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Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2026 bride Mel Akbay is one of the most disliked cast members this year, with fans turning on her and supporting her jilted husband Luke Fourniotis. However, a production insider close to MAFS tells Chattr Mel is actually “beautiful inside and out”, but has suffered from a “bad edit”.

“It’s so crazy to see her edit. If anyone was ever sick, Mel was the first to check in to make sure they were okay. If a bride needed support, Mel was the first to offer it,” the insider says.

“The hate is really hard for her. She hasn’t been watching MAFS because the hate is just so messed up. They’ve cut out everything that is the beauty of Mel and how everyone sees her.”

The source adds that the cast are “heartbroken” for Mel because the edit she’s receiving isn’t anything like her in real life.

When one bride was feeling anxious, Mel was apparently her biggest support person. “Mel was the one on the phone making sure that she was okay,” the source says. “Literally had her back the whole time to check in and be that support for her, and really helped that bride through it.”

Mel’s sweet moment during the Intruder wedding

While we are yet to see the Intruder wedding take place, the production insider notes that Mel went out of her way to make sure one of the intruder brides felt welcome.

“Mel ran up to the family of the bride and said, ‘This is my mobile number, if you ever need to contact me or anything, just to check in on how she’s going, I’m always there. I’ll be her support. I’ll look after her. It is a crazy journey, but I want to make sure that you know she’s supported in every way’,” the source spills.

“She’s so thoughtful and everything that makes Mel such a beautiful person has been edited out.”

While Luke has been getting a great edit, the insider adds that he also wasn’t trying to get to know Mel either.

“Luke really didn’t put in any effort as well. I mean, Mel admits to not putting in effort, but Luke didn’t either. He also spoke badly behind the scenes about her, so why would she give him another chance after that?” the source alleges.

Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2026 airs Sunday – Monday on Channel 9 and 9Now.

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After this season’s first Dinner Party episode, swathes of Married At First Sight (MAFS) fans are calling for Luke Fourniotis to be matched with a new bride… pronto! The 30-year-old farmer, who at times in last night’s episode looked to be on the cusp of tears, has attracted a wave of supporters who say his bride, Mel Akbay, isn’t being realistic when it comes to her expectations of getting “butterflies” and living out a “rom com”.

“Luke deserves to come back with a new wife”, reads a post that has amassed almost 200 likes in a MAFS Facebook Group. “I can’t stand her”, another viewer wrote in response. “I wish they’d give him another chance with someone else.” “I think Luke is a great guy – they need to rematch him, as she clearly doesn’t want to be with him [or] give him a real shot”, offered another.

In general, fans are incredibly supportive of Luke, with one commenting: “She’s so nasty to that lovely guy. He should get a trade-in”, and another: “I agree, if the experts don’t get her treating him better, then he should get a trade-in. She has put in exactly zero effort.” Given that he works on a farm, several fans have also suggested that Luke is a shoo-in for Farmer Wants A Wife.

What is wrong with Luke and Mel’s marriage?

While Luke and Mel’s marriage did get off to a bad start, with Luke being late for their wedding and chewing gum at the altar, it’s not completely clear why the energy between the two is so bleak.

While it is possible that Mel has never gotten over the initial wedding fiasco enough to let Luke in, it’s also clear that Luke is not her type physically, with Mel having said that she is into men with the opposite features to her, which apparently translates to a guy with blond hair.

At last night’s dinner party, though, when pressed for details by the other brides about why she finds Luke so offputting, Mel struggled to describe the problem, saying only that Luke watches TV with the volume up really high. When a bride asked her if he turned down the TV when asked, Mel admitted that she’d never spoken up about it.

“What pissed me off and made my blood boil in last nights episode was that Mel was so bloody happy to see all the women and meet the guys and was very social towards them, and couldn’t even look at Luke, let alone speak or interact with him”, said another viewer. “I hope Luke gets another chance at romance.”

Rumours have been swirling about Married At First Sight (MAFS) bride Brook Crompton over the past few days. In case you missed it, she apparently was with her ex during filming and is now pregnant. However, an insider closer to production says Brook split from her previous partner three months before MAFS started and wasn’t with him during the experiment.

In a spicier turn, the source claims it’s groom Chris Nield leaking these scandalous stories to the press because he was upset that Brook never fell for his fat-shaming charms.

“Chris is just jealous, feeling rejected and has been leaking fake information about Brook to tabloids, because he couldn’t understand why she didn’t like him and refused to kiss or touch him on the show,” the insider alleges to Chattr.

“She was not with her ex while filming happened, and had been split from him for three months prior to going on MAFS. Every single cast member knows that Brook wasn’t with her ex during filming.”

After the Courier Mail claimed Brook was pregnant due to seeing a baby bump, the insider says nothing has been confirmed about the pregnancy, and considering what we’ve seen on MAFS lately, it’s rude to be gossiping about a woman’s body.

“Considering how much blowback there has been from Chris’ fat-shaming comments, it’s wild to be speculating about the size of a woman’s body and announcing a pregnancy before it has been confirmed. As many other celebrities have said previously, it’s invasive and irresponsible,” the source adds.

Back in 2024, Lady Gaga had to dispel pregnancy rumours, and Taylor Swift came to her defence. “Can we all agree that it’s invasive and irresponsible to comment on a woman’s body. Gaga doesn’t owe anyone an explanation and neither does any woman,” she wrote.

Does Brook and Chris’ relationship survive MAFS?

It seems pretty certain that Brook and Chris aren’t on good terms, and it looks like this couple won’t make it past Final Vows.

In a previous interview with Chattr, Brook told us that she didn’t think Chris should have been cast on the show. “I think he should not have been allowed on that show. For the fact that there are young viewers, parents are watching it with their kids. What kind of role model are you showing, that you’re going to be putting someone on there who body-shames women in front of young children as well? I just think it’s just so wrong,” she said.,

“Who are you to think that that’s okay to go on Married at First Sight, and have a platform and speak about people like that? That is disgusting.”

Plus, when we asked Brook about her Valentine’s Day plans, she hinted that they wouldn’t include Chris.

“Let’s just say, I do have some beautiful plans with a beautiful non-fat shaming man,” Brook laughed.

The final Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2026 wedding saw Filip and Stella tie the knot – much to the disappointment of Stella’s friends, who complained that Filip was only on the show to raise his profile.

Things then took a bizarre turn at the reception when one of Stella’s friends suggested a celebratory shot, despite Filip having just revealed he was sober. When he politely declined, Stella — and his own — friends piled criticism on him for not joining in.

“In Lithuanian weddings, we have this tradition,” Stella’s friend began. “So what we’re gonna do right now, we’re gonna drink vodka. Sprinkle some salt on the dark rye. Vodka represents joy, dark rye bread represents hardship, salt represents abundance, right? So, guys, drink your drinks.”

“I’m not doing that,” Filip responded.

“I don’t drink, that’s it, I just don’t do that, you know, and the reason why I don’t do that is that I tell people not to do it,” he responded, explaining that he promotes a sober lifestyle through his fitness program, where he encourages others to prioritise their health.

Although Stella quickly accepted that Filip didn’t want to drink, both her friends and his friends called him out on his choice and encouraged him to down the shot.

MAFS fans react to the vodka toast

The segment grew criticism from viewers, who thought it was in bad taste to try and “pressure” someone who’s chosen to be sober to drink alcohol.

“Good on Filip for sticking to his guns and not having the shot. I’m glad Stella seemed supportive and understanding… I hope it was genuine. No one should ever be pressured into drinking,” one person wrote. Another pointed out: “Trying to force someone who’s sober is very weird.”

A third user called out Filip’s own friend for encouraging him to drink, and pointed out that Stella’s mates didn’t know the circumstances surrounding his decision to be sober.

“Aren’t you guys supposed to be his mates? Why are you trying to force him to drink? And her family and friends don’t know if he’s a recovering alcoholic or something, and they’re trying to pressure him to drink,” they wrote.

Some other viewers singled out Stella’s friend Joe, who continually called Filip out during the ceremony, and suggested that he joined MAFS for clout.

“Joe, you’re the red flag. Getting mad at someone for not wanting to drink is weird,” a user wrote.

Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2026 airs Sunday – Monday on Channel 9 and 9Now.

Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2026 was a ride, and with it came a brand new cast of reality TV hopefuls who were probably not opposed to gaining some new Instagram followers. Among the 2026 grooms was Grayson McIvor, the owner of a recruitment agency on the Gold Coast.

A source tells Chattr that he’s very well known by the ladies of the Gold Coast, which is interesting, considering his good-guy persona that was shown on the show.

“He’s a serial dater,” the insider spills. “[He’s] been on the old Hinge for years.”

Below, here’s everything we know about Grayson, including who he’s matched with on MAFS 2026.

What does MAFS’ Grayson McIvor do for a job?

Grayson founded the AEON Recruitment and Advisory agency with his colleague Sam Burton. The company is based in Burleigh Heads, and provides services for both clients and candidates.

“Grayson founded AEON with the vision to offer premium recruitment advisory, underpinned by strategy,” the company website reads. “His long-standing list of satisfied repeat clients bears testament to his unrivalled ability to connect, influence and build trust.”

The MAFS groom previously worked in sales and marketing at Ray White, Belle Property and Burton and Ryan Property Agents, before becoming a recruitment specialist at Real Estate Recruitment Australia.

Who was Grayson McIvor matched with on MAFS 2026?

Grayson was paired with Julia Vogl, the former celebrity reporter turned confidence coach. At first they pair looked like they were on track to become another MAFS success story. However, weeks into the experiment, their relationship started to sour.

Fights between the couple were shown, and it was clear their relationship wasn’t progressing. While it seemed to viewers that the couple were just a mismatched pair, a source told Chattr there was more to their fights than what was shown on TV.

“He didn’t really care about Julia at all,” the source spilled. “He was attracted to her physically, and it just seemed like he wanted to get laid. He was pissed off that she wouldn’t have sex with him, so he treated her poorly.”

Another source explained that Grayson and Julia’s fights ultimately came down to the fact that she was sleep-deprived.

“He was annoyed at Julia for being tired, and this big argument ensued. He spoke in an abrasive tone, and their fight got nowhere. The bride was far too exhausted to have the conversation,” the insider claimed.

What is Grayson up to post-MAFS?

Grayson and Julia left the experiment mid-way through the season, and, during an interview on Stan’s After The Dinner Party, Grayson revealed he was currently single.

“I’m just doing my thing, and yeah, I’m open to to it, I mean I hope so,” he said of finding love.

Aside from that, according to his Instagram account, Grayson seems to be enjoying some time in the great outdoors, with a photo dump of his adventures camping in Australia, and visiting the clifftop surf town of Uluwatu in Bali.

MAFS 2026 premieres on Monday, February 2 at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now. 

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Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2026 bride Bec Zacharia has come under fire for “faking” her weight-loss story. Her big backstory on the show is that she had to learn how to love herself, do the work, and become comfortable in her own skin. Part of that journey included shedding 35 kilograms.

However, an anonymous poster on Reddit has made a wild claim that Bec “photoshopped” her before photos to look bigger. This rumour (which has not been verified by Chattr), has been discussed on the podcast MAFS Funny and published on Daily Mail, alongside plenty of conversation online. However, Bec tells Chattr it’s not true at all.

“I’m more than willing to [show more] photos that you actually haven’t seen [if you need proof],” Bec declares. “I very much was very, very large, and I went from 89 kilos to 54 now.”

The MAFS participant hasn’t seen the rumours floating around online, but says she thinks it’s “quite funny”.

“I have been really vulnerable, and I don’t think anyone would go on national TV watched by millions, 10s of millions of people around the world and say that I was overweight, and I’ve never felt beautiful [or] ever loved myself. I think that [would be] a weird thing to do, yeah,” she added.

Bec is currently locked in a vicious feud with bride Gia Fleur, and the pair will likely spawn Team Bec and Team Gia fans.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s lot of bits and pieces that come out of the woodwork, in a sense of, you know, if people are Team Gia, I’m sure that there’s going to be a lot of people that have things to say about me,” the bride says.

“If they’re Team Bec, I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of people who have a lot of stuff to say about Gia. But I think if there’s one thing I’d like to get out there is that we’re all human beings, and we should just all be respectful of each other.”

What else did Redditors point out about Bec?

The original poster from Reddit claims to be a friend of somebody who knows Bec, and told viewers to look at the way the photo appeared to be distorted around the face.

“These two photos are taken [on] the exact same day, but the MAFS version has been photoshopped to make her bigger,” the anonymous poster claimed. “Just look at the hair, earrings and nails. Family and/or friends are involved, I’m obviously not gonna dox anyone.”

“Other commenters have said there’s zero other Instagram photos she’s posted where she isn’t as skinny all the way back to 2012.”

Yikes, it sure seems messy. This might not be the last we hear of this saga!

Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2026 airs Monday – Thursday at 7:30pm this week on Channel 9 and 9Now.

Love to chat about Reality TV? Join us in our new Facebook group and come chat! Or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for more entertainment news. 

Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2026 groom Chris Nield has made headlines for his fat-phobic comments, but he’s also provided unintentional comic relief by repeatedly reminding everyone that he’s six feet tall.

The topic was again broached when his bride, Brook Crompton, walked up to the altar, and they were notably the same height. Brook even commented on it during the nuptials, asking, “Where’s the inches?” The remark left a very sour look on both Chris — and one of his groomsmens — faces.

However, in an interview with Chattr, Brook clarified that she only made that comment after she heard a rude remark one of Chris’ groomsmen made about her as she was walking down the aisle.

“When I said the comment about a few inches, well, when I walked down the aisle, his friends said ‘She’s so f**king tall, and they didn’t put that in,” Brook explained.

“So I was already feeling nervous doing something so crazy, and that wasn’t put in. So I, that’s why I said that comment. Because I was like, No, I’m f**king putting these people in their places.”

Brook explained that the groomsmen’s comment prompted her to make a reference to it during her producer-led interview at the wedding.

“I’m surprised they didn’t put it in my voxies. That was a lot of questions I was asked, like how did you feel about being told as you walked down the aisle,” Oh, she’s so fucking tall.’ That is why I said, ‘If he doesn’t like that, it’s his problem.'”

How tall is MAFS’ Chris Neild?

Brook explained that she and Chris were similar heights, and even without heels on, there’s not much difference between them.

“I’m 5’9″, and he’s only a little bit taller than me. I reckon he’s probably like, 5’11”, she guessed.

Brook added that she thinks it’s a male thing to try and fake a little extra height, but says she doesn’t really understand it.

“I just think, who gives a s**t [about height], right? Like, you know, stop trying to fight for being six feet. I don’t know, boys can be boys. I feel like boys always make up things about their height. To be honest. I don’t think Chris is funny. I think that he is a joke himself.”

Brook Crompton strutted down the aisle on Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2026 only to find a fat-shaming groom called Chris Nield at the end. Viewers have watched as Chris made multiple comments in his audition tape and at the Bucks’ party about how he’s not attracted to ‘overweight’ people.

In an interview with Chattr, Brook said that she was “appalled” by Chris’s comments and said that if she had known about them at the wedding, she wouldn’t have said ‘I do’.

“I had no idea, and to be quite frank, if I had known, that man would have been ripped a new asshole. I would have done a full runner. I think my friends also probably would have annihilated him,” she said.

“I think it’s absolutely disgusting. I’m lost for words over it, to be honest. You should not be speaking about people like that or women like that in general,” she added. “I don’t stand for that behaviour ever, and I would never, ever be with someone who speaks about women like that. And I think it’s not him being insecure; he’s a dangerous human.”

Brook went on to say that she believes Chris was only cast on MAFS for the shock factor, and said it’s setting a bad example for young people who watch the show.

“I think he should not have been allowed on that show. For the fact that there are young viewers, parents are watching it with their kids. What kind of role model are you showing, that you’re going to be putting someone on there who body-shames women in front of young children as well? I just think it’s just so wrong.”

Brook also questioned why Chris thought it was a good idea to talk about his controversial views on national television in the first place.

“Who are you to think that that’s okay to go on Married at First Sight, and have a platform and speak about people like that? That is disgusting.”

Chris was giddy after meeting model Brook, who physically checks all of the superficial boxes he had for his bride before heading to his wedding.

Brook said that while Chris was smitten with the expert’s choice, she shudders to think what would have happened if Chris was paired with someone he wasn’t attracted to.

“Lucky for him, he seems like he got what he wanted at the end of the night, he wanted someone that was, you know, not — by quote of Chris — short, fat and needy,” she told Chattr.

“The repercussions are like, what would he have actually acted like if he got someone who wasn’t that physique? They gave him what he wanted, and now, oh, he’s all rainbows and butterflies, happy that he got what he wanted. But, that does not take away from the fact that he has said those words, and what would have happened if he didn’t get someone that he didn’t like?”

Brook said that had Chris not been happy with his match, his reaction would have been damaging.

“His words and what he says speaks for itself. I think that he would have done a runner. And I think he would if it said some horrible things about her behind her back,” she said.

Brook deserves better!

While couples can seem perfectly matched on paper, Married At First Sight (MAFS) has shown time and time again that physical and sexual chemistry can be a bit of a wildcard. During Bec Zacharia and Danny Hewitt’s honeymoon, the pair had sex on their first night. While the bride was satisfied, the groom soon informed her he didn’t feel a sexual attraction to her.

Bec tells Chattr she was blindsided by Danny’s reaction, because she believed they “had a great time”.

“I came out really positive, and he came out and said [the sexual chemistry] wasn’t there, which was quite shocking for me. It hurt,” she says. “It kind of felt like he just drove a car, being me, and then decided, no, I don’t want to buy it. I feel like he friend-zoned me way too quickly, if I’m honest with you.”

The socialite says she can’t speak for the groom, but acknowledges he may have felt some “pressure” to have sex early on. However, this seems to have been a mistake.

“He might have felt like there was pressure to [have sex]. But I think that maybe if he had sort of expressed to me, about the sexual chemistry before having sex, maybe we could have worked on our souls connecting first,” Bec adds.

Bec feels Danny didn’t ‘give her a chance’

MAFS viewers felt for Bec after seeing her break down in tears during her honeymoon, declaring that Danny made her “feel ugly”. The bride says it was a true reflection of what she was feeling, and admits to being heartbroken.

“I felt like he hadn’t given me a chance. He had decided that we were mates based off my looks rather than my heart. And it broke me. It did,” Bec recalls.

“In that moment, I was devastated… I was blaming myself for him, not having that attraction to me, and friend-zoning me.”

However, she now knows that this whole issue wasn’t about her or her looks at all; it was about Danny and his own hangups. “It’s about him. Because I’m a really, really good, kind human being, who would take the shirt off my back for my partner and my friends,” she adds.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though, because Bec is extremely attracted to her match.

“He’s gorgeous. He’s beautiful,” she gushes. “When I saw him, I thought he was a strapping young lad, tall [and] handsome.”

We’ve seen couples overcome the lack of sexual chemistry at the start — Rhi Disljenkovic and Jeff Gobbels had the same friend zone issue — so fingers crossed Bec and Danny follow in their footsteps.

Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2026 airs Monday – Thursday at 7:30pm this week on Channel 9 and 9Now.

Love to chat about Reality TV? Join us in our new Facebook group and come chat! Or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for more entertainment news. 

This year’s oldest Married At First Sight (MAFS) bride is Rebecca Zukowski. The 51-year-old participant is a mother of one, and looks like she will be a dominant personality.

During the Hen’s night, the bride jokingly warned the other participants to stay away from her husband.

We haven’t seen any success with older participants on MAFS so far, but could Rebecca be the first? Below, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about MAFS bride Rebecca, including what she does for a job and who she’s paired with on the show.

What does MAFS’ Rebecca do for a job?

Rebecca is a Leasing Manager for Scape Australia in Melbourne, Victoria. On LinkedIn, she gave some insight into what she does for work.

“I’m an operations and leasing leader with over 20 years’ experience across hospitality, real estate, and customer-driven environments, including large-scale living and community settings,” she said.

“My career has been built in high-pressure, highly visible environments where performance, reputation, and people all matter. Leading in these spaces has taught me that sustainable success isn’t driven by strategy alone — it’s shaped by emotional intelligence, self-trust, and the ability to remain grounded when decisions are complex or closely observed.”

Prior to joining Scape, Rebecca worked at Accor, Jasper Hotel and Mantra Group.

MAFS’ Rebecca is a ‘sucker for a silver fox’

The MAFS bride isn’t a fan of dating apps, as she finds the prompts and photos of her matches “ridiculous”. With one failed marriage under her belt, she always imagined she would be happily paired off at this age, but the stark reality has hit her.

Rebecca is a “sucker for a silver fox”, and hopes to find a match who will indulge in luxuries with her, such as dining out, champagne and fashion. However, the most important thing for her is to find somebody who will inject a bit of fun into her life.

Who is Rebecca matched with on MAFS?

Rebecca is matched with Steve Powell, a father of four daughters who is ready to find a long-term relationship.

If you’re curious about whether Rebecca and Steve are still together in real life, head here. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait to find out what happens throughout the experiment.

Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2026 airs Monday – Thursday at 7:30pm this week on Channel 9 and 9Now.

Love to chat about Reality TV? Join us in our new Facebook group and come chat! Or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for more entertainment news. 

The drama kicked off in the premiere episode of Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2026, when Gia Fleur was shown calling Bec Zacharia a “five out of ten” at the hens’ party.

However, in an interview with Chattr, Gia clarified that she was responding to an extremely derogatory comment Bec had made about her first, explaining that shortly after she arrived at the hen’s party, Bec called her a “trashy s**t’.

“She said it to my face, very early on in the night,” Gia told Chattr. “That was at the beginning of the evening, before I’d said anything, but that wasn’t shown, so I get why people are thinking I’m horrible, but a lot of things are out of context, and not the whole evening was shown.”

The mum-of-one went on to say that her comment about Bec being a “five out of ten” played out differently in real life.

“To me, that’s not really what happened that night. We were there for hours, and you guys saw six minutes. That wasn’t very accurate of what happened. A lot of what I did and said was taken out of context, like the comment about Bec being a 5 out of 10. I wasn’t referring to her looks. It was referring to how she was treating me.”

Gia explained that the reaction she received from some of the other women at the Hen’s night was extremely disheartening.

“I was judged the entire night. I was given death stares. There were a lot of comments made about me, and because I’ve been bullied before, and I used to just take it, I wanted to protect myself. So, I went into defence, and I felt triggered, and I’m okay. I’ve just got to, I’ve got to unleash now, and I’ve got to protect myself and back myself. So, that’s what was shown.”

Gia says there are ‘two sides’ to Bec

It sounds like there’s no love lost between Gia and Bec, with Gia telling Chattr that she thinks Bec is sneaky with the way she treats people.

“I think with Bec there are two sides, and she likes to be careful, and she wants to say things in a certain way, and kind of a little bit get away with it.

“Whereas I just say whatever’s on my mind, there’s no filter. I’ll say the same thing behind your back that I’d say to your face. There’s no difference.

Gia said she felt like Bec “judged” her straight away, adding that was what ultimately triggered her to clap back at Bec during the hens’ party.

“I don’t know if it’s there’s insecurities there, or what it is that she felt the need to look at me at face value and just assume that I’m this and that. But yeah, that’s essentially what she did, and I felt attacked, and you know that I just gave it back, pretty much.”

“I think going forward in the show, you’ll see both sides, hopefully, and you’ll see it’s not just me. There are other people who do some things that are questionable.”

Honestly, it sounds like we have another Dom vs Olivia situation on our hands this year.