Survivor Australia 2024 contestant Nathan Freeman knows a thing or two about competing; he’s a former AFL player.
Nathan will join 24 other hopefuls on Survivor 2024, who are all hoping to come out of the game as the sole survivor.
While Nathan’s athletic ability may help him on the show, the injuries he acquired during his time on the field may also act as a hindrance.
Nathan Freeman. Instagram.
Nathan’s AFL career
Nathan was drafted by Collingwood at pick 10 in the 2013 AFL national draft. However, his time there was less than fruitful and he didn’t play a game in his two years at the club due to repeated injuries. Nathan was traded to the Saints in 2015.
He made his senior debut in 2018 against the Western Bulldogs in Round 20 but was delisted at the end of the season.
In 2018, Nathan told Unpluggered Podcast that the career-stunting injuries he suffered throughout his time in the AFL were frustrating.
“My whole career was one thing after another, with the rollercoaster of emotions and frustration. There were more downs than ups, obviously,” Freeman said.
“At the time, it was definitely frustrating, but I think I’ve moved on pretty quick.
“I guess it’s just the way footy is, it’s pretty brutal. For every Joel Selwood that wins flags from day one, there’s (somebody like) myself who has gone as a high draft pick and never got on the park or had a real crack at it.”
Nathan Freeman. Instagram.
Nathan’s famous friends
A quick scroll of Nathan’s Instagram account shows that he has some friends in high places.
Nathan has a photo of himself and Love Island’s Mitch Hibberd soaking up some sun together on a boat. Mitch won Love Island Australia season 3, and competed on Love Island Australia season 4 and Love Island Games.
Another one of Nathan’s recent photos shows him posing with Bailey Smith who, with a whopping 341,000 followers on Instagram, is Australia’s most-followed AFL player. He has multiple modelling deals, including with Cotton On and McDonald’s.
Nathan Freeman. Instagram.
Last year, pictures leaked online showing Bailey holding a bag of white powder. He received a two-week suspension as a result.
Stream Survivor Australia 2024 from January 29, 2024, at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
MAFS groom Tim Calwell may look like a fun, chilled and charismatic surfer guy, but there’s more to him than meets the eye.
The 31-year-old Queenslander decided to join Married At First Sight after discovering his most recent girlfriend was unfaithful to him.
He’s scrubbed all evidence of her from his social media and is hoping to find true love with the woman he marries on MAFS.
Where is Tim from?
During his wedding Tim speaks in Spanish to his bride, leaving fans wondering what his background is. While he isn’t Spanish, he has done a lot of travelling.
Tim grew up in Darwin and lived in Colombia, Melbourne, Thailand and Bali before choosing to settle on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
His Instagram account is littered with photos of his travels to Dubai, Africa, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia and more.
What’s Tim’s job?
Tim is actually a millionaire, something he’s talked about on his YouTube channel, explaining that he went from $0 to over $1,000,000 in just seven months.
The MAFS groom said that he made the small fortune through dropshipping, which is a business model that allows someone to sell products online and ship them directly to the buyer without having any inventory.
“Basically what I did is I quit my job in May and then I left to Thailand,” Tim explained in the video which was posted in 2018. ” I came across a couple of people doing e-commerce and I thought this could be a good idea.”
According to his Channel 9 MAFS bio, “Tim currently has a handful of online businesses to his name” and in the future “he hopes to build a school in Ethiopia, where his sister was adopted from”.
Married at First Sight 2024 premieres at 7:30pm on January 29th on Channel Nine and 9Now.
MAFS bride Sara Mesa is a nutrition and fitness coach and a lover of travel.
The 29-year-old is Sydney-based and works at celebrity gym ACERO, which is owned by trainer Jono Castano. Jono’s clientele includes many well-known names, including Sir Richard Branson, Rita Ora, Candice Warner and Michael Clarke.
Sara. Instagram.
Where is Sara from?
Sara was born and raised in Colombia but moved to Canada as a young child. She speaks Spanish – which becomes very obvious during her wedding ceremony.
The fitness coach has been living in Australia for the last eight years.
What is Sara looking for?
According to her Channel Nine bio, the MAFS bride is hoping to be matched with a “confident guy with good conversation, who can match her energy.”
“It will be an added bonus if he is a light-haired ‘pretty boy’,” it reads.
Her bio also states that she has a strong personality and is looking for a husband who can stand up to her.
“With strong ideals for her future, Sara can find it easy to dismiss potential partners if they don’t live up to her expectations,” it reads.
Sara. Instagram.
A friend of Sara’s backed this up and told Daily Mail Australia that Sara has struggled to find her perfect match in the past.
“I’m not surprised to see her join the show,” they said.
“She is a lovely, sweet, and a very hard-working girl, who has had bad luck in the love department.”
Watch Married at First Sight Sundays at 7.00 pm and Monday – Thursday at 7.30 pm on Nine and 9Now.
MAFS groom TristanBlack is ready to restore viewers’ faith in love, which may have dwindled after watching the drama between couples in previous seasons.
The Married at First Sight groom isn’t joining the show to gain a few extra followers, but, instead, in search of genuine true love.
According to his Channel Nine bio, the Event Manager from Manly is confident, funny and adventurous but struggles to ” get himself out of the friend zone”.
Tristan. Instagram.
The bio said that Tristan is unsure whether he picks the wrong type of woman, or is self sabotaging, but he hopes to change that when he gets married in MAFS 2024.
Tristan is close with his mum and calls her his “hero, queen, and biggest supporter”.
Tristan. Instagram.
Tristan has had relationships that have ended badly in the past, so he’s nervous to date again but feels ready to give it a try. He told Channel Nine that he doesn’t have a big checklist when it comes to dating and that he “simply wants to be loved”.
Watch Married at First Sight Sundays at 7.00 pm and Monday – Thursday at 7.30 pm on Nine and 9Now.
Gold Coast-based influencer Cassandra Allen is getting married off on MAFS 2024.
The social media personality, who has 10.2k Insta followers prior to the show airing, regularly shares photos of herself enjoying a glamorous lifestyle on the GC.
As well as being an influencer, Cassandra, who is from East Africa Tanzania but was born and raised in Australia, is a model.
“I look forward to bringing many different creations to life and I promise to always give my best in everything I do,” she said on her modelling profile.
Cassandra Allen. Instagram.
Cassandra lost her ex-boyfriend
Cassandra’s ex-boyfriend, who was her first love, tragically passed away, and she struggled to find a genuine connection since losing him.
Where is Cassandra from?
Cassandra is proud of her mixed heritage, and viewers can expect to learn more about it on MAFS 2024.
“Often I am asked where are you from? and I have the pleasure of telling them I am from two beautiful countries rich in love, culture and opportunity,” her profile reads.
Cassandra. Instagram.
Cassandra’s friends aren’t surprised she’s on MAFS
The reality TV bride loves being outside, and spending time with her pals and loved ones. “Laughing is my utmost favourite thing to do and sunshine, food and family are the joys in my life,” she said.
One of the model’s friends toldDaily Mail Australiathat Cassandra was very eager to be cast for Married At First Sight.
“Cass has been telling her friends that she would end up on MAFS for years,” they said.
“This is literally her dream becoming true.”
MAFS. Nine.
Catch Married at First Sight Sundays at 7.00pm and Monday – Thursday 7.30pm on Nine and 9Now.
Waaay back in 2006, Australia was blessed with a celebrity version of Survivor. Among the cast was a politician, model and footy player.
While the idea of tossing a bunch of privileged celebrities into a jungle to fend for themselves is interesting to most, the season didn’t exactly attract many viewers, and Survivor Australia was shelved for a decade.
But, with the rise of reality shows casting celebrities, like Amazing Race Australia Celebrity Edition, and Dessert Masters, could it be time for a celebrity Survivor redo?
Survivor. Ten.
Does Jonathan LaPaglia think a celebrity edition of Survivor Australia could work?
Unfortunately for those hoping to see some Aussie celebs donning buffs, host Jonathan LaPaglia has all but shut down the idea of a celebrity interaction.
The long-time host toldChattr during an interview ahead of the Survivor Australia 2024 premiere that he believes the format of the reality show is too brutal for celebrities to be interested.
“To get to the end of Survivor you may need to do things that some may perceive as dastardly. It can be tricky for celebrities to reconcile playing the game hard with protecting their public image. For this reason, I don’t think the format is well suited for celebs,” he said.
Survivor. Ten.
Jonathan on whether social skills or physical strength is more important
As the show’s slogan goes, Survivor is about outplaying, outwitting and outlasting, and it’s well-known that both physical strength and social skills are important qualities to have in the game.
However, Jonathan believes that one of those qualities reigns supreme over the other. He thinks “social game” is an extremely important skill the master.
“There’s no point muscling your way to the end if you can’t secure your peers’ votes for the win. That’s the genius twist of the format. The players you vote out will ultimately decide if you are worthy of the title.”
Titans V Rebels is Jonathan has hosted nine seasons of Survivor. However, despite his extensive knowledge of the franchise, he thinks he’d tank as a contestant.
“Sleeping on a beach looks like it sucks. I prefer a comfy hotel!” He laughed.
“I don’t think I’d last long. My poor social skills would rear their ugly head and I’d say something stupid to someone that would get me voted off pretty early.”
Survivor Australia airs Sunday – Wednesday at 7:30pm on 10 and 10Play.
Married at First Sight returns in 2024 with a captivating new season promising unprecedented levels of drama. And while some may absolutely froth over the mess and chaos, there’s one storyline that the producers wish didn’t happen.
Speaking to Chattr before the January 29 series premiere, Nine’s MAFS exec producer John Walsh admitted there was a plot twist they didn’t foresee.
“They go in different directions we never anticipate,” he said of the storylines. “We have a hero kind of character this year where he revealed a story during confessions week.
John Aiken, MAFS. Nine
“And we went, ‘Mate. I wish you hadn’t told that story.’ Because it suddenly derails momentarily or otherwise, his story arc.”
While he wouldn’t admit who the cast member was he was referring to, Walsh did divulge that he is a “complex character”.
“You see him one way for the first few weeks and then he says something else and you go, ‘Wow’ and it makes you stop and think. But that’s the show and you’ve got to follow that right through.”
During the same interview, Endemol Shine Australia producer Mollie Harwood said of the storyline: “You’ve got to trust the process and react. You’re like, ‘I wish that didn’t happen but we’ll go there!’” Ooooh juicy!
So, how much input do the producers have?
Endemol Shine Australia producer Alex Spurway revealed during the same chat that while they don’t write any sort of script per se, casting plays a huge part in how the stories will play out.
“A lot of that [the stories] comes down to the cast and the casting of the show, the matches,” Alex said. “When you’re casting 20 different people to what you cast in the last series, you’re always going to get completely different storylines, completely different reactions, dinner parties, weddings and relationships.
Natalie, MAFS. Nine
“We never truly know what will happen between each of these couples, and without a doubt, you’re always going to have something different.”
“While we don’t know what will happen”, Walsh added that they do “know something is going to happen”. Lol! Dah!
“We’ve got to follow those stories that come,” he said. “That’s the big job. Then, it’s about telling those stories because these people all have something to share. Something engaging about them.”
Watch Married at First Sight Sundays at 7.00 pm and Monday – Thursday at 7.30 pm on Nine and 9Now.
Congratulations are in order for MAFS season 8 couple Kerry and Johnny Balbuziente who have announced that they’re expecting their first child.
Kerry and Johnny were intruders on the show in 2021 and grew smitten with each other very quickly after meeting. They left the show together and got engaged in 2022, one year after filming wrapped.
The fan favourites exchanged wedding vowsin January 2023 and announced their pregnancy news in January 2024.
“Baby B incoming, June 2024,” they wrote in the caption. “Thrilled to be adding a much-wanted and already so-loved member to our family.
“Our journey took a bit longer than we’d hoped for but not as long as others. Thinking of everyone still on their path.”
To celebrate the exciting news we’ve popped together a list of all the MAFS participants who’ve gone on to have children after the show.
Booka Nile
Booka Nile. Instagram.
MAFS bride Booka Nile had a tumultuous relationship with Brett Helling during season eight of the show but found her happy ending shortly after with Luke Millar. The couple welcomed their baby son in April however, they haven’t publicly shared his name yet.
“Can’t believe it’s possible to love someone this much. Welcome to the world my little Easter baby,” Booka wrote on Instagram at the time.
Dave Cannon
Dave Cannon. Instagram.
Dave’s season 7 marriage to Hayley Vernon was one of the spiciest the show’s ever seen. Unsurprisingly, he didn’t end up procreating with his MAFS bride, but, instead, with his now wife Sarah-Kate Cannon.
Their daughter Mackenzie was born in December 2023.
“Our beautiful little girl. Mackenzie Karen Michelle Cannon. 22-12-2023. 2.59pm. 3.2kg,” he captioned a photo of their newborn.
Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli
Martha Kalifatidis. Instagram.
Season six MAFS couple Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli are considered by many to be one of the golden couples who’ve come out of the show.
Both have substantial social media followings and got engaged in December 2021. Then, in February 2023, they welcomed their first child together, Lucius.
Martha shared a snap of their son asleep in a hospital cot, surrounded by beautiful white roses.
Martha gushed in the caption, “Lucius Brunelli. He’s here, he’s perfect.”
Jules Robinson and Cam Merchant
Jules Robinson. Instagram.
Season six couple Jules Robinson and Cam Merchant are another success story to come out of MAFS Australia.
They fell in love on the show and wed in November 2019. In 2019, Jules gave birth to their son Oliver Chase Merchant in October 2020.
“Incredible the change, the challenges, the love, smiles & genuine joy that this past year has given us… I can’t even remember what life was before parenthood but what I do know is that I love every moment of it & doing it with you @julesrobinson82 I couldn’t be more thankful😍❤️,” Cam wrote on Instagram on Oliver’s first birthday.
Melissa Rawson and Bryce Ruthven
Melissa Rawson. Instagram.
After having a very rough time on season eight of MAFS, Melissa Rawson and Bryce Ruthven shocked fans by not only staying together but getting married and having twins.
Melissa gave birth to twin boys Levi and Tate in October 2021. The couple got married (for real!) in February 2022 in a beachside ceremony in Sorrento, Victoria.
Tracey Jewel
Tracey Jewel. Instagram.
Tracey Jewel was ‘married’ to Dean Wells on MAFS Australia season five. Their relationship didn’t work out, but she went on to have a son named Frankie with her partner Nathan Constable.
Susie Bradley
Susie Bradley. Instagram.
SusieBradley entered MAFS season six as an intruder and was paired with Billy. The couple split shortly after and Susie went on the start a relationship with NRL player Todd Carney.
The pair have since had a son named Lion Daryl Carney, who they welcomed in March 2021.
Carly Bowyer
Carly Bowyer. Instagram.
Carly Bowyer was matched with businessman Justin Fischer on season five of MAFS. Their relationship didn’t work out and she went on to date co-star Troy Delmege shortly after.
The crossover couple split less than a year later and Carly began a relationship with her now-fiance Neil Goldman.
The couple welcomed their son Bailey Bowyer Goldsmith in December 2020.
Cyrell Paule
Cyrell Paule Instagram.
Cyclone Cyrell was one of the most entertaining participants in season six of MAFS. She was paired with Nic Jovanovic and the pair split up before the final vows.
In real life, Cyrell started dating Love Island star Eden Dally in 2019, and the couple welcomed a son named Boston Dally in February 2020.
Davina Rankin
Davina Rankin. Instagram.
Davina was on season five of MAFS, and was ‘married’ to Ryan Gallagher. Their relationship didn’t work out and she got engaged to Jaxon Manuel, however, they’ve since split.
Davina gave birth to the couple’s first child Mila Mae Manuel in November 2019.
Catch Married at First Sight Sundays at 7.00pm and Monday – Thursday 7.30pm on Nine and 9Now.
MAFS Australia 2024 groom Jonathan McCullough has lived a life, to say the least.
After serving as an infantry soldier, he went on to travel the world for 15 months. During that time he visited over 50 countries, including Central America, The Philippines and Japan.
According to his official MAFS bio, while he was on the trip he lived “on remote islands for weeks at a time” and hunted “for his own food to survive”.
Jonathan. Instagram.
What does Jono do now?
After serving in the army, Jono went on to work as a concreter and then as a financial adviser. He quit the latter after the breakdown of his relationship at the time and headed off on the world-wide trip.
Since then, Jonathan become the co-founder of the supplement brand Buoyavital.
Why is Jono still single?
Jono thinks he’s still single because he missed the boat with some of his exes when he was younger.
His MAFS bio says that he “credits his singledom at almost 40 to being with amazing women who he should have married in his 20s, and poor choices in his 30s.”
Jonathan. Instagram.
However, Jono thinks that he’s not ready to find something serious, and hopes to have a family of his own one day.
Watch Married at First Sight Sundays at 7.00 pm and Monday – Thursday at 7.30 pm on Nine and 9Now.
Before MAFS Australia 2024 even started, Simon Flocco began making headlines, not for his antics on the show, but, instead, for dipping out before his wedding.
He was scheduled to marry Tesla salesman Mike Felix, but got cold feet before he walked down the aisle.
But, who exactly is Simon?
Simon Flocco. Instagram.
Simon was married to a woman
Simon was married for most of his 20s but came out as gay just before his 30th birthday. He maintains a great relationship with his ex-wife, and they co-parent their son together.
Simon has been in a seven-year situationship
After leaving his wife Simon was involved in a seven-year romantic relationship with a man. However, they were never officially dating.
According to his official MAFS bio, the experience left him wanting to find someone special to share a deeper relationship with.
Simon’s never been on dating apps, saying that he feels uncomfortable with the idea. But, instead decided to trust the experts on MAFS.
Why does Simon leave MAFS and will he return?
This one’s a bit of hearsay, but suspicions were raised when the MAFS cast photos were released and Simon’s was very clearly a Photoshop job. You can tell by the outside – as well as the lighting – of his cast pic that a low res photo was edited and used.
MAFS. Nine.
Simon confirmed to Daily Mail Australiathat he made the decision to leave. However, he cryptically added that he will return to MAFS later in the season.
“MAFS wasn’t what I thought I wanted at this point in my life, that’s all,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
He added, “I just felt bad for whoever they set me up with. I did initially leave, but they managed to coax me back… I gotta look out for myself.”
Watch Married at First Sight Sundays at 7.00 pm and Monday – Thursday at 7.30 pm on Nine and 9Now.
Gogglebox Australia is returning for its 10th year and there will be some familiar faces returning as armchair critics.
The TV Week Logie and AACTA Award-winning seriesis an Inception of sorts and shows Aussies watching popular Australian TV programs and sharing their hilarious takes.
When is it on?
Gogglebox will be returning on Wednesday, February 21st at 7:30pm on Foxtel. Episodes will air on a date later at 8:30pm on 10 and 10 Play, so the free-to-air premiere date is Thursday, February 22nd.
Who will be on Gogglebox Australia season 17?
The Gogglebox households set to return for another season include a bunch of cricket-mad fans called The Delpechitra Family, the happily married couple and grandparents Lee and Keith, Greek best friends Anastasia and Faye, and the close-knit Dalton family of four.
Anastasia and Faye. Gogglebox.
We’ll also catch up with best mates and larrikins, Adam and Symon, mother and daughter duo Kerry and Izzy, father Matty and his three-year-old son Malik, and “Uncle” Jad, foodie brother and sister Tim and Leanne, avid surfers and best buddies Milo and Nic. And, of course, the latest addition to the Gogglebox gang: Kevin, Bob, Jared, and Mia.
Who has been on Gogglebox in the past?
Since Gogglebox Australia premiered in 2015, there’s been some very popular castmates over the years. Among them are Di Kershaw, who sadly passed away in July 2022, and Angie Kent, who went on to star as the lead in The Bachelorette Australia season five.
Di and Mick. Gogglebox.
Mick and Di Season 1–15
Kaday and Chantel Season 11–14
The Elias Family Season 11–13
The Jackson family Season 1–10
Angie and Yvie Season 1–8
Wayne and Tom Season 1–8
The Kidd family Season 1–2
Zina and Vivian Season 3–5
What awards has Gogglebox won?
Gogglebox Australia has been nominated for Most Popular Entertainment Program at the 2023 Logie Awards. The nomination follows several other accolades the hit show has scored, including:
The Logie Awards 2016 – Best Factual Program
The Logie Awards 2017 – Best Factual Program
The Logie Awards 2018 – Most Popular Entertainment Program
The Logie Awards 2019 – Most Popular Entertainment Program
10th AACTA – Awards Best Factual Entertainment Program
Gogglebox premieres on February 21st at 7:30pm on Foxtel, and February 22nd at 8.30pm on 10 And 10 Play.
You could say that MAFS Australia 2024 bride Andrea Thompson is a big fan of Married At First Sight. So much so, that she broke up with her ex-partner after watching a previous season of the show.
Say what?
Yep, according to her Channel 9 biography, Andrea learned what the term gaslighting meant (cough, cough, Harrison), and promptly dumped her partner at the time after realising he was doing it to her.
Andrea Thompson. Instagram.
Does Andrea have children?
Yup. The Queensland-based bride is a single mum of two and regularly posts photos with her son and daughter on Instagram.
Andrea is a photographer, who specialises in wedding photography. She’s been working in the industry for over 20 years, and also dabbles in family and maternity and newborn photography
How old is Andrea?
She is 51.
Catch Married at First Sight Sundays at 7.00pm and Monday – Thursday 7.30pm on Nine and 9Now.
Survivor Australia 2024 host Jonathan LaPaglia has been surprisingly loose-lipped when dishing some info about the contestants in the upcoming season.
He revealed which of the players will forge strong relationships in the Titans V Rebels season.
“We have some really fun relationships that develop this season,” he told TV Tonight.
Survivor. Ten.
“Feras and Raymond are these really unlikely bedfellows. They come from completely different worlds, completely different personalities, but they quickly developed this friendship. They’re they’re so fun to watch.
Jonathan added that there will also be an age division in the tribes.
“Caroline and Mark are a bit older, they’re kind of the voice of reason. Alex and Kelly are the ultimate frenemies and it’s hilarious watching those two.”
He’s surprised one of the contestants wasn’t cast in an earlier season
Jonathan told the publication that one of the competitors has been auditioning for the competitive reality TV show for years.
“Eden is like a nerdy super fan. He revealed to me that he’s been trying to get on the show since Season One and he’s so good, I just can’t understand why he wasn’t brought on before that. I was kind of baffled by that. But he’s really great,” he said.
Survivor. Ten.
Jonathan reveals there are strong contestants this year
The host said that fans can expect to see some powerful castaways on Titans V Rebels, and he pointed out two names in particular.
“Valeriais hilarious. She’s this Russian model with a silver tongue. Viola is a competitive powerlifter but she ends up being pretty savvy when it comes to the game.”
“Jaden might be Australia’s strongest man, but he is hilarious,” he added.
Stream Survivor Australia 2024 from January 29, 2024, at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
They say with age, comes wisdom, and let’s hope the old adage is true for Richard Sauerman’sMAFS bride.
At 62, Richard is the oldest groom to ever saunter down the aisle on Married at First Sight Australia.
Richard. Instagram.
What does Richard do for work?
Over the years, Richard has kicked some serious goals when it comes to his career.
He’s a motivational speaker who’s known as ‘the Brand Guy’ and has ranked in the Global Top 30 Brand Gurus since 2014.
He’s worked with some massive brands, including Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Levis, Nescafe, Arnott’s, Vodafone, CSIRO and QBE.
Richard. Instagram.
Has Richard been married before?
Yup, according to his Channel Nine bio, Richard was married for 27 years, but left her “because the relationship had run its course and the spark was no longer there”.
More recently, he dated a woman 27 years younger than him, but they broke up because she wanted children and he didn’t.
Does Richard have kids?
He does. Richard has three children.
Richard and his daughter Roxy. Instagram.
Where is Richard from?
Richard grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. He’s lived in London and Bangkok, and Sydney has been his home for thirty-five years.
Watch Married at First Sight Sundays at 7.00 pm and Monday – Thursday at 7.30 pm on Nine and 9Now.
Survivor Australia 2024 contestant Feras Basal draws strong similarities to former castaway George Mladenov in the sense of strong strategic and social play.
And, in Feras’s Survivor promo videos, he pointed exactly that out.
“George was the closest thing we had to an Arab being on TV, and we loved it. I’m here to finish what he couldn’t do,” he said.
Feras considers himself a likeable and loud person, and said that he’s not afraid to “step on people’s toes”.
“I’m definitely a physical threat, but people should be more worried about my social game than my physical game, 100%
“I know how to articulate what I’m feeling, I know how to communicate, I know how to read people. I’ve a very big strategist.”
Like a few of the castaways on Survivor Australia 2024, Feras is very active on social media. He has a TikTok account with over 70,000 followers called @laughwithferas, where he regularly posts parody videos.
“My wife is the one person who I crumble around. If you bring her to this island, I’ll shatter into a million pieces,” he said in his Surviovr bio.
“She’s a tough woman and a quarter of my size so people think I’m wearing the pants but definitely not. She’s my absolute everything.”
Feras. Instagram.
Is Feras a Titan or a Rebel?
This year’s theme is Titans v Rebels, and Feras is on team Rebel.
“I want to be the Sole Survivor because I feel like I can prove that a little old Arab man from Western Sydney can win this thing. I want to prove people wrong and show little seven-year-old Feras that he can do something like this. I want to be the minority who takes over the majority. I’m a Rebel through and through,” he said.
Stream Survivor Australia 2024 from January 29, 2024, at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
Every season of MAFS Australia, some participants come out looking a little worse for wear, and more often than not, those brides and grooms blame it on the edit.
The show’s top boss Tara McWilliams has dismissed claims about the unfair portrayal of the participants and called them “bulls**t” in an interview with Daily Mail Australia.
However, Olivia Frazer, who was by far the most villainous bride on MAFS 2023, has fired back at the claims, saying that it’s a form of gaslighting.
MAFS. Nine.
What did Tara McWilliams say?
Tara McWilliams was the Executive Producer of MAFS from 2016 for six years. In 2023, she was promoted to the role of director of content at Endemol Shine Australia, the production company behind the hit reality TV show.
Tara told Daily Mail Australia that she doesn’t believe that edits on MAFS misconstrue what a participant actually said or did.
“I don’t agree that someone good gets a villain edit,” she told the publication.
“We don’t manufacture storylines or characters,” she added. “What you see is a reflection of absolutely what’s happened on the show.”
“It’s not a villain edit. It’s the edit… If you’ve got your so-called hero edit, it’s because you’re behaving well.”
Tara McWilliams. Endemol Shine.
What did Olivia Frazer say?
After Tara’s interview was published, ahead of MAFS Australia 2024‘s premiere on January 29, former bride Olivia Frazer took to Instagram to slam Tara’s claims.
“Let me not mince my words here: MAFS executive producers coming out and doing their yearly interview saying that their show ‘holds a mirror up to the participant’s self’ is the biggest crock of s**t,” she began.
“They’re only coming out and saying this preemptive to the show (as they do every year) to defend their editing/manipulation/detrimental choices, to coerce the audience into believe their narratives (for ratings), to gaslight participants (both past and present) and to discredit the many voices that ‘the edit’ has crucified.”
She continued, “EVERY YEAR there are more and more of us calling out the edit and that’s for a reason. Please remember that when watching any reality show. When enough voices are saying the same thing, eventually the public will have to believe it.”
Married at First Sight 2024 will premiere at 7:30pm on January 29th on Channel Nine and 9Now.
It’s generally assumed that the application process for a reality TV show is vigorous and time-consuming, however, thanks to a little thing called NDA’s there’s not *too* much info about what actually happens.
Fortunately, a TikToker named Julia has changed that, by lifting the lid on what happened during her application for MAFS Australia 2024.
Julia made it very far in the process and was almost cast as a bride. However, she’s since met the ‘love of her life’ so she said she didn’t mind dishing about what happened because she knows she’ll “never go on it” now.
Julia told her followers that she applied for the reality TV show after her friends suggested that she go on MAFS.
She filled out the application online and received a call from a producer the next morning who set up an interview for that week.
“There were a lot of interviews, all of them were with different producers, and all of them were recorded, except for one with a publicist,” she explained. “But that was not the only thing I had to do. I had to, of course, do a full police check, citizenship test, etc. But they also make you do an entire medical exam to make sure you are mentally and physically fit to participate on the show.
“One thing that shocked me, but probably shouldn’t have shocked me, was that I was required to do every single STI check, including blood,” she added.
She claimed producers tried to make her into a villain in the interview process
Julia said that even though she was only in the interview process, her meetings with the producers were filmed, and they could have been used on the show if she had been cast.
“I think the interviews were some of the most interesting part of the process, lots of different people for all of the interviews, and if you’re wondering if, on reality TV, where producers kind of try to put words in your mouth and try and make you say things on camera – that started in the interview process,” she said
Julia explained that producers zeroed in on her extensive education.
“I had producers say stuff like, ‘Now Julia, you have three university degrees, and you speak five languages. Are you sure you’re going to find your intellectual equal on this show?'”
She explained that producers told her that she would be the smartest person in the room, and asked if she’d make friends with some of the other girls who would “be hairdressers and makeup artists”.
“They were fully trying to get me to say that I was smarter than everyone else and that no man on the show would be good enough for me. And all of this was recorded and I did not want to give them any opportunity to make me the villain.”
Married at First Sight 2024 premieres at 7:30pm on January 29th on Channel Nine and 9Now.
Perth-based foodie Lauren Dunn is set to be one of the most outrageous brides tying the note in MAFS 2024.
The 32-year-old Perthian has her own marketing and PR consultant marketing consultancy called LCD Consulting. Lauren also runs an Instagram account called “So Cooked” where she chronicles her food adventures through Perth.
But, on a juicier note, Married At First Sight 2024 won’t be Lauren’s first time in the limelight either. She previously dated Dockers AFL player Ryan Crowley for five years but the couple broke up shortly before filming of the new season kicked off.
Crowley, who played with the Dockers for ten years, and Lauren split in June 2023, and filming of MAFS 2024 reportedly kicked off in July 2023. Dunn told PerthNow that the relationship has “simply run its course”.
Lauren’s Instagram account shows her gallivanting around the world at a number of beautiful destinations, including Portugal, Spain and Indonesia.
Lauren Dunn. Instagram.
When is MAFS 2024 on?
MAFS 2024 will premiere at 7:30pm on January 29th on Channel Nine and 9Now. Certified sexologist Alessandra Rampolla and relationship experts John Aiken and Mel Schilling will all return for season 11 of MAFS.
Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum US, which is debatably the most wholesome reality TV show of all time, is back for season two.
The homegrown Emmy Award-winning show is created, produced and directed by the Australian production company, Northern Pictures.
Not to be confused with the original Australia: Love On The Spectrum, which is Australian features the oh-so-sweet Michael, Netflix has dropped a sophomore season of the US iteration.
Michael. Love on the Spectrum Australia.
The show follows a cast of people on the autism spectrum as they navigate the world of dating and relationships.
The new season dropped on Netflix on January 19th, and season one cast members Abbey and David are back to continue to explore their relationship.
Who’s in Love on the Spectrum US season two?
Returning cast members include Abbey, David, Dani, Steve, and James. There are also three cast members in season 2 – Connor, Tanner and Journey.
Love on the Spectrum. Netflix.
Love on the Spectrum US was produced in Australia
Yup, even though the show is an American version of the series, and the cast is predominantly from the States, the show was actually produced in Sydney.
“We love being able to produce this show from our Northern Pictures office in Redfern with our satellite office in Venice Beach, California,” Co-creator and Executive Producer, Karina Holden said. It’s an original Australian idea that’s travelled elegantly onto the world’s biggest streaming platform, carrying with it the same sensibilities that evolved through the original ABC series.
“The positive response to Season One of Love on the Spectrum US was truly heart-warming. This season, we have some familiar faces and we’ve also expanded the cast to include new individuals, including from the LGBTQ+ community. We hope to constantly push the pre-conceptions the audience might have about autism and encourage them to embrace diversity. I think this season is our best yet.”
Is there a trailer?
There sure is! Watch it below.
Stream Love on the Spectrum US season two on Netflix.
Two of the greatest villains the franchise has ever seen, George Mladenov and Jonny Fairplay, are teaming up for Survivor Australia 2024 viewing parties here in Australia.
George, who was on Australian Survivor: Brains v Brawn and Australian Survivor: Heroes v Villains and Jonny Fairplay who was on America’s Survivor: Pearl Islands and Survivor: Micronesia are two of the most recognisable faces to come out of the show.
George is known for his scheming and manipulative ways, while Jonny claimed that his grandma died in order to win a reward challenge in Pearl Islands, a move that’s practically become part of his identity.
The problem with their viewing parties
While the pair-up is a very exciting collab for Survivor super fans, the men have faced one massive problem with their scheduled viewing parties.
The season was slated to kick off on February 5th, which is when Jonny and George organised their first viewing party in Melbourne for. However, the premiere date has recently been moved forward to the 29th January, meaning that the men will miss the premiere.
However, George has confirmed on Instagram that the dates will stay the same, and the viewing party will be for whatever episode is playing on that particular day.
The viewing parties will be taking place in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Find out more about each below.
Survivor Australia. Ten.
George Mladenov and Jonny Fairplay‘s viewing parties
