Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2026 is in full swing, with the Dinner Parties being as explosive as ever. Most recently, Bec Zacharia had an absolute meltdown, taking shots at anybody who so much as looked her way. Before that, we saw Brook Crompton fire out insults at Alissa Fay and Stella Mickunaite.
However, some fans have long wondered if MAFS Dinner Parties are scripted or filmed in a way to exploit the drama. An insider tells Chattr the producers have a lot of influence while the MAFS participants sit around the table, as they’re required to get juicy storylines.
“They film up to six hours for each Dinner Party, and if nothing happens, producers go in and talk to the MAFS stars. They say things like, ‘You guys are not leaving until you start some drama’. That’s what they say constantly,” the insider claims.
“They would pull certain contestants into a separate room where the executive producers were watching. They would then tell them, ‘If you don’t start a fight with this other participant tonight, we’re not going to give you your phone back.’
“A lot of MAFS brides and grooms just did what was required so they could go back to the hotel. It was pretty bad this year, to be honest.”
Is anything else ‘orchestrated’ on MAFS?
While the show is unscripted, reality TV producers are trained to find the story in any situation. A former reality TV producer tells Chattr they are told to “find contestants’ wounds” or their most vulnerable parts, and then “pick at it” until there’s something worth filming.
Another MAFS production insider claims some storylines are “orchestrated”, with producers telling participants to act a specific way.
“The cast members are encouraged to play up for the camera, and producers tell them to do certain things. When the MAFS cast have been filming for long hours, sometimes they just give in and do what the producers want.”
Chattr has also heard whispers about some MAFS brides who got along behind the scenes but weren’t allowed to mingle in front of the camera. Sounds intriguing!
Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2026 airs Monday – Thursday at 7:30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
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