Married at First Sight

Episode 15

After Claire pulled Jesse aside at Tayla & Hugo’s wedding and revealed that she cheated on him with Adam, Jesse takes some time to process the devastating news. Declaring that their relationship is over, Jesse leaves Claire out the front of the wedding reception and confides in Harrison. After struggling to listen to the wedding speeches, Jesse leaves the room and cries.

It’s the morning after the wedding, and Jesse is eager to confront Adam. As things get heated between the two grooms, Claire anxiously overhears the tense argument and enters the confrontation. Claire owns up to her wrongdoings and admits that she should’ve told Jesse the truth sooner, and Jesse asks if Janelle knows the truth yet. Adam reveals Janelle is none the wiser to the devastating news.

Adam goes to Janelle to admit the truth. After attempting to justify his infidelity saying that their relationship was in a bad place, Janelle is shell shocked and leaves the room. Breaking down in the hallway in tears, Janelle is – she’s certain that their relationship was going well at the time the cheating occurred.

Janelle knocks on Jesse’s door, searching for a shoulder to cry on. Janelle asks Jesse to tell her everything he knows, and as she processes the information, she grows angry and vows to tear Adam down at the Dinner Party. Janelle leaves Jesse’s apartment to tell Adam he needs to move out of their apartment. As Adam packs, he hopes that Janelle will be able to move on from all this drama after a few days.

In a completely different phase of their relationship, one of the two new couples, Evelyn & Rupert are arriving at their honeymoon destination. Evelyn is feeling unsure as to whether Rupert is attracted to her after experiencing awkward interactions with Rupert at their wedding. Determined to see if they can ignite a spark, Evelyn starts a romantic bath. Meanwhile, In the Yarra Valley, for Tayla & Hugo, the issue of the bed arrangements proves problematic for both partners, with Tayla determined that she’ll sleep on the bed and have Hugo sleep on a bench.

Hoping to connect with his wife, Rupert has organised a spa day for Evelyn, with a special masseur lined up: himself. Meanwhile, Tayla and Hugo are settling the debate of the sleeping arrangements in a friendly game of croquet – whoever wins gets the bed for the rest of the honeymoon. When Tayla wins, she changes the rules, and claims the bed for the rest of the experiment, much to Hugo’s disbelief.

Back in Sydney, Janelle is waking up alone, and on the couch. Adam is hoping to check on Janelle this morning, but after knocking on her door and receiving an icy reception, Adam vows to save it all for the Dinner Party.

Back on the South Coast of New South Wales, Evelyn & Rupert are tackling the honeymoon box, where Evelyn discovers that Rupert’s nerves stem from the fact that he’s so attracted to her – his behaviour finally makes sense. Meanwhile, Hugo is keen to get a few things off his chest with Tayla at dinner. After a discussion turns into an argument, Hugo is left stunned when Tayla tells him to shut up.

Back in Sydney, Janelle has invited Melinda and Tahnee over to debrief and unpack the revelation that her husband cheated on her with Claire. After they hear all the details of the cheating scandal, Melinda and Tahnee vow to have Janelle’s back at tomorrow’s Dinner Party – as Janelle plans to hold both Adam and Claire to account for the damage they’ve done to the experiment.

Episode 17 - Commitment Ceremony 3

It’s the morning of the third Commitment Ceremony and as the newlyweds are getting ready to face the experts, Adam is still reeling from the Dinner Party. Janelle is shocked by Adam’s unapologetic behaviour and is keen to get the Experts’ take on the situation. Amid the cheating scandal, Alyssa and Duncan are in turmoil as Alyssa doesn’t agree with Duncan staying friends with Adam. Meanwhile Claire is ready to make amends with Jesse, hoping that the letter that she gave him at the Dinner Party will help to turn things around for them. In a separate apartment, Jesse is pondering over Claire’s letter of apology, he is still unsure whether it’s enough for him to stay another week.

The Commitment Ceremony kicks off with Janelle and Adam, where Alessandra hits Adam with the hard questions, and he can’t seem to get his words out. When the room tries to hold Adam accountable for his lack of apology, he again shows no remorse. Both Janelle and Adam decide to leave, and Adam immediately walks out of the room.

Alyssa and Duncan are the next couple on the couch. Alyssa is sour over Duncan maintaining contact with Adam throughout the cheating scandal. A heartbroken Alyssa is unsure about whether their morals align anymore, and a confused Duncan isn’t sure why he’s in as much trouble as Adam is.

Up next, Melinda and Layton are full steam ahead as their feelings start to grow for each other. Tahnee and Ollie follow suit, talking about the next steps in their relationship after the experiment. Harrison sits on the couch without Bronte, who is home with crippling period pain, and Harrison admits that her endometriosis is really causing sadness within him. Evelyn and Rupert are next and as a nervous Rupert tries to bumble his way through, Evelyn admits to feeling like Rupert isn’t ready for this commitment.

Sandy and Dan are next to the couch, and Sandy cautiously admits to Dan never being home. John observes that they look like friends, and in a shock development, Dan reveals that he isn’t sexually attracted to Sandy. Sandy admits to feeling rejected and Alessandra suggests that intimacy isn’t just physical, it’s emotional too. Tayla and Hugo are next and when Tayla admits that Hugo isn’t her type, Mel tells her off saying that this isn’t a mail-order service.

Lyndall and Cameron are up next, and in an unexpected turn, they’ve had a fight over a hug. On a call, Lyndall’s mum suggested Cam give Lyndall a hug, and feeling pressured, Cam refused. Lyndall feels heartbroken that her husband can’t give her a hug in a time of need. Alessandra gives Cam some sound advice: that affection is crucial in a romantic relationship. Both agree to stay, and Cam agrees to step it up.

Jesse and Claire walk up to the couch, where Jesse admits to feeling worthless after Claire’s infidelity was revealed. A heated argument erupts in the room as Melinda and Alyssa try to hold Claire accountable. Sandy pleads that Claire is remorseful and accountable, unlike Adam. Jesse agrees, but despite this, he chooses to leave the experiment. Claire however has chosen to stay to make amends, and John suggests Jesse try to give it another week.

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Episode 18

It’s the morning after the third Commitment Ceremony and while many of the marriages are on the up, there’s been a surprising development for Sandy and Dan. Last night Sandy suffered the excruciating public admission that Dan is not sexually attracted to her. Yet, this morning, they’ve taken the surprising next step and consummated their marriage.

While Sandy struggles to make sense of her husband’s dramatic change of heart, Melinda and Layton are left in no doubt about the events of last night. Harrison’s solo performance on the couch is the hot topic; while he appeared to be fighting back tears about Bronte’s ongoing struggle with endometriosis; they’re neither impressed by his acting nor his attempt to reinvent himself as a loving husband. Meanwhile Cam starts the day with a massive bunch of flowers for affection-starved wife Lyndall but is far more concerned with the other big drama of the night: Claire forcing husband Jesse to stay in the experiment, having just admitted to cheating on him. Claire is determined to win Jesse back this week.

As the newest couples Evelyn and Rupert and Tayla and Hugo embark on a crash course in the experiment - there’s much work to be done. Evelyn and Rupert share an intimate hug that sends their relationship skyward while Hugo stages an intervention over Tayla relegating him to the couch. But Hugo finds a different way to display his frustrations, by awarding Tayla a controversial position in the photo ranking task. She quickly descends into a thunderous mood; could this be a decision he’ll come to regret?

Meanwhile Family and Friends meetings are well under way. Tensions rise as Claire realises her illicit kiss must now be shared with her otherwise adoring Dad, Lee. But even less enthusiastic about the meeting is Jesse who’s still trying to make sense of the reason he’s still here. Alyssa and Duncan’s family meeting isn’t any easier – as Alyssa’s mum Debi drills down on whether her daughter’s husband is ready for life in the outside world as a stepfather. She’s concerned Duncan might be ‘too good to be true’, and her verdict does little to reassure Alyssa’s growing anxiety about their future.

Sandy’s confusion over Dan’s move to sleep with her deepens as he disappears for the day, leaving her home alone and heartbroken. When Dan arrives back to the apartment, it leads to an excruciatingly awkward meeting. Sandy’s sister Kiran goes to defend her, while Dan gets stuck into a series of complaints and criticisms of Sandy that leave her shattered.

Episode 19

As Family and Friends Week continues, the original couples are preparing to meet with their loved ones, who have travelled from all over to check in.

Ollie and Tahnee are excited to be catching up with their family and friends, who are thrilled to see the couple revelling in the same happiness they witnessed on their wedding day, but the nerves are setting in for Lyndall and Cameron as they await the arrival of their parents. Cameron’s struggles to show affection came to a head during an ill-fated Facetime call from Lyndall’s mum last week, who is sheepish heading into today’s family catch up, but keen to help resolve the issue. However, Cameron is struggling to let it go, and after his mum voices her opinion on the matter, the couple lock horns once more.

Bronte and Harrison are eager to prove to their loved ones that they are back on track after their drama-filled wedding day, but Bronte’s protective younger sister, Kirra is still concerned about Harrison’s intentions after learning of further alarming behaviour exhibited by him in recent weeks.

Melinda and Layton are open about their communication struggles. Their families offer up advice for the couple and tough questions are asked about where they see their future beyond the experiment. While the fallout of Sandy and Dan’s uncomfortable family lunch yesterday continues, Dan distances himself from the relationship. Sandy is left feeling vulnerable and confused, leaning on fellow bride Claire for support and advice.

Inspired by her father’s words of wisdom during their catch up yesterday, Claire sets out on a mission to win back Jesse’s trust.

As the episode comes to a close, a pocket dial during a boy’s night out rocks the experiment and could spell the end for one of the couples.

It’s pretty obvious the butt dial thing never happened. Rupert clearly told his wife what was said and when she was going to tell others they made it up to cover his tracks.

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Episode 21 - Fourth Commitment Ceremony

It’s the morning of the fourth Commitment Ceremony, and as the couples wake up, they struggle to wrap their heads around last night’s chaotic Dinner Party. Evelyn’s explosive revelations of a ‘pocket dial’ from a boys’ night out blew up both Tayla and Hugo, and Sandy and Dan’s relationships. Both husbands were caught out disrespecting their partners behind their backs, and while they have since apologised, this morning both couples are in dire straits, having not spoken since the Dinner Party.

Tonight, all the couples will make the important decision to stay or leave their marriages, and with the halfway point of the experiment behind them, the stakes have never been higher.

First couple on the couch is Claire and Jesse. After a rough beginning to the experiment the pair spent the last week rebuilding their relationship, with Claire pulling out all the stops and treating Jesse to several thoughtful dates. Jesse credits Claire with making him feel ‘wanted’ and reveals he has forgiven her. The pair also shared their first kiss this week and are both hoping to continue growing their relationship. They both decide to stay.

Next up are Sandy and Dan, who are still reeling from last night’s Dinner Party. Sandy was devastated to hear about Dan’s antics at the boys’ night, where he was showing pictures of his ex-girlfriends to the other husbands, and comparing her to them. She’s also been feeling that ever since they were intimate earlier in the week, Dan has pulled away. Dan says he’s been struggling with incompatibilities in their relationship, mainly that Sandy doesn’t like the beach as much as he does. Sandy thinks the biggest issue in their relationship is his focus on their differences while she tries to focus on their similarities. The pair both write leave.

Evelyn and Rupert are going strong, and both feel like last night’s Dinner Party brought them closer together. Tahnee and Ollie are forming a deeper bond each day and Ollie is ‘stoked’ with where they’re at. Bronte and Harrison are in the best place they’ve ever been in this experiment, both admitting to ‘falling in love’ with one another – but not everyone in the group is buying it. All three couples choose to stay.

For Melinda and Layton, the couch is emotional. The couple get called out by both Harrison and Expert John, who accuses them of putting up a façade and not being honest with the current state of their relationship. He pushes them to talk about the issues they’re facing. A teary Mel admits she’s worried about how they can move forward when they’re both so stubborn, but John gives them some tips on how to better handle conflict when it arises. Both choose to stay another week.

Lyndall and Cam had a difficult week following the visit from their mothers. While Cam has been trying to show more affection, he told Lyndall that his Mum thinks she is insecure. Lyndall cries on that couch as she tells the Experts she doesn’t think she’s asking for too much. Despite a rocky week the pair both commit to staying and working on their relationship.

For Alyssa and Duncan, Alyssa is worried her own insecurities are getting in the way of her relationship and leading her to self-sabotage. She’s not sure why Duncan would want to be with a single Mum, and all the ‘baggage’ that entails. Duncan reassures her he’s in this for the long haul and the couple both choose to stay.

The final couple on the couch is Tayla and Hugo. Their relationship was left in tatters after Tayla found out last night that Hugo had called her an incredibly derogatory word during the boys night, as well as mentioning that he wished he’d been paired with any of the other brides in the experiment. Tayla feels he has betrayed her trust. Hugo is apologetic and wants to make things work. He feels very insecure around Tayla and admits he’s ‘terrified’ of upsetting her, which Tayla is shocked to hear. Tayla writes ‘leave’ while Hugo chooses to stay, leaving Tayla frustrated. She asserts that there’s no way she’s staying, she’s ‘going back to Tassie’ and walks straight from the couch out the door.

Well last night they showed some contestants questioning the validity of the butt dial. Looks like Rupert definitely told Evelyn what was said so the story was made up (whether by them or producers, either way the fact that they are showing others not believing it is a good thing as it doesn’t sound completely manufactured).

Harisson and Bronte are so fake. Ugh. They legit sounds like they are reading a script to come off as the sudden picture perfect caring couple. I don’t think anyone is buying it. Then for Harisson to imply that Melinda and Layton are putting on a facade when that’s exactly what they are doing. The retreat should be good this week, it looks like Melinda finally lashes out at Harisson (this feels like it’s been building up for a while!).

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The whole show is fake… no one is legit there for marriage or to find a partner. Harrison and Bronte are there for opportunities outside the show, as is everyone else.

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I would argue that Tahnee & Ollie are both there to find a partner. Not sure anyone else is though

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Think it’s been mentioned that they’re both together still too.

It’s pretty clear a lot of this is fabricated. It’s just hilarious to watch.

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That is the point. They are making these over the top cheesy statements about how wonderful everything is to stay there. Everyone can see through it. The other contestants reactions to them as well as the experts and viewers on Twitter is hilarious.

From everything I’ve seen there are at least 2 couples that appear to still be together from this season (i.e. spotted in public together very recently)

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Episode 22 - Retreat Week

It’s Retreat Week, where our couples will escape the city and head to the Southern Highlands of NSW to live under one roof for four days.

But before they leave, tensions are already brewing after last night’s heated Commitment Ceremony. Harrison accused Melinda and Layton’s relationship of being fake; an accusation that has left Melinda reeling and desperate to protect her blossoming relationship with Layton.Harrison doubles down on his beliefs as he and Bronte revel in their partnership taking a positive turn.

Meanwhile, an anxious Hugo hopes to make amends with wife Tayla, who is living in a separate apartment, after she surprised him by writing leave last night. Tensions boil as they discuss their different perspectives of what was said at the Commitment Ceremony, but immediately simmer when Tayla unexpectedly invites him to move back into their apartment. Hugo accepts her invitation with newfound hope.

With the Commitment Ceremony now behind them, the couples embark on the next phase of the experiment, the retreat, where their relationships will be tested outside the bubble of their city apartments. They claim their rooms in a Hunger Games-like race, with Evelyn and Melinda scoring the retreat’s most coveted private guest house. While Tayla and Hugo take the only room with two single beds, Claire and Jesse agree to share a bed this week with hopes that the retreat can bring them closer together.

After enjoying some R&R, the couples come together for first night drinks, which takes a turn when Hugo overhears his wife Tayla loudly telling the girls about her high sex drive and inappropriate requests made by her ex-partner while on the experiment. Believing Tayla struggled with intimacy issues, these revelations shock Hugo to the core and he is forced to once again reevaluate his relationship with Tayla.

The night descends further into chaos when Evelyn and Harrison go head-to-head over the legitimacy of the pocket dial incident. When Bronte is confronted by the girls as to whether she shares Harrison’s views, she unapologetically tells them that she has Harrison’s back no matter what. The girls begin to question Bronte on whether she is losing herself to him. The discussion becomes heated when they claim Bronte is being emotionally manipulated by Harrison, and when Melinda calls her naïve, Bronte storms off in tears.

The next day, while the husbands make the most of their time together, tensions amongst the girls remain high. Bronte vents her frustrations to Tahnee, demanding an apology from Melinda for calling her naïve. When Melinda hears of this through the grapevine, she questions why she is always the target and anxiously prepares herself for the upcoming girls night. Meanwhile, cracks form between Alyssa and Duncan after Alyssa spirals from the lack of time she spent with him throughout the day. She demands more affection from him and Duncan does his best to make things right, to no avail.

The husbands and wives take the night to let off some steam separately, and the girls and boys night becomes a forum for our participants to discuss their relationship with their peers. At the boys night, Hugo tells the boys what he overheard Tayla say to the girls the night before. Hoping for some reassurance and advice, he asks if they think he has a chance for a ‘Jesse and Claire’ turnaround and the boys say no.

Meanwhile, at the girls’ night, Alyssa shocks the other wives when she announces that Duncan is in fact not her type. Throughout the night, tensions continue to brew amongst the girls until Bronte finally confronts Melinda regarding the naive comment. While Melinda tries to express her concerns about Harrison and reiterates that she’s only trying to help; Bronte stands firm in her belief that she and Harrison are in a good place and does not wish to continue the conversation. Melinda gives up and steps out with Evelyn for a bewildered debrief before the pair decide to eavesdrop on the boys…

The retreat has been one of the best additions to the show in recent seasons. It’s where the drama always amps up. I love how everyone’s finally calling Bronte and Harisson out for their fakeness. Melinda and Evelyn are very quickly becoming the Queen’s of this season.

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Episode 23 - Retreat Week

The Couples Retreat continues with Melinda and Evelyn eavesdropping on the boys night and overhearing Harrison explaining that he believes Melinda and Layton’s relationship is toxic and fake. Melinda and Evelyn then return to the girls to confess their eavesdropping – Melinda directs her attention to Bronte to find out if she agrees with what Harrison has said about her relationship. An argument ensues between Melinda and Bronte resulting in Bronte storming off. Harrison finds Bronte who proceeds to tell him that Melinda and Evelyn had been listening in on the boys night conversation, information that Harrison swiftly relays to an unimpressed Layton.

It’s the final day of the Couples Retreat. Hugo wakes up to the reality that Tayla would prefer to spend time with anyone other than him, Melinda has woken up to nothing but a cold shoulder from Layton, and Harrison is twisting the truth; telling Bronte that Layton has said he isn’t happy in his relationship with Melinda.

Bronte decides to clear the air with Melinda and tells her to stay out of her relationship with Harrison, because she’s heard there are issues between Melinda and Layton, according to Harrison – Melinda is shocked at this misinformation but says nothing.

Meanwhile, the Couples Retreat hasn’t been the experience Alyssa and Duncan had hoped for, as things have now gone from bad to worse following another argument over priorities.

Having endured a challenging few weeks, the retreat has proven the perfect setting for Claire and Jesse to reignite their romance. As the mood throughout the retreat becomes more positive, Claire is hoping to use her fairy cards to breathe life to some of those couples in strife. Claire’s fairy cards provide Hugo with the strength to speak his truth to Tayla at the upcoming final night barbeque.

Meanwhile, Melinda is seeking answers from Layton who explains that Harrison is lying about what Bronte passed on; but Melinda still doesn’t feel satisfied. Layton makes sure Melinda understands that he will always have her back, no matter what – and they both want to have a chat with Harrison at the final barbeque.

It’s the final night of the retreat and the last chance for the couples to interact as a group before they return to their apartments in Sydney.

Melinda is still seething at Bronte and Harrison’s attempts to drive them apart, and Layton has her back. Layton asks Harrison if he told Bronte that their relationship is not in a good place, and Harrison cannot answer. Melinda tells Harrison to stop causing issues in her relationship with Layton and accuses Bronte and Harrison of being in a fake relationship themselves, as the whole group watches on.

And after another day of tension between Tayla and Hugo, he’s turning to the group for advice on how to move forward. Encouraged by Evelyn, Hugo confronts Tayla and voices his concerns. However, the chat ends abruptly as Tayla storms off in frustration.

That was so satisfying to see Harisson get caught out in his own web of lies. He is an absolute tool! Bronte has been so damn ridiculous to stand by him. He’s been faking it and looks like they are over tomorrow.

Layton and Melinda are officially my faves this season.

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Episode 24 5th Dinner Party

It’s the morning of the fifth Dinner Party and the tumultuous Couples Retreat has left a scent of drama in the air.

As our couples begin to prepare for tonight’s festivities, Hugo is getting ready separately. Hugo and Tayla have not spoken since the retreat and Hugo is hoping Tayla will take accountability for her lack of effort and interest she’s put into their relationship.

But unbeknownst to Hugo, Claire has received a text message from Tayla explaining that she will not be at the Dinner Party tonight and that she has gone back to her hometown in Tasmania.

The retreat for Claire and Jesse strengthened their bonds and they’re both determined for Jesse to move back into their apartment. Melinda and Layton are going into the Dinner Party with a newly forged connection – Harrison attempted to destabilise their relationship at the retreat, but instead the couple grew closer and are more united than ever.

Bronte and Harrison are going into the Dinner Party in the worst shape they’ve been in thus far. In a shock turn of events, Bronte explains that Harrison broke up with her after the retreat via a text message. She can’t understand how someone who says he’s falling in love with her at the previous Commitment Ceremony can break up with her at the drop of a hat. Meanwhile Harrison explains that Melinda’s comment at the retreat about their relationship being fake planted a seed of doubt in his mind, and after instigating a conversation with Bronte about their future, he was unhappy with her response, lost trust in her and broke it off.

At the Cocktail Party, Tayla’s departure is revealed to a crestfallen Hugo. And Bronte reveals her break-up with Harrison to the girls. With Bronte finally seeing Harrison for the manipulator he is, the girls are primed and ready to take Harrison down for his manipulating ways.

At the Dinner Party, the women challenge Harrison’s decision to break up with Bronte given he was full of love for her at the Commitment Ceremony. Harrison reveals he no longer trusts Bronte and rejects Bronte’s reassurances, calling them “wishy washy”. Unable to get her point across, Bronte leaves the Dinner Party in tears.

When Claire calls Harrison out for his treatment of Bronte, Harrison flips to question Claire’s authenticity in the experiment and her feelings for Jesse. To the shock and sadness of all, Claire and Jesse’s relationship breaks down at the table as a result of Harrison’s meddling.

Harrison eventually gets his comeuppance in the final act when he goes head to head with Melinda who’s sick of his meddling ways. When Harrison attempts to throw her relationship with Layton under the bus too, they stand united and strong leaving Harrison looking sheepish.

Meanwhile, amongst the chaos, Tayla has randomly returned from Tasmania to rejoin the group. Baffled and shocked, Hugo politely breaks up with Tayla and they agree that the Dinner Party will be their final night in the Experiment.

I am really happy I decided not to waste my time with this season of MAFS. It’s all such manufactured rubbish by the producers! I can’t understand why so many viewers are taken in by it.

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Alyssa has some serious issues she needs help with.

Episode 25 Commitment Ceremony

It’s the day of the penultimate Commitment Ceremony and the couples are prepping for the night ahead.

Melinda and Layton are waking up strong, after Layton defended Melinda at last night’s Dinner Party when Harrison took personal attacks at her. Melinda feels more connected to Layton after he had her back.

Despite attempts to rebuild their connection throughout the experiment, Claire and Jesse’s relationship now hangs in the balance after a comment at last night’s Dinner Party from Harrison brought his old doubts to the surface. He has woken up questioning who he should trust, Claire who might be keeping him against his will to protect her image, or Harrison who might be emotionally manipulating him?

Although he broke up with Bronte at last night’s Dinner Party, Harrison has decided to attend tonight’s Commitment Ceremony, and take Bronte back. This is her time to show him that she’s in the relationship as much as he is.

The first couple up are Alyssa and Duncan. Alyssa explains that the Retreat was difficult for them as a couple. Duncan reiterates to Alyssa that he knows her son is a priority, but there is something deeper they need to discuss around being vulnerable instead of picking apart his behaviour. When asked whether Alyssa’s expectations are too high, Duncan admits it’s a concern. Alyssa gets upset – she has a child, she wants to be a priority and she has expectations. She cries and leaves the couch. Duncan follows her and she begs him to leave her alone, before heading into the lift and leaving.

Duncan returns to the couch, where he explains that Alyssa has left the building. He explains that little things are big triggers and he’s struggling. This relationship has been increasingly difficult on him and he feels like he’s walking on eggshells.

Alyssa re-enters and sits down. She explains that she does have high expectations, but she doesn’t know how to date as a single mother, so she needs reassurance and check-ins to feel safe in the relationship. Duncan tells Alyssa that he feels like missing her child weighs on her so she second guesses things, whereas he sees these are things to work through. Alyssa, feeling attacked, breaks down and pushes Duncan away each time he tries to console her. Alessandra encourages her to be open to what he’s saying and not take it personally. Having decided to stay, Duncan explains that 95 percent of the relationship is good, but everything they can work on. He writes stay. Alyssa says stay and pleads to get off the couch.

The next couple on the couch are Tahnee and Ollie. They are having conversations about the future, and Ollie admits he doesn’t want to do a long distance relationship and is willing to make the move to Sydney to be with Tahnee. Alessandra prompts the pair on whether they are falling for each other and they both confirm they are. Both write stay.

Up on the couch next are Lyndall and Cameron. The Couple’s Retreat was good for them, it was a reminder of their honeymoon, and they’re both very happy. Mel asks Cam whether he has feelings for Lyndall, he cares for her, and has strong feelings but he has concerns about what happens after the experiment, but they haven’t thought about the future. They both choose to stay.

The next couple on the couch are Bronte and Harrison. John questions why they broke up last night, and tonight they’re unified. Bronte explains that they broke up because of comments at the retreat, but she still has feelings for Harrison. Bronte admits when they had the disagreement and Harrison was asking for reassurance, the comments at Retreat made her want to run. Harrison rejects the notion that he’s ever manipulated Bronte and says the comment hurt their relationship. The group is shocked. Harrison says the problem for him is that Bronte gets emotional and worked up. John cuts him off - he’s blaming Bronte for all the issues and asks him to explain a way he is contributing to their issues. Harrison can’t name one. They go around in circles as Expert John encourages Harrison to take a look inwards. They go to the decision. They both write stay.

Claire and Melinda speak up in disbelief: everyone is confused because they were leaving and now they’re staying. Lyndall is the last to pipe up. She can’t believe what she’s hearing about how Bronte feels, she tells Bronte she’s being emotionally manipulated. Harrison steps in, he wants to address the comment. But Expert John cuts him off and asks Bronte whether she thinks Harrison has been emotionally manipulating her. She says no, not her feelings. It’s all real, and she doesn’t think she owes anyone an explanation. Expert John probes and Bronte admits that she doesn’t feel good enough for Harrison. Harrison tells Bronte she is good enough. And the pair leave the couch.

The next couple on the couch is Evelyn and Rupert. Rupert tells the Experts they are playful and they flirt, Evelyn explains they haven’t gone all the way but they want to eventually and they admit they are sexually attracted to each other. And both say stay.

Melinda and Layton are next to face the Experts. Melinda explains Bronte told her that Layton wasn’t on the same page as her. Melinda knew it wasn’t true, and when she brought it up with Layton it caused conflict. On a more positive note, she mentions feeling like Layton had her back at the Dinner Party. Layton believes their main problem are the various issues around them which stop them from moving forward. John cuts him off and tells him he’s being too analytical and not being emotional. Layton admits to not being as emotional as he could be in relationships. John encourages him to lean into his feelings. Both write stay.

The last couple on the couch are Claire and Jesse. Jesse explains everything was okay but when Harrison made a comment about Claire only wanting to stay for her own image it triggered how he felt when Claire admitted she kissed Adam. Claire says they were moving into a better place, and Harrison threw a grenade to deflect what he was facing at the table. Harrison interjects and says it’s when she opened her mouth, but Claire shuts him down. John probes Harrison why he made the comment. But after blaming Bronte for sharing the information, he admits he cannot prove whether it’s true or not. Claire admits that she did the wrong thing but she stuck around for Jesse.

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