After enduring what she describes as a “deeply traumatic” event while filming Married At First Sight, it’s little wonder Poppy Jennings is throwing her support behind Josh Pihlak.
WATCH: Poppy reveals all about ‘Married at first sight’ in explosive rant
After the TV groom sprayed the show’s producers and slammed social media trolls for sending death threats to his mother, Poppy re-shared Josh’s video and praised him for breaching his contract and speaking out against Nine.
“Unreality tv,” the mum-of-two captioned the video. “Don’t believe everything you see on a highly edited tv show! I love josh and Cathy and nobody deserves death threats for any reason especially over a tv show.”
Amid a sea of comments about all the drama that’s ensued since he posted the clip, Poppy took a moment to (once again) accuse the showrunners of failing to provide adequate care for those in the experiment who were struggling.
“The toll that reality tv takes on contestants mental health is appalling. Whether someone has a good edit or not, nobody is exempt from the extreme bullying and harassment that happens on the daily. It’s not as glamorous or fun as people think. It’s really incredibly difficult and traumatic.”
Last night, after we saw Josh’s mother berate his wife Cathy during their homestays, he shared an emotional video about how his family has been hurting ever since. H
“We are not meant to be using our social media and we’re meant to keep it hush-hush, but sometimes it is better to speak out. I knew going into this that it’d be highly edited, I was sweet with that. But watching back last night, what transpired and what actually happened is an absolute joke.”
The Newcastle tradie continued: “I have always put my hand up when I have done something wrong but what really transpired at that lunch yesterday was a crock of sh*t. My main concern is the hate to my mum and little brother… It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Josh went on to urge fans of the dating series or those desperate to seek fame on a reality show to “seriously think” about the repercussions that come inevitably with appearing on our screens.
“I just can’t stress enough to people who are thinking about trying out for this show… have a good hard think because when you sign that contract, any footage and audio can be spliced and cut up however they choose. It says in the fine print, ‘you may or may not be received in a positive light’ and me being naive, I thought, why not? It is so disappointing to see how they made that come across and how much they left out.”
“I will cop the slack but it’s not fair that my mum is copping it when it’s not true. I was happy with getting a bad edit, but when it gets personal like that and everyone’s receiving death threats, it’s a joke.”
In a bold and truly daring move, many of Josh’s co-stars rallied around him, thanking him for speaking out.
“So proud of you,” Natasha Spencer wrote.
“I am beyond proud of you! Well done for staying true to yourself. You were only honest and genuine through the whole process and I am so sorry that this happened to you… to most of us,” bride Connie Crayden wrote. “Seriously, to anyone even thinking about applying for next season, really take into consideration what you’re actually signing up for.”
The most controversial bride of them all, Stacey Hampton, also weighed in, sending a direct message to the nasty users who have been trolling him and his family online.
“Love you, Josh. We all know how genuine you are and NO ONE deserves death threats. Speaks volumes of the audience we attracted. Disgusting and need to look in the mirror when they speak.”
Former MAFS contestant Lauren Huntress— who was matched with a virgin— said: “I’m so proud of you for doing this Joshy! I know it must be hard for your family right now too but just remember that they know who you really are and the viewers with half a brain can see how highly edited this show is. People who send death threats to someone they have never met are obviously very unhappy with their own lives so try not to take it personally.”
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