Defying the tightest of contracts, Married at First Sight’s Susan Rawlings has blasted the culture of the reality TV show.
Talking exclusively to News Corp on Sunday, ahead of the show’s final two episodes, Rawlings said she took great issue with the way her final commitment ceremony was edited.
She told the news outlet half of her vows had been written by the show’s producers, and almost all of her original vows were edited out when the ceremony aired on television .
She also claimed her ‘husband’ Sean’s vows were cut off when broadcast to the country, with viewers none-the-wiser that he too decided he did not want to continue his relationship with her.
“The editing team completely twisted it all around so that it looks like Sean went first and said that he wants to stay with me and ride off into the sunset together,” she said.
The 37-year-old added there were times when she was denied toilet breaks despite feeling like her “bladder was going to burst”. She alleged contestants suffered dehydration and said producers frequently fed her lines.
“It’s absolutely fake and excruciating to live through,” she said.
“It’s an absolute sham because we are not talking to the experts and they are not talking with us. They are just pawns in a game.”
In another surprising move, Lauren Bran - who was dubbed the 'Runaway Bride' by the show's producers - has voiced similar claims to news.com.au.
"There’s no support, you’re treated like monkeys, you basically beg to go for toilet breaks,” she told the publication.
“The filming — because it goes for so long — you’re tired, you’re drunk, you’re not yourself, they get you at your worst. I was boozy, they booze you up. They encourage it. They’re just free-pouring the whole time. At one stage I had someone put a couple of drinks in front of me. And I said, ‘Nah, nah, I’m good, I’m good,’ and they say, ‘Nah, have more to drink’.”
The mum-of-one likened the show's conditions to "bullying".
“You’re having to go, sit in front of the experts, with all these people and try and explain your case. It’s very intimidating. It’s bullying. The producers, they yell at you."
Listen to Mamamia's recap of Married at First Sight below. (Post continues...)
In response to the fairly damning accusations, an Endomol Shine Australia spokesman - Married at First Sight's production company - denied the women's accounts of their time on the show.
“All participants are given adequate food, water and breaks and have access to psychological support, which has always been available at any time throughout the show and continues to be,” the spokesman told News Corp.
Top Comments
I find this all so ridiculous for a number of reasons. Firstly while the so called experts made some exceedingly poor decisions in partnering people up from other cities. That was never going to end well for the people but made for good tv- it was obvious why they did it. They did make the right choice in a few cases including one being Susan & Sean. It was obvious that their feelings were not manufactured for the cameras so this coming out comes as a surprise and makes me also find it interesting that Susan and another single bride (Lauren) are making these comments and not those who are happy. Had their relationships worked out, I doubt they would've cared about any of these factors. Nobody forced them to go on the show or say things- they have minds and mouths and could flat out refuse to say things. Also as for the booze it's clear nobody was forced to drink. I find Lauren's claims lack credibility- she only made that last ceremony and had no personal experience other than the wedding and her conduct, whether or not encouraged to make better tv was unconscionable. If Susan had really wanted to make things work with Shaun, I'm sure there were ways. I think she is angry because she does have feelings for Shaun and is too scared to take a leap of faith and actually try to make it work. I don't think this will impact on people going on the show in the future- as someone that's considered applying for it regardless of the atrocious failure rate in the past, it wouldn't stop me. I would assume its exactly a lot of standing around and smoke and mirrors- that seems pretty commonsensical.
You are thinking of going on that show???? Good luck!!!!
Anyone that works in tv will tell you that it's a lot of standing around under hot lights, doing takes over and over.
I don't really have a lot of sympathy for these people, they were fooling themselves if they thought it was going to be different. You would have to be a bit ignorant to not understand that the object of the show create drama to make more interesting viewing!!!