Without a shadow of a doubt, Married At First Sight is the most controversial television show we’ve seen to date.
WATCH: Jessika Power cuddles up with Bachelorette star Matt Whyatt
Riddled with infidelity, lies and bitter feuds, the reality juggernaut— which sees complete strangers tie the knot in a strange social experiment— has continuously sparked outrage, with many contestants facing a barrage of criticism over their shocking actions.
Perhaps that’s why The Spinoff has claimed the New Zealand version of the series has been cancelled for 2020, after just three short seasons.
According to the outlet, rumours of the axing comes days after a source close to the New-Zealand based press company Three— that recently bought the rights to the show after MediaWorks sold their company— said the demise of the series was “inevitable”.
MediaWorks is yet to refute claims the show is coming to an end, despite its dwindling ratings which slumped from 170,000 in 2018 to almost 120,000 this year.
While little is known about the decision, the show was rocked by controversy last season with claims one of the contestants was previously locked in a legal drama.
“This year’s version faced challenges before it even began, with revelations one of the grooms had been accused of domestic violence in the United States, eventually leading to his entire storyline being cut,” the Kiwi publication said at the time. “[Ratings plunge] is part of a broader trend of declining linear free-to-air ratings, but was more pronounced for Married at First Sight than for television as a whole.”
Fans were also up in arms last season when they realised on-screen bride Rosemary Cruickshank was legally married to celebrity psychic Kelvin Cruickshank when she filmed the series. Although Rosemary said she split from her husband in June 2018, according to the NZ Herald they never divorced.
“[Appearing on MAFS using his surname] has disappointed me no end,” her ex-husband told the publication. “I’m a public figure and Rosemary appears to be riding my name to get status for herself.”
Although she changed her surname after they split, Kelvin claimed Rosemary purposefully reverted to his moniker in an attempt to find fame. She later refuted these allegations, saying: “Cruickshank… is on my passport and my driver’s licence. I had to use my legal name… trust me, I actually use my maiden name on social media.”
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
