celebrity

From First Dates to Home and Away: Where you've seen the MAFS cast before.

 

To catch up on all the MAFS 2020 recaps and gossip, check out The Twins recaps and visit our MAFS hub page. And sign up for our Recaps newsletter to get them straight into your inbox. 

Amid all the rumours, tears and ~ drama ~ we keep finding ourselves asking one very important question when it comes to Married At First Sight… why does everyone on this show look so familiar?

Well, now we finally know why.

You see, it turns out almost all the contestants on this season have actually appeared on TV before. In fact, some of them have even appeared on dating shows previously.

So if they look familiar to you, it’s because… they are.

And this seems to be a running theme with the show. Even contestants on last year’s season of MAFS were found to have a little bit of TV experience.

From reality TV to YouTube, here’s where you’ve seen this year’s contestants before.

Mikey Pembroke

Mikey is no stranger to TV drama, having played an extra on Australian cult soap series, Home and Away.

Mikey told TV Week that he was asked to say “a few lines” during one scene where he played a patient in hospital.

“There was a big argument between two people and I was supposed to say, ‘Oh, hey guys, I’m the one that’s sick,’ or something like that,” he told the publication.

At the time, Mikey was hoping to join the cast of the show.

“When I was younger, that’s what I wanted to do. I was like, ‘That’s the show that I want to be on.’ But it never eventuated.”

ADVERTISEMENT
Mikey mafs
Image: Channel 7.

But Mikey did manage to land a minor role on Friday on My Mind, an ABC miniseries about Australian rock band, The Easybeats.

You might spot him playing the role of 'Jigger' in a few scenes across two episodes.

But that's not all.

Mikey has also appeared as a contestant on Channel Seven's Deal or No Deal back in 2015.

ADVERTISEMENT

And it looks like it didn't go... well. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

After double value cases and a second chance ... It was very upsetting ???????????? oh well #careaye

A post shared by Mikey (@mikeypembroke) on

 

Steve Burley

Steve already knows the ins and outs of dating shows, having previously appeared on Channel Seven's First Dates in 2018.

On the show, the 51-year-old barbershop owner went on a first date with a 48-year-old woman named Fiona.

When the pair were asked if they would be interested in seeing each other again, Fiona said, "I would certainly be interested in another date. See what happens, and see where things could go."

ADVERTISEMENT

But Steve quickly turned her down.

“For me, I had a great time, but I didn't feel the spark. I feel the conversation went really well, but there was no fun element”.

"I'm 49, but give me mid-twenties, give me late-twenties, that's what I am."

mafs 2020
Image: Channel Seven.

Aleks Markovic

Real estate agent, Aleks, also had a small stint on a dating show. Back in 2018, she was a contestant on Channel Seven's Take Me Out.

ADVERTISEMENT

But she ended up turning her light off for contestant, Dan, after he revealed that he has a pet snake.

“I’ve got a massive phobia of snakes. I’ve never even touched one,” Aleks told host Joel Creasey.

Aleks mafs take me out
Image: Channel Seven.

Josh Pihlak

It's no secret that reality stars tend to amass a large social following after they leave a show.

But Josh is already well on his way.

The 28-year-old truck driver has performed his own comedy skits on Tik Tok and Instagram for the past few years. And they're quite popular.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cathy Evans

Josh's on-screen wife, Cathy, also has experience in front of the camera. After graduating from Unitec Institute of Technology in Auckland with a degree in performing arts, Cathy moved to Australia to start her acting career.

Cathy shared photos of her headshots on Instagram in 2015, but it's not clear if she landed any roles before MAFS.

ADVERTISEMENT

"These are one of the best acting headshots ever. Time to take over Australia," she wrote at the time.

The 26-year-old also went on to start her own YouTube channel in March 2016.

Vanessa Romito

According to Daily Mail, Vanessa filmed a project with GrindFilms in February 2019.

In one scene, Vanessa plays a character at a party with several other women, the publication reports.

Amanda Micallef

34-year-old personal trainer Amanda has a StarNow profile, where she describes herself as an "actor, extra, model and TV presenter, radio presenter"

ADVERTISEMENT

Amanda even briefly appeared as an extra in the 2009 film Knowing, starring Nicolas Cage.

Amanda MAFS
Image: Star Now.

Sebastian Guilhaus

Sebastian is joining the show as an 'intruder' alongside Elizabeth Sobinoff. And you might find yourself wondering what's so familiar about him.

It turns out he's dabbled in acting, particularly stage theatre.

ADVERTISEMENT

"The only thing that's been consistent [in my life] has been my love of entertaining people and making people smile. I thought, 'What encompasses all of that?' and I came up with acting," he told Adelaide Now in 2018.

Seb also appeared on Today Tonight as a model in a segment about 'Adelaide Party Girls' back in 2013. And by the looks of his Instagram, he's graced a few catwalks as a fitness model.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Anb nationals #health #fitness

A post shared by Sebastian Guilhaus (@seb.guilhaus) on

Married At First Sight airs at 7:30pm Sunday to Wednesday on Nine.

ADVERTISEMENT

This story was first published on February 24 and was updated on February 27.

Which MAFS contestant were you most surprised by? Let us know in the comments below. 

Feature Image: Instagram@aleks.markovic_/Channel Seven. 


Want more lols, cringeworthy moments and celebrity gossip news?

Sign up for our "Mamamia Celebrity" newsletter, for a smart take on everything entertainment.