Married At First Sight and long-lasting relationships don’t exactly go hand-in-hand.
But after seeing the first ever legit MAFS wedding between Cam Merchant and Jules Robinson, our faith in the experiment was restored ever so slightly. So what hope do this year’s couples have?
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All up, only three couples in the history of the show have gone the distance and are still romantically linked.
Season two’s Erin Bateman and Bryce Mohr are the franchise’s longest-lasting couple, though the two are notoriously private on social media. Perhaps that’s the secret to their success?
Aside from season six golden couple Cam and Jules who tied the knot for real in a televised special on A Current Affair, the third couple who are still united are Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli.
So how have the class of 2020 fared? Here’s everything we know.
Poppy and Luke: Kaput
There wasn’t much chemistry in those wedding photos.
(Image: Nine Network)Down-to-earth couple Poppy and Luke looked like they were a perfect fit at first, but after that wedding meltdown, their relationship was pretty much doomed.
On the night her wedding aired, the Daily Mail snapped photos of Poppy at a bar surrounded by friends but her husband Luke was nowhere to be seen and the mum-of-two looked teary though she later composed herself and was seen smiling with her pals.
Woman’s Day also obtained snaps of Poppy smooching a mystery man that most definitely wasn’t Luke in her hometown of Wollongong.
The news was confirmed just after the first commitment ceremony when Poppy decided to leave the experiment to be reunited with her kids.
Cathy and Josh: Over and out
They started out strong but the cracks soon emerged.
(Image: Nine Network)It was love at first “struth” for Josh and Cathy, but now the fairytale is officially over.
Despite some flirty banter on Fitzy and Wippa’s Nova breakfast radio show shortly after their wedding aired, Cathy and Josh’s relationship started showing cracks after Cathy revealed she had some trust issues, plus she experienced some awkward moments with Josh’s mum.
Cathy even disappeared one night after a commitment ceremony, with Josh telling TV WEEK that he questioned whether Cathy was on the show to boost her profile, adding that she acted differently towards him when there weren’t any cameras around.
“We’d be going to do publicity with the other cast members and they all witnessed it,” he remarked.
“Cathy would go do her things and then get in a hire car and leave without saying goodbye. It’s all good and well to act like the happy couple on camera, but it should be exactly the same off camera too.”
After many tears, Cathy and Josh admitted that whilst they had some great times together, it was best to end it and even parted ways with a friendly hug and kiss.
Natasha and Mikey: Their love is as dead as a dodo
It’s not one of the experts’ best matches in our opinion.
(Image: Nine Network)When Natasha and Mikey met at the altar, you could feel the nerves and awkwardness through the screen. And surprise surprise it didn’t work out for these two “alphas” in the real world.
Mikey paid a visit to Fitzy and Wippa the morning after his and Natasha’s wedding episode aired but his on-screen wife was noticeably absent, prompting the hosts to ask where she was.
He tried dodging the question but eventually responded by saying, “I’m just letting Natasha sleep in this morning, she was a bit tired.” Yeah sure.
To make matters even juicier, Woman’s Day obtained some of Mikey’s text messages begging blonde beauty Stacey Hampton to couple swap with him.
They may have left the experiment on good terms and chosen to skip the final dinner party, but Mikey’s already moved on with one of Natasha’s friends!
Amanda and Tash: Destination Splitsville
It was a bitter split between these two.
(Image: Nine Network)They were looking for that “soul-level connection” but Amanda and Tash’s love story ended before it even began.
As the first same-sex couple since marriage equality became legalised, Australia cried happy tears watching them exchange vows but even before their official split on the show, Amanda shared a now-deleted post on her Instagram stories that slammed her wife.
“Who you are and how you hold yourself through the bad times is what defines your character,” she wrote in a post revealed by the Daily Mail.
“Anyone can have an entourage of false followers to help mask your s–tty personality, but who you are alone says it all.”
On top of that, Tash admitted to NW that she found it hard connecting with Amanda due to their “completely different lifestyles”.
“We are so incompatible and have really different values – her family is European, traditional and old-fashioned. I’m quite open-minded and progressive with gender,” she said.
“We have a different sense of humour. I’m quite quirky and edgy, and I’ll say things, then she doesn’t know what to do with me. She’s got a dad sense of humour and it’s dorky. Amanda can be very controlling too.”
Just before their breakup in the second commitment ceremony, Tash also went public with her new girlfriend- and Amanda even called them a “pack of fake plastic try hard moles.”
Looks like those bridesmaids were right after all!
Hayley and David: Hard no
Things have gone to s—. Literally.
(Image: Nine Network)Their wedding was something out of a fairytale, but after their big day, things turned sour between truck driver Dave and finance worker Hayley.
Their relationship got off to a bumpy start on the honeymoon when Hayley teased her hubby about his $25 an hour wage, but the two patched things up after the first week.
However ,things hit a new low on the reality show when footage emerged of David scrubbing the toilet with Hayley’s toothbrush, after details of her kiss with fellow groom Michael emerged.
Hayley “found it completely vile”, a close pal told NW before adding, “Like, who the hell does that?! He’s a disgusting human.”
Naturally, Hayley was left distraught and even wrote stay at the last commitment ceremony in an act of revenge, but the experts made the executive call that the couple should leave.
Chris and Vanessa: Stick a fork in them, they’re done
At least their wedding pics were sweet.
(Image: Nine Network)Bride Vanessa felt self-conscious on her big day because of her acne scars and groom Chris fretted about telling Vanessa about his son, but things seemed to be relatively drama-free at their wedding and honeymoon.
Yet the attraction just wasn’t there for the couple and this snowballed into numerous fights which resulted in both parties calling it quits.
The Daily Mail noticed some telling clues that it was all over with some now-deleted Instagram photos.
In Chris’s post, he held a microwave meal up to the camera, adding that he was back to eating “dinners for one,” while Vanessa’s (uploaded three days later) showed her out on the town with her friends, including maid of honour Toobi. Well, it was sweet while it lasted.
Aleks and Ivan: We’ve reached the end of the road
We thought we had a success story, but alas.
(Image: Nine Network)While many thought Cathy and Josh could be this year’s Cam and Jules, Ivan and Aleks came out on top as this year’s ultimate albeit unlikely pair.
The real estate agents, who both come from fiery Eastern European families, hit it off on their wedding day and Aleks even called him “the male version” of herself.
Things looked promising when the two appeared on Fitzy and Wippa’s breakfast radio show together. Not only were they reportedly holding hands when they arrived but Ivan also called his “wife”, baby at the studios.
What’s more, in an exclusive video for Now To Love when asked who his favourite person to stalk on social media is, he replied, “I don’t really do too much stalking, maybe Aleks.”
Though they left the show to work on their relationship and were together by the time the reunion came around but co-star Natasha confirmed to Now To Love that they were no longer together.
“From what I understand Ivan still has a lot of love for Aleks and what I understand from Aleks is that Ivan was becoming really close with Mikey and as we all have seen Mikey is a bit of a playboy party boy and Ivan was getting a bit too sucked into that lifestlye,” she said.
“So Aleks was like, ‘Why am I about to move my life from Perth?’ so from what I understand she’s completely blocked Ivan and doesn’t talk to him on anything.”
Connie and Jonethen: Not so friend zone
We had such hope!
(Image: Nine Network)Introvert Connie seemed to meet her Prince Charming in Jonethen but they’re not one of the last couples standing.
Tensions ran high on the show with Connie labelling Jonethen as immature and Jonethen struggling to deal with Connie’s needs. But the two amicably parted ways on the show and seemed to be on good terms. However, cracks are starting to show in their friendship.
What’s more, in exclusive pics obtained by NW, Jonethen was spotted flirting up a storm with a mystery brunette at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
“He was acting very, very friendly towards her,” one onlooker told the publication. “I definitely wouldn’t have guessed that he was a married man by the way he was flirting with her.”
Connie also celebrated a recent birthday with friends and Jonethen was nowhere to be seen which Connie called “the last straw.” Plus, she’s stopped following him on Instagram which is a sure-fire sign things are done and dusted.
Mishel and Steve: Hell no
Mishel’s takedown will go down in history.
(Image: Nine Network)After Steve dropped the bombshell that he’d cheated in a previous relationship, it looked like his marriage with Mishel wouldn’t be as rock-solid as we’d hoped.
And it seems as if the experiment’s oldest couple could be over, judging by some awkward photos snapped back in November when filming was still going on.
In the pics obtained by the Daily Mail, Mishel and Steve appear to have a very tense conversation outside the apartment where they lived throughout production. And when you see the photos, they don’t look loved-up in the slightest.
The couple have had more ups and downs than a rollercoaster and Mishel eventually tore him to shreds at the final vows ceremony, but Steve admitted to TV WEEK that he and Mishel shared a very “moving moment” and opened up about how a deep conversation brought them closer together.
“Being privy to the conversation may have made it clearer,” he told the magazine. “Where we were after that is a really close moment and I will love Mishel until the day I die.”
Michael and Stacey: Bye Felicia
Could this be the worst pairing ever?
(Image: Nine Network)Stacey and Michael’s wedding was cringe worthy to watch and seeing as the only moment Stacey showed interest in her husband is a “successful businessman”, it seems like they won’t be there for each other for richer or poorer.
Michael’s drinking and poor behaviour on the honeymoon just reinforced this, and despite their united fronts at dinner parties and once his kiss with Hayley was revealed, their ‘love’ was basically confirmed dead.
But after that alleged Stacey and Mikey affair, the two officially called it quits and Michael is now supposedly shacked up with contestant KC – and she’s even met Michael’s baby mama.
What’s more Stacey spilled all in an Instagram Q&A and when asked if there was a chance she and Michael would get back together, the mum-of-two stated, “I would rather swallow acid and die.”
Lizzie and Seb: True love prevails
Sam who?
(Image: Nine Network)Fans rejoiced when we learned that Lizzie was returning to MAFS and the experts appeared to nail their matchmaking this time, by pairing her with Seb.
Tweets galore flooded in gushing over the new couple, and it seems that the two have made it work in the real world too.
In December, Seb shared a couple of photos of himself enjoying a luxury high tea in Sydney, and just a day later Lizzie shared her own snaps at the same location. Then in February, both shared photos from atop Mount Lofty at the same lookout, a location near to Seb’s South Australia home.
When pressed by Now To Love if they were still together, both parties kept things hush-hush and didn’t want to reveal any spoilers either. But after that sweet final vows ceremony, the pair also confirmed that they would be moving in together. Finally, some success!
0KC and Drew: O-V-A-H
They made one hot couple.
(Image: Nine Network)Drew admitted that he was “punching” with his new bride, and despite some dramas about his female roommate who was absent from the wedding, there was some undeniable chemistry.
Even though they said they’d try and make it work at the final vows, it seems yet another MAFS couple have split after some telling Insta DM messages between KC and Stacey were released.
“Honestly now Drew and I talk like friends and it’s nice. We don’t talk a lot but when we do it’s fine. I have zero feelings for him now,” KC wrote to Stacey after admitting that Michael had asked if she wanted to go out for a drink.
And to stir up the drama even more, KC is now apparently dating co-star Michael. Talk about scandal!
This is looking like the most unsuccessful season yet.
For more juicy Married At First Sight 2020 goss and scandals, check these links out below!
Introducing the Married at First Sight 2020 brides and grooms
It’s a match! Who are all of the 2020 Married At First Sight couples?
Which Married At First Sight couples from 2019 are actually still together?
Is Married At First Sight real or fake? Let’s examine the evidence
Married At First Sight fans already have a favourite bride for the 2020 season – and we approve!
EXCLUSIVE: Stirring up trouble! Elizabeth Sobinoff is already feuding with new MAFS brides
The explosive pasts from the Married At First Sight 2020 cast revealed!
EXCLUSIVE: Meet Married at First Sight 2020 star Mikey Pembroke’s stunning ex-girlfriend
