the bridesmaid dresses, the bridesmaid shoes, accessories, veil and whatever else you need for the wedding."
Erica also confirmed that the contestants can put additional money into their wedding, but they are only allowed 12 guests!
Who plans the weddings?
Former MAFS UK bride Chanita Stephenson explained that the couples know very little about their 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."
How long do the dinner parties take to film?
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."
How long does each couple get on the couch?
2025 couple Keye and Davide revealed in a behind-the-scenes video that each couple get around 45 minutes to one hour to speak to the experts at each Commitment Ceremony.
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."
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."
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 apartments are in the Luna complex in Wembley, London.
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.
Applications for the 2026 series are now open.
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.
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. You can check out which couples went on to get married for real right here.
When the new series does land, it will air on E4 every night between Monday-Thursday.
Past series of MAFS UK are available on Channel 4's streaming service now.
Now read:
Everything you need to know about MAFS UK
Which MAFS UK couples are still together after the show
Thomas Kriaras reveals how much the MAFS UK cast get paid to appear