Married at First Sight UK has to be one of the most addictive TV shows on at the moment. The E4 dating show has dominated social media as fans of the show share their opinions online, almost like a fourth expert from the comfort of their own sofa.
Members of this year’s cast recently shared some secrets about the social experiment, including how long it takes to film the commitment ceremonies with experts Paul C Brunson, Mel Schilling and Charlene Douglas. However a former Welsh MAFS UK groom, has divulged more behind the scenes details with Wales Online.
Former personal trainer Jordon Mundell from Cardiff, took part in the show in 2021 where he was paired with model Alexis Economou. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter.
It’s safe to say that the pair are no longer an item, after leaving the experiment after the first commitment ceremony. Although, before they said their goodbyes they had a tumultuous dinner party experience.
The relationship did not start well when Jordon, who was 28 at the time, told Alexis she was not his type and things went from bad to worse when he kissed another bride during the first dinner party of the series.
Jordon said that the first dinner party is the most important, for both audiences and the cast as that’s what kicks the show off.
He explained: “It’s a long day, and it’s an environment where you really are just meeting everybody for the first time.
“So, of course, you’ve had your honeymoons and it’s almost like a therapy session that first dinner because you’ve been away with your match. If you’re in the Maldives like I was, you could be in paradise, but it doesn’t make a difference.
“I think that’s the first lesson MAFS teaches you, you could be in the most beautiful place in the world, but if you’re not with the right person, it doesn’t make a difference. This is the first learning curve that you have on the show.”
The now 32-year-old continued: “Then you have the battle of basically meeting complete strangers and quickly choosing who to put your trust in, because who you put your trust in the initial dinner just basically dictates the rest of the show.
“That could lead to arguments, people gossiping, people sharing your secrets later on. It could be, friendships made. It could be wife swapping.
“That first dinner party is the most important dinner party to watch and learn, and you don’t have to be in the cast to realise that, you could be an audience as well. But I’m saying from a cast point of view, it’s that moment where the show really forms.”
View 2 Images Jordon Mundell from Cardiff took part in the social experiment in 2021.(Image: Simon Webb / Channel 4)
The former personal trainer also shared just how long the cast film each episode, when we as audiences watch an edited and condensed hour of that time.
Jordon said: “Pretty much every event is all day. I mean, the move in, the home stays that could be a little bit shorter, because there’s not much you can film in indoors.
“If you’ve got a dinner party or a commitment ceremony, then yeah, it’s going to be an all day kind of thing.”
Bailey, a groom from this year’s series recently spoke about how the food during the event is usually cold, due to long filming times.
Speaking to showbiz journalist Indigo Stafford at Tulleys Shocktober Fest, he said: “So, the big one is the dinner at the dinner parties is cold, and I’m a hungry boy. I look forward to the dinners the whole time, honestly when that chicken comes out it’s stone cold.”
When asked why is it cold, he added: “It’s been waiting there hours I suppose isn’t it, but it tastes amazing even though it’s cold. It tastes amazing, the food is cold because the drama is still happening and we’ve gotta wait for it.”