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MAFS’ Chris Nicholls exposes Nine Network’s dirty tricks and tactics

"I don't believe that they've got your best interests at heart."
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While most are aware that the debauched drama on Married At First Sight is manufactured by the show’s producers, before entering the experiment, a naive Chris Nicholls genuinely believed the experts would help find his perfect match. 

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WATCH: MAFS’ Chris and Hayley have wild night out with Natasha and Josh

“I actually believed that through all of the pre-research and questions that they ask and all that stuff, that it was actually aimed at finding someone who was actually suited to me, in terms of love and someone to be with as a partner,” he told Daily Mail Australia.

However, after meeting and tying the knot with his outspoken television bride, Vanessa Romito, the 37-year-old said it was obvious they were intentionally mismatched. 

 

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They constantly butted heads. (Credit: Nine)

I’m probably more disappointed in the choice of partner the show gave me, just because of the outcome,” he said. “This is why the show’s so successful. It’s about drama. I don’t believe that they’ve got your best interests at heart.” 

Although he wasn’t forced to cause controversy like the rest of the cast, Chris said creating clear boundaries with the devious showrunners saved him from becoming their puppet or mouthpiece. 

“For me, it was never disrespectful because there was a lot of occasions where they’d ask me a question, and then they might ask me another 10 ways, and then I’d actually stand up for myself and say, ‘You’re not getting it. You may as well give up. You might as well stop because it’s not me. I’m not going to give you what you want,'” he added.  

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He left halfway through filming after being kicked off the show. (Credit: Nine)

As we know, MAFS viewers were only given a glimpse inside Vanessa and Chris’s troubled relationship, with the groom telling WHO in February that they were kicked off the series after she threatened to expose the network’s questionable tactics. 

“We were forced to leave MAFS. Producers told me they weren’t able to shoot anything more with us because Vanessa threatened the network and made up this stuff about her mental health,” Chris told us over the phone.   

“I still can’t figure out whether Nine or MAFS were being delicate because of her mental health excuse or because she was going to take legal action. I think a different side of her came out in the last episode and she was worried about how she was going to be portrayed, so they just kicked us off.” 

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Vanessa suffered with mental health issues during filming. (Credit: Supplied)

According to Chris, Bronson Norrish’s ex-girlfriend blamed him for her deteriorating mental health, however, the producers knew he wasn’t solely to blame. In saying this, after they were unable to reach an agreement with Vanessa, producers scrapped all footage of the married couple and went back to the drawing board. 

“She told producers she wanted to paint me in a bad light because I apparently gaslighted and manipulated her. But they said back to her, ‘We can’t paint a picture of a guy that hasn’t done anything wrong. He has been the most respectful, honest and gentle person throughout the whole process.’ She never showed signs she was struggling in front of me yet made it out like it was my fault because I wasn’t showing her affection.”

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“She wanted to paint me in a bad light.” (Credit: Nine)
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Meanwhile, the dad-of-two says he was battling his own demons, revealing the arduous filming schedule coupled with the intense animosity he felt towards his wife eventually took a serious toll on his mental health.

“I was broken. I had lost 9 kilograms and was smoking my heart out. I was in such a bad place,” he said through tears.

“Vanessa did the best thing possible by finally ending it. I needed to go home. If I was there any longer, I don’t know what I could’ve been capable of doing to myself.”

Need help?

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Call Lifeline on 131 114, visit www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/get-help-home, or call beyondblue on 1300 224 636. If you would like to talk to someone about mental health call Headspace on 1800 650 890. If you are in immediate danger, call 000. 

If you or someone you know is affected by sexual assault or family violence, call the 1800RESPECT hotline or visit www.1800respect.org.au/. You can also call the Domestic Violence Hotline on 1800 656 463.

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