Married At First Sight star Al Perkins may have his quirks, but it hasn’t stopped us from falling in love with the 25-year-old larrikin.
We’ve watched Al, who still lives at home with his mum, struggle to navigate emotional conversations and deal with everyday household chores but four months since filming wrapped, Al says he’s come out the other side a different man.
In an exclusive chat with Now To Love, Al admits the experience has “changed [him] for the better” and that he has no regrets.
Al got candid about all things MAFS.
(Image: Nine)“This whole experience has been super humbling. I went in there with a bit of an ego thinking ‘this girl’s going to fall in love with me’ but I’ve been on the back foot ever since,” he laughs.
“It’s changed me for the better. I’m glad everything that happened has happened.”
The MAFS groom admits he was taken off guard by Sam writing “leave” for the first time after struggling to cope with his emotional immaturity.
“I was big time blindsided when she wrote leave the first at the commitment ceremony,” he says. “But I was pretty certain she was going to write leave the most recent time.”
Still, Al has no regrets about choosing to stay on for another week so the pair could “end on a nice note” following the breakdown of their relationship.
Al admits he was “blindsided” when Sam first wrote “leave”.
(Image: Nine)“We went on a really nice [snorkelling] date and that was a step in the right direction, otherwise if we did leave we would’ve left on a really bad note,” he says.
“I wanted to make sure we kept going and steer us in the right direction. Sam and I are really tight now, everything is really good.”
Al adds that he is thankful for everything Sam has taught him about relationships, admitting he was far from a seasoned boyfriend when he came onto the show.
“[With previous girls] nothing has lasted long or it hasn’t gotten to the stage where we’re talking deep and asking ambitious questions, I haven’t really gotten to that point,” he reveals.
“When I got to that point with Sam I didn’t know how to navigate it and it kind of got dropped on me at the commitment ceremony. Everything’s new to me here I was trying to learn.”
For Al, the experiment was a “huge learning curve” that’s taught him how to handle relationships moving forward.
“I’ve learned that if [girls] say something to me, not to take it to heart try to work on it. Don’t get upset just be like “I understand where you’re coming from” but also don’t change yourself for anyone,” he says.
“I was really sad when I heard Sam say she was changing herself at the commitment ceremony because I haven’t really changed myself.”
Throughout the experiment, one of Sam’s biggest gripes with Al was his lack of “adult skills” because he’s never moved out from his mum’s house.
But that’s all about to change!
Al says he’s “super stoked” by how the public has warmed to him.
(Image: Nine)Al excitedly reveals he’s looking to move out “within the next six months”.
“I’ve been looking and going to quite a few inspections. I just don’t want to rent. I’d rather just buy a place and take my time on that… It’s going to happen soon,” he says.
“Obviously I’ll be learning a lot, I’ve got to thank Sam for teaching me a lot of things too.”
While some MAFS contestants walk away from the experiment with their reputation in tatters, the same can’t be said for Al.
Al plans on moving out of his mum’s place within the next six months.
(Image: Instagram)Affectionally dubbed a “golden retriever” by fans, Al has been a constant source of comic relief among the group – and for those of us watching along at home.
He’s fast become one of the most adored breakout stars in MAFS history, a title Al couldn’t be prouder of.
“I’m definitely super shocked [by his newfound fame]. I went into this with thinking to myself “I’ve got nothing to lose here”,” he says.
“It seemed to win the hearts of many people and I’m super stoked and I just give full credit to everyone I went on the show with, because obviously they’ve brought the best out of me.”
Want more on Married At First Sight season nine? Check out the links below:
Is Married At First Sight real or fake? Let’s examine the evidence
Is Married At First Sight legal in Australia? Why the Marriage Act makes things complicated
How much do Married At First Sight contestants get paid in Australia?
The most shocking, hilarious and downright disturbing Married at First Sight bombshells
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