While numerous couples on Married At First Sight Australia 2024 are relaxing on their honeymoon, the next pairing to walk down the aisle is Ellie and Ben.
For Ellie, 32, it has taken a lot of courage to participate on MAFS. Hearts broke when she detailed her past relationship of six years, where her fiancé called off their nuptials just three months prior.
Ellie and Ben have been matched.
(Image: Nine)“Very quickly after we’d broken up he was with something else and then she got pregnant. It was just insane, I cannot believe that my life just changed like that overnight,” she told relationship expert Mel Schilling.
She hopes to find someone active, adventurous and willing to try new things. Something she’ll certainly find in her new ‘husband’ Ben who is a 39-year-old Tour Guide.
After travelling the world, Ben was forced to live a new reality as a part-time construction worker when COVID-19 struck – but still has a podcast as a hobby. Despite this, he continues to crave adventure and excitement, getting bored easily in life and relationships.
Ellie is a nurse.
(Image: Nine)As a tour guide, it was easy for Ben to walk away from relationships and his last serious relationship ended in 2019.
While Ellie and Ben work on paper, we wonder if this will translate into love? The pair seemed smitten with one another, but the potential chemistry was clouded by Ellie’s protective cousin who believed Ben was in MAFS for the wrong reasons.
“I have concerns that you might be here to promote your touring business and your podcast. You’re just here for fame,” he told Ben.
To which the groom responded: “It makes sense why you’ve reached those conclusions. And if that does happen out of it, that’s one silver lining, but if love happens out of it – great.”
Jordan, however, doesn’t believe his cousin’s new husband is in the experiment for the right reasons and voiced his concerns to Ellie, making her unsure of her MAFS pairing. This doubt only grew with each challenge, particularly when the subject of having children arose. Ben claimed he was unsure if he wanted to have children, but would if the right person came around.
Cousin Jordan has his concerns regarding Ben’s intentions.
(Image: Nine)“We’re only two weeks in. We’re still getting there,” he told relationship expert Alessandra.
Meanwhile, Jonathan sensed something was off, telling the crew: “Ellie is a lovely, beautiful, smiling, happy and very intelligent woman. He danced around the subject of wanting kids, again. It does make you question his motives for being here and it’s just a bit ick. So I don’t buy Ben at all.”
But suddenly – as if Ben could read Ellie’s mind – he announced he was ready to “settle down proper.”
“I do want to have kids in the future. It hit me today,” he told his wife.
But don’t mistake Ben’s confession for a progressing relationship. The pair have been on a rollercoaster ride ever since, leading to Ellie writing leave during the third commitment ceremony. Afterwards, the pair slept in separate apartments, but this wasn’t the most concerning factor – Ben was missing the next morning.
After searching for him, Ellie finally reached him via phone call where her husband was very curious as to whether the producers and cameras were around when he admitted: “I’ve had one hour sleep” and needed some more time to think.
(Image: Nine)
“Not so long ago, Ben was writing songs, all kindness and positivity,” Ellie later confessed to the camera crew. “Then all of a sudden, Ben sat me down for two and a half hours and listed everything that he has not enjoyed about this relationship or me. It was literally just nit-picking at me.”
So what did Ben have to say? Don’t worry, Ellie took notes.
“He didn’t like that I applied makeup because he is used to dating girls who don’t wear a lot. He didn’t like the fact that I was 32 and he is 39, he reckons there is a generational gap. He didn’t like the fact that I’m from the Gold Coast. He didn’t like that I was sensitive or emotional and he would also like good conversation from me, apparently he’s not getting good conversation,” she recalled.
The fellow MAFS brides weren’t impressed with the admission, with Cassandra telling the crew where Ben can “shove” the list. It was this dinner party where it all came to a crashing end when Ben broke her heart, with an audience…
“This is what makes me confused with communication. I just bottled it up and I haven’t figured it out yet,” he began. “The truth is… I don’t believe we’re meant to be with each other. I do believe we’re better off friends, I’m sorry for wasting your time.”
This was the first time Ellie had heard Ben didn’t want a relationship with her.
“Everyone gets to witness my broken heart,” she said.
As expected, Ellie and Ben’s journey in the Married At First Sight Australia experiment came to an end.
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