MAFS UK's Ella and JJ 'ask to re-enter' as new couple 😲
The drama is heating up!
It's fair to say the current series of E4 dating show Married At First Sight UK is the most dramatic in history, and we are only at the half way stage!
As well as Brad Skelly being removed from the show due to his treatment of wife Shona Manderson, Porcsha Pernnelle 'cheated' on her husband Terence Edwards during a game of spin the bottle, and now two other cast members have an affair!
As fans will know, following Nathanial Valentino's wedding to transgender bride Ella Morgan at the start of the series, Nathanial took to social media to vent his anger, admitting 'the real truth will come out', with reports then suggesting Ella has an affair with another groom.
And now it looks like it's time for that 'truth' to air, as fans noticed a connection forming between Ella and newcomer JJ Slater on Thursday (12th October) night's show.
Following the cast splitting up and heading off to different spa days, both Ella and JJ admitted they'd like to kiss one another, with the pair flirting around the rest of their cast mates, and now a TV source has revealed all!
⚠️WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS below ⚠️
According to Mail Online, the biggest scandal of the series airs in the coming episodes as it's made aware that Ella and JJ enjoyed a kiss off camera.
Following an explosive argument with Nathanial, the pair leave the experiment, but reports are now suggesting that Ella asks to re-join in a new couple with fashion brand owner JJ.
A TV source told the publication: "Ella and Nathanial tried to take their relationship to the next level but agreed they were better off as friends.
"Nathanial was so disappointed by Ella's actions, he thought they had a mutual respect for each other and kissing someone else in the process went against his values. Ella loved the attention she received from JJ because it's what she missed in her marriage to Nathanial.
"After initially leaving the show when their marriages failed, Ella and JJ were given permission by the relationship experts to come back, which certainly ruffled feathers among the cast who have taken the process seriously from the beginning."
Check out all of these 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.
Despite fans loving Ella and Nathanial's instant connection during their wedding episode, things quickly went bad for the pair, with 36-year-old Nathanial taking to his Instagram Story to call out his wife.
In the video, he told fans: "I don't usually talk to the camera but unfortunately I won't be watching MAFS tonight but it's on at 9pm. The big thing is that I'm coming back home and I can't wait to tell the truth about all the s---that happened on this show."
Nathanial then took part in a tell-all interview with the Sunday Mirror, where he's slammed the show and bosses for 'manipulating contestants'.
Nathaniel, who identifies as pansexual, told the publication: “The way some were treated on the show became very dark. Pretty much from the start it was a complete sham.
"I told producers that I wanted to marry a man, or a woman with a very masculine energy, because that’s normally who I go for. Then I was told they matched me with a lovely girl who was transgender. My first reaction was ‘no’ because I felt that just wasn’t me, and I told them so.
“But they encouraged me to think about it, saying if I didn’t take part it would ruin this girl’s story. And by that point I had also turned down a work contract because I thought I’d be going on the show. So I agreed. My only deal-breakers were that she didn’t smoke and didn’t work in the sex industry.
"That’s why I was angry when I learned, before we went on honeymoon, Ella worked as a stripper. But when I asked to speak to my welfare person, I was told it wasn’t a good time. Another occasion, a producer told me I wouldn’t be asked about my family. Not long after, Ella asked me why she was being encouraged to ask me about my family."
He didn't stop there, Nathanial went on to accuse the show's bosses of stopping another woman getting close to him during the experiment.
He added: “Myself and another girl grew close and we sneaked on to a balcony to confide our feelings. But she told me that when she spoke to producers about it, the response was: ‘That won’t be believable. Nathanial is gay.’
"At that point I knew I had to get out. I felt I was being strangled and it brought out an ugly side of me. I knew I was going to tear the place down, so I quit. Since I left I’ve texted Ella saying: ‘You’ve broken my trust and loyalty and you never said sorry.’ She didn’t reply. I’ve asked for an apology from C4, which they have never given me.
“That’s why I am speaking out. I don’t want to upset the good, kind people who work on the show, but what happened to me can’t happen to another person. This show needs to have a ‘For Entertainment Purposes’ all over it. If you go on, you will have a devil whispering in your ear the entire time."
Now check out where you've seen the cast of MAFS UK 2023 before:
Nathanial
Nathanial was matched with transgender bride Ella during the 2023 series...
Nathanial - Young, Free and Single
In 2015, Nathanial appeared on E4 dating show Young, Free and Single, which featured single men and women looking for love. Although Nathanial got close to co-star Laura Carter on the show, the pair decided they were better off as friends, and have stayed friends to this day.
Nathanial - Geordie Shore
In 2021, Nathanial went on to appear on Geordie Shore spin-off show Geordie Shore: Hot Single Summer. Nathanial is friends with a lot of the cast, including Charlotte Crosby, who he has photos with on his Instagram page.
Peggy
Peggy was matched with Georges during the 2023 series...
Peggy - Take Me Out
In 2012, Peggy was a contestant on Paddy McGuinness' dating show Take Me Out, where she looked completely different! Just 19-years-old at the time, Paddy gave her the name of 'Picky Peggy' due to her pickiness of men.
Georges
Georges was matched with Peggy during the 2023 series...
Georges - Celebs Go Dating
Georges appeared on an episode of E4 show Celebs Go Dating back in 2018, where he went on a date with TOWIE star Chloe Simms. However, nothing materialised from the date and the pair went their separate ways.
Luke
Luke was matched with Jay during the 2023 series...
Luke - Language of Love
One year before MAFS, Luke appeared on Davina McCall's The Language of Love, which aired on Channel 4 in 2022. The show saw Luke move to Spain as he attempted to find love, with the twist being he had to connect with someone who couldn't speak his language.
Laura
Laura was matched with Arthur during the 2023 series...
Laura - Celebs Go Dating
Laura also appeared on an episode of Celebs Go Dating, going on a date with former Hollyoaks and Footballers' Wives actor Gary Lucy, before he found love with co-star Laura Anderson.
Brad
Brad was matched with Shona during the 2023 series...
Brad - Celebs Go Dating
Aged just 20 at the time, Brad appeared on an episode of Celebs Go Dating back 2016, during the show's first ever series. He went on a number of dates with reality TV favourite Charlotte Crosby, but things didn't work out for the pair.
Mark
Mark was matched with Sean during the 2023 series...
Mark - First Dates
Mark previously appeared in an episode of the Channel 4 show First Dates back in 2017. He was matched with Junior from Watford on the show, with the pair even sharing a kiss on their date. However, they later went their separate ways.
The drama surrounding Ella, Nathanial and JJ is set to air during next week's episodes.
MAFS UK continues Monday-Thursday on E4 at 9pm.
Now read:
Brad speaks out after being removed from MAFS UK over treatment of Shona
MAFS UK: JJ Slater's Victoria's Secret model ex-girlfriend revealed
MAFS UK's Porscha reveals she's been informed Terence was 'in another relationship'