Season 11 premieres on THREE in New Zealand on Monday, February 5.
Dear god, Americans want to watch the show ASAP are being advised to do it via VPN
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Will be interesting to see if fatigue has started to set in on this show. Really started to get to that point where it’s just repetitive trash.
I reckon its slide might start this season.
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Hopefully you’re right. Got tired of it a few seasons back with their so called “experts” when it’s producers calling the shots (matching etc.) and exploiting people for ratings who are there looking for their 15 minutes of fame.
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Weird question… if US use VPN to watch on 9Now, will that affect ratings for BVOD?
Episode 1
The 2024 season of Married at First Sight is underway, with the new Brides and Grooms ready to put their all into the experiment, in the hopes of finding true love.
The series kicks off with the group spending their final night as singles together, at the traditional bucks and hens’ night. The ladies get a surprise to see Michael walk into the hens announcing he is the new bride, before realising the fact that the experiment has a same-sex couple, and outspoken bride Lauren causes a stir.
In this year’s first match, we have 29-year-old Sydney nutritionist Sara whose dream man is yet to materialise, and Tim, a 31-year-old online business owner from the Gold Coast. Neither Tim nor Sara can hold back their smiles as they lock eyes down the aisle. Tim sweeps Latina Sara off her feet, when he greets her in Spanish to her surprise. Tim says he lived in Medellin, Colombia, where Sara says she is originally from. The new couple are immediately smitten and finish the ceremony with their first kiss.
After a steamy photoshoot complete with passionate kisses, the newlyweds are inseparable as they get to know one another at their reception. That is until Tim reveals he was cheated on, and he broke up with his ex-partner only six months prior to the experiment. Sara has huge concerns that Tim may not be over his ex – a huge trigger given her own past with a cheating ex. Sara walks out of the reception in frustration, she claims she doesn’t want to be the girl to help him get over his ex. Tim’s mate Ben’s best man speech only adds fuel to the fire. He jokes Sara is “experiment number 865, amongst several questionable comments about Tim’s dating past. Sara’s friends are shocked and believe Sara and Tim will have a hot and fiery first week, but it’s a car crash waiting to happen.
The second bride is Cassandra, a 30-year-old sweetheart from QLD. Cassandra had been with her high school sweetheart, ‘the one’ for 8 years, before he tragically passed away in a motorcycle accident when she was 23. Then in 2020, tragedy continued when her mother passed away from cancer. Cassandra says she was in a very dark space for a long time, and her father, Moddy, helped her through.
Cassandra is matched with Tristan, an energetic 30-year-old entertainment manager from Sydney. Family-oriented Tristan has only had one girlfriend and is riddled with self-doubt and insecurities. He is desperately after that cheerful, bright soul that he’d treat as his ‘Queen’ and build a life and family with.
At the ceremony, Tristan’s nerves get the better of him and he hilariously mistakes one of Cassandra’s bridesmaids, her sister, as his new wife when she walks down the aisle. Their ceremony is a heart-warming affair, as their vows for one another leave them walking into the future together in high hopes.
Cassandra is adored by Tristan at the reception, as he introduces himself to her family and friends. Cassandra’s dad, Moddy, steals the spotlight with his comedic, charismatic, and heartfelt speech that has the guests in tears. The perfect end to a love-filled wedding.
For their honeymoon, Cassandra and Tristan are heading to the McLaren Vale wine region in South Australia, where Tristan surprises an amazed Cassandra with some flowers and sweet treats for her 30th birthday.
The same cannot be said for Fiji bound Sara and Tim, who are doing their best to overcome their rocky start. Tim has planned a romantic dinner to get them back on track, but when Tim bites his tongue on a ‘joke’, Sara discovers he was planning to tell her to “relax” – a comment she does not take well. Tim then proceeds to tell her he didn’t say it, and tells Sara “not to put words in his mouth” or “play games”. Sara is infuriated and storms off in tears.
Haven’t watched for a few seasons (Cyrell season = BEST EVER :P)
Tuned in tonight, promising signs for drama!
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Brands fall in love with Married at First Sight
Brands are continuing to fall in love with Australia’s favourite social experiment, Married at First Sight, with some of the country’s most well-known companies headlining the major new sponsors for the 11th season which began last night on Channel 9 and 9Now.
As MAFS continues to be a powerhouse that captivates the nation, with last night’s premiere attracting a national reach of nearly 2.5 million viewers, brands are choosing to kick the new year off with high impact creative sponsorships throughout the series.
With a total of 10 new sponsors for this year’s season, brands are tapping into the power of MAFS to connect with more Australians than any other television program, resulting in high levels of consumer engagement.
Uber will promote their Uber One campaign, with integration including Uber Ride and Uber Eats throughout the season, while HBF – working with Nine’s creative solution division Powered Studios – will launch an integrated TVC featuring the HBF quokkas sneaking into a MAFS Commitment Ceremony.
With MAFS providing new opportunities for brand integration, online store Snaffle will amplify its ‘strut’ tagline by sponsoring Viewer Polls that appear as participants strut into Dinner Parties, as well as a social series featuring the best ‘struts’ of the week.
Snooze, Chemist Warehouse and Cocobella will have key billboard placement, while Chery is the official car supplier; Simon Curwood Jewellers is the official ring supplier/jeweller and Shark Beauty Australia will supply their FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System.
In 2024, MAFS will bring a fresh take on the series with one of the most diverse cast of brides and grooms, a more age diverse mix including our oldest ever participant, and a same sex couple. Together, these loveable, relatable, everyday couples will bare their souls in the name of love.
Returning sponsors include KFC, which is in its 8th year of sponsoring MAFS, alongside Nestle and Stan.
Sarah Stewart, Powered’s Director of Content Partnerships and Client Experience, said: “It is fantastic to again see so many brands align with MAFS and further extend their sponsorships through wonderfully clever, bespoke TVC’s which will feature within the series. This heeds the vast amount of brand studies conducted by Gemba for our valued partners that ‘TVC’s tailored to align with a sponsorship deliver higher levels of engagement and brand recall’.”
Episode 2
After a magical wedding day, Cassandra and Tristan are soaring to new heights on their honeymoon in South Australia. But in the tropics of Fiji, Sara and Tim spent their first night of the honeymoon apart. Tim apologises to Sara after the disagreement they had at their first dinner date. Sara takes partial fault in the way she acted and wants to start fresh, as they hug it out and look to get things back on track.
Our next groom to join this year’s experiment is Timothy, a 51-year-old down-to-earth business owner from Melbourne. Timothy labels himself as the ‘Tin Man’ because he doesn’t let too many people in to avoid getting hurt. Can Timothy’s match, 43-year-old Byron Bay MC & wedding celebrant Lucinda be the woman to find his heart? Lucinda is a lover of life, an earthy and spiritual breath of fresh air, who grieves her time for having children may have passed her.
The next groom is Jack, a 34-year-old personal trainer from the Gold Coast and self-proclaimed ‘alpha’. Jack’s ideal partner is a confident woman, and the experts have matched him with 27-year-old Melbourne business development manager Tori, who is a strong-minded self-confessed ‘control freak’. Both Jack and Tori are already struggling with the unknown but have put their faith in the experts and are ready to give their all to the experiment.
Timothy struggles to hold his nerves together at the altar, until a calm and blissful Lucinda walks down the aisle. But Timothy is worried that Lucinda is the ‘spiritual, energy type’, and is taken aback when a celebrant begins with a smoke ceremony, a first for Timothy. He can see Lucinda is immersed, but all Timothy can notice is the “chicken wing” the celebrant is waving around and he wishes for something to fall from the sky to save him when to his surprise, it does…a huge thunderstorm hits and the guests are left running for shelter as the rain belts down on them and the ceremony is a washout. Timothy and Lucinda’s vows will have to wait until the skies clear, though ever the optimist, Lucinda says this wedding is better than she could have imagined.
As the sun shines some more light on Timothy and Lucinda’s future, the ceremony recommences with Lucinda’s heartfelt vows. Timothy can see Lucinda is a beautiful person and he is determined to learn from his previous mistakes and ensure that this experience is different. The newlyweds share not one, but three first kisses at the altar, before walking down the aisle together as husband and wife.
Meanwhile in Sydney, there is no grey cloud over Jack and Tori’s ceremony… Tori and Jack appear pleased with what they see and Jack declares in his vows that he’s not your typical guy next door, he lives a very fast paced life, but he values family, respect and loyalty. A giddy Tori says she was raised by a strong woman, and she herself is fiercely independent. Tori’s vows spike the ears of Jack, he thinks Tori may challenge him a bit.
After a slightly awkward photoshoot, Lucinda has a private moment with Timothy and asks where his family is. A brave but emotional Timothy says that his family have all passed away, he lost his mother and brother 17 years ago, and his father only 6 weeks ago. At the reception, he continues in his heart wrenching speech, saying he realised he was alone, and is in need of that special someone. Lucinda is amazed by Timothy’s vulnerability and is determined to stay by his side as her family welcomes him into theirs.
At Jack and Tori’s reception, alarm bells are ringing for Tori’s best friend Leah, as Jack introduces all of his guests at the wedding as his clients from the gym. Leah pulls Tori for a chat to express that she has concerns about Jack’s authenticity and his long term friendships? He might have high school friends but why aren’t they here? Tori believes she’s fine, and she can handle Jack – only time will tell if Leah’s hunch is on the money or not.
On their first morning as newlyweds, Lucinda is waking up in the arms of Timothy, before the two look to grow their connection at their honeymoon in Port Stephens, NSW. Jack and Tori are off to sunny Vanuatu, as they dip their toes into intimacy with one another. Despite Tori thinking they are on the same page, Jack is struggling to find that sexual spark.
Episode 3
Our first four matches of the 2024 Married at First Sight experiment are forming strong connections on their honeymoons. However, while in Melbourne, expert John Aiken has some unfortunate news for Michael, who has entered this year’s experiment hoping to find the man of his dreams. John gives Michael an unexpected home visit to inform him that 48 hours after the bucks and hens night, his match decided not to go through with the experiment. This news comes as a heart wrenching blow for Michael, who is devastated. John assures him that Simon left because he clearly couldn’t cope with the unknown of the experiment, and not to take this personally. John and fellow experts Mel and Alessandra have not lost hope, and are working towards finding Michael a new match, so he can have that fairy tale he deserves after all.
It’s now time to meet one of this year’s most unique brides, 32-year-old Natalie, a physiotherapist from Melbourne. Natalie is matched with 28-year-old executive assistant Collins, originally from Perth but now residing in Sydney. Collins has never made it past the first date and is always left in the friend zone, but can his first relationship be his happily ever after?
Our next groom is 26-year-old Jayden, a professional kickboxer from the Gold Coast. Jayden feels he has always been misjudged because, despite his tough exterior as a MMA fighter, he wants to come home for snuggles and back tickles. Jayden wants a girl with ambitions and aspirations, and is matched with 28-year-old recruitment manager Eden, who also calls the Gold Coast home. Eden is after that special someone who can make her feel at ease.
A confident Collins introduces himself to his bride-to-be’s friends and family, while Natalie’s arrival is taking a little longer than expected as she’s having some trouble walking in her heels and manages to roll her ankle before her arrival at the altar. With the aid of the crew, Natalie makes her grand entrance to the joyous smile of her husband to be. The two quickly discover they are both die-hard fans of the Essendon football club and are smitten as they listen to one another’s vows. Natalie pledges to be Collins ‘player 2’ in this extraordinary adventure.
Meanwhile in the Gold Coast, Jayden breathes deeply while awaiting the arrival of his bride, Eden. Luckily, Jayden is swept off his feet when he turns to see his match, as the two share some like-minded vows, in a very love-filled wedding ceremony.
At the reception of Collins and Natalie, Collins starts to become overwhelmed by the high energy of his new wife. A very smitten Natalie takes Collins out for a private chat, where she has a gift for him. Collins is lost for words; can he build up the courage to be honest with his ecstatic wife?
Meanwhile, at Jayden and Eden’s reception, Jayden’s brother Mitch, a former MAFS groom himself, pulls Jayden away for a chat. Jayden expresses his concern that Eden isn’t as into him as he is into her. Mitch assures Jayden that she made it clear in her vows she does not believe in love at first sight, and not to overthink it – he sees that spark and chemistry there. Whilst Jayden is not 100% convinced, wife Eden puts him at ease when they get some quiet time together and she admits she felt so much better about the whole situation when she saw Jayden standing at the end of the aisle. Their connection seems unbreakable, and their first dance is joyous and romantic.
The morning after the weddings couldn’t be more different for the two new couples. Jayden and Eden are waking up in each other’s arms, before jetting off to the Whitsundays for their honeymoon. But last night, Collins decided to sleep in a separate bed to wife Natalie and sees the morning after as an opportunity to open up about how he is feeling. Collins tells Natalie that he is in this whole heartedly, but at the same time this is unfamiliar territory for him, it will be a slow burn, but he is excited. The two are off to sunny Broome, Western Australia for their honeymoon, where Natalie hopes that connection she is so desperately after can shine through with Collins.
Episode 4
Our first six couples are embarking on the next phase of the experiment, the Honeymoons.
In South Australia, Cassandra and Tristan are settling into brunch. For Tristan the connection was instant on their wedding day, and his quirky sense of humour quickly won Cassandra over, but as the couple navigate the intricacies of intimacy in a new relationship, a nervous Tristan asks Cassandra if he can kiss her.
In Vanuatu, the experiment’s two most dominant alpha personalities, Jack and Tori, are also beginning to explore their relationship dynamic. And while Tori is confident that they are on the same page, and are a step ahead of the other couples, the arrival of the Honeymoon Box threatens to expose uncomfortable truths about Jack’s feelings for Tori.
In Port Stephens, Lucinda is eager to broaden Timothy’s horizons with a life drawing session, while back in Sydney, it’s time to meet the two new singles who are about to enter the experiment.
Nurse Ellie has gone through a lot to be here – her fiancé called off their nuptials just months before the wedding day. She has turned to the experts in the hope of realising her dream of getting married and starting a family. Travel guide Ben is also ready to settle down after a long time of living life on the road.
Although the couple seem instantly smitten and their ceremony is filled with love and laughter, Ellie’s protective cousin Jordan questions Ben’s intentions for being in the experiment, casting a shadow of doubt on their special day.
In the Whitsundays, Eden opens up about her past betrayals to new husband Jayden, who reassures her that he is someone she can trust. Meanwhile, back in Port Stephens, the Honeymoon Box proves a challenging task for Lucinda and Timothy as they discuss attraction and loss.
The Official MAFS podcast returns on Monday, February 5, with episodes then dropping every Wednesday after the dinner party.
Episode 5
The final two weddings of the Married at First Sight 2024 experiment kick off with hot mess bride-to-be Lauren who is matched with the disciplined and health-focused groom, Jonathan. Constantly drawn to red flags, Lauren struggles to break old habits and seeks help from the experts to find her a husband who is calm and level-headed. For Jonathan, his strict daily health and exercise routine has impacted his dating life and now at almost 40, reality has hit that it’s time to relent on his schedule to build a life with someone else.
On the wedding day, Jonathan begins his day by exercising while Lauren has overslept. Excited to meet his bride, Jonathan arrives at the venue on time and patiently waits for her arrival. Despite running late, Lauren is adamant on looking and feeling her best and this means a last-minute decision to apply fake tan. When Lauren begins to make her way to the venue, several unforeseen circumstances further delay her arrival, including Lauren’s limousine getting stuck inside the driveway of her accommodation, and an emergency stopover by the side of the road to collect wildflowers and weeds as a make-shift bouquet. While it seems like nothing is working out for Lauren, when she finally meets Jonathan, the couple instantly hit it off. As they exchange their vows, Jonathan’s stepsister, Steph, isn’t so sure.
Meanwhile, Andrea and Richard, the experiment’s oldest couple, begin getting ready for their big day. At 62, Richard is the oldest participant to ever enter the experiment. Although he strongly believes age is just a number, yielding zero matches on dating apps he relents that his age is a slight disadvantage whilst looking for his life partner. For the father-of-three, his dream woman must be someone with a fun, loving spirit and he is matched with mother of two Andrea who is equally as young at heart. Andrea was in a relationship but after learning about gaslighting on a previous season of MAFS, she quickly ended that relationship. She’s now entering the experiment in hopes to find a forever love. For both Andrea and Richard, the moment they lock eyes it is clear to everyone that they have a very special connection.
Whilst Jonathan and Lauren have instantly fallen head over heels for each other, during the reception Jonathan’s stepsister Steph continues to hold some reservations. Worried that Lauren may not be at the same stage of life as her brother, Steph is eager to get to know her. However, she is horrified by Lauren’s raucous comments and behaviour and wonders if her new sister-in-law is really the right fit for her brother.
On the contrary, Andrea and Richard’s adult children are overjoyed with their match. Having many similarities such as their shared love for cricket, coffee and adventuring, the newlyweds continue to bond throughout the day while their children give their stamp of approval.
The following morning the attraction continues to grow for Andrea and Richard. But the same can’t be said for Lauren as she describes waking up next to Jonathan like “waking up from a one-night stand”. With the initial spark at the wedding starting to wane, Lauren and Jonathan set off for their honeymoon.
While Andrea and Richard bask in marital bliss, Jonathan questions Lauren about her sudden coldness toward him and this quickly escalates into an argument with Lauren accusing him of being “too nice”. Unimpressed that his wife has quickly written him off, Jonathan snaps back.
Couples dish goss for the very first time on new season of Married At First Sight podcast
The Official Married At First Sight Podcast is back and bigger than ever; this season featuring exclusive unmissable chats with participants where nothing is off the table.
Each week following the dinner parties, podcast host Shelly Horton will break down the week’s romance, passion, emotion and drama with the MAFS experts – including regular chats with MAFS expert, John Aiken – as well as brave singles as they share their personal revelations, insights and feelings on how this year’s experiment has tested them in ways they never imagined.
Self-described MAFS super-fan, host Shelly Horton, said: “Each episode is a rollercoaster of emotions. I love that everyone in Australia has an opinion about MAFS but I’ll get first access to grill the brides and grooms."
The Official Married at First Sight Podcast launches on Monday February 5, with episodes released each week straight after the explosive and unpredictable dinner parties.
You can catch the Official Married At First Sight on all major podcast platforms, and for the first time ever the podcast will be streamed for viewers to watch on 9now.
MAFS: THE OFFICIAL PODCAST
AVAILABLE 5 FEB
Episode 6 - First dinner party
The Honeymoons are coming to an end and the newlyweds are making the most of their last days away before returning to Sydney for the first Dinner Party of the experiment. While most couples are getting along at this early stage of the experiment, the same cannot be said for Collins & Natalie. On honeymoon in Broome, Western Australia, Natalie is struggling with the hot weather and the lack of affection from her inexperienced husband, Collins, who is oblivious to how his wife is feeling.
One couple who have had no trouble turning up the heat is Sara and Tim who have consummated their marriage in Fiji, after reconciling from an earlier argument when Tim told Sara that she needed to relax.
In Port Stephens, Lucinda and Timothy have a breakthrough on the final night on their honeymoon. Following on from an awkward discussion where Timothy admitted to not being attracted to Lucinda, the couple have a heartfelt and emotional conversation where Timothy tells Lucinda that she has been the highlight of the honeymoon. She is touched by this tenderness, and there is hope for the couple.
Back in Sydney, the newlyweds are glamming up with excitement and anticipation for the first Dinner Party, when rumours begin to swirl about Tori’s husband Jack. He’s been named and shamed in a gossip article that claims he was in a relationship just prior to entering the experiment, leaving his partner for the opportunity to appear on Married at First Sight. Eden and Jayden and Lauren and Jonathan are leading the charge to hold Jack accountable for his actions, and are determined to get to the bottom of the issue.
The Cocktail Party commences and amongst the love, tension simmers with anticipation of Jack and his wife Tori’s arrival. Natalie and Collins put on a brave face, but beneath the surface all is not well. Witnessing all the other loved up couples, Natalie feels more alone than ever. Meanwhile, ever oblivious, Collins is just ecstatic to be at a Dinner Party and spends most of the Cocktail Party socialising with the other couples away from his wife’s side.
Tori and Jack enter the Cocktail Party and the tension in the room intensifies. Jack quickly tries to dampen the rumours with Tim, but before he can continue with too much campaigning…. dinner is served.
As the couples head in for dinner, it quickly becomes apparent that Natalie and Collins have not taken their seats at the table. They are having a conversation outside the room, with Natalie hesitant to head in to the group. Following some encouragement from Collins she makes her way to the table, but she is clearly unhappy.
As Natalie witnesses all the loved up couples around the table, she becomes overwhelmed and leaves the table. Collins joins her to see what’s wrong. Despite Collins’ pleas, Natalie doesn’t want to continue with the experiment. Collins is heartbroken. The couple announce that they are leaving the experiment to a shocked table.
With Natalie and Collins gone, attention turns to Jack as the group starts to grill him about the gossip article’s allegations. With Jayden and Lauren leading the charge, Jack is put on the spot. All eyes are on him, and Tori squirms as her husband is grilled. But rather than capitulate, Jack stands his ground and denies all allegations. Attention then turns to Tori. Will she stand by her man? The answer for now is: yes.
Lauren saying tonight that “she’ll bash him” in relation to Jack isn’t cool to broadcast.
Mentioning violence of any kind to any gender is not okay. Obviously she doesn’t mean it literally but it’s the wrong message to be sending, even as a joke.
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I thought it was hilarious.
Was wondering if anyone was watching as very little commentary in here.
Poor Nat. Collins is a first class dick. Only caring about his 5 minutes of fame. Nat deserved so much better. Also, how foolish is Tori? Or is she also just playing the game at this point?
DOM AND ELLA’S DINNER PARTY DEBRIEF
Married at First Sight fan favourites Domenica Calarco and Ella Ding are back in a brand-new digital video series, lifting the lid on the explosive weekly dinner parties, and the topics all of Australia will be talking about.
Dom and Ella’s Dinner Party Debrief, is available exclusively on nine.com.au/MAFS, with episode one already available, and new episodes dropping every Wednesday night following Married at First Sight.
The bride besties from MAFS season nine will hold nothing back with their raw reactions and firsthand thoughts on all that unfolds in MAFS 2024.
Ella will have a lot to say for sure. Mitch, who was matched with Ella in season nine, has his brother Jayden taking part in this year’s experiment.
Nine.com.au’s Editorial Director, Kerri Elstub, said: “Australia can’t get enough of MAFS. We know our audience love Dom and Ella and we can’t wait to hear from them.”
Dom said: “I’m so excited to be able to do this with Ella and talk about the dinner parties, which were my favourite part of MAFS. They are some of the most controversial parts of the experiment.”
Ella said: “It’s wonderful to be recapping the dinner parties with Dom. It’s nostalgic and brings back so many MAFS memories. I feel very grateful and fortunate to be a part of it.”
Dom and Ella’s Dinner Party Debrief joins a raft of new, original, short-form video series on nine.com.au’s entertainment vertical, including John Aiken’s MAFS Diaries, Catriona’s Great Getaways and The Block’s Dan vs Dani.
Dom and Ella’s Dinner Party Debrief is sponsored by Snaffle, the home of bite-sized payments.
Married at First Sight continues tonight at 7.30pm AEDT on Channel 9 and 9Now.
DOM AND ELLA’S DINNER PARTY DEBRIEF HERE