It’s official: Married At First Sight has had its first casualty.
WATCH: Poppy’s sad farewell to the experiment.
Photographer Poppy Jennings was been this year’s first contestant to pull the plug, leaving the experiment – and crushing her husband Luke Eglin’s little heart.
“I feel guilty,” admits the mum-of-two.
“He’s been really nice to me. And I think he’s a really good person. But I’m so overwhelmed, I really am.”
And after Luke confessed that he felt the upcoming week together was “make or break” for him, Poppy just couldn’t take the pressure.
Ultimately, leaving her two-year-old twin boys proved too much for the mum to bear, and she decided to pack up her belongings and exit stage left.
“I didn’t want to leave on bad terms,” she said.
“I didn’t feel like I wanted to just give up easily, because that’s one the things I said I wouldn’t do.
“But at the same time being away from my kids has been the hardest thing for me and I didn’t realise that it was going to affect me so much.”
“All I’ve done is cry. The whole time.”
The 38-year-old has been struggling since day dot to come to terms with leaving her little boys. Even on her wedding day, Poppy was displaying serious doubts about the whole situation.
But after choosing to leave, she remains hopeful that love is out there for her.
“I really, really, really thought that this was going to finally be the happy ending… [That I would] meet someone that was going to be a good dad to my kids and have that family, because I deserve that.
“I’m really sad to leave the experiment but I’m still really positive about finding love.”
Meanwhile, poor Luke was left heartbroken, describing the news that his wife had left as “devastating”.
But, all-round nice guy that he is, Luke completely understood.
“I don’t think anyone can explain how they’re going to feel in the experiment,” he said, giving Poppy a pass.
“I did try and I think she did too, but I think she was just overwhelmed, and I get it. It’s a lot to take on.”
“I had a hope for me and Poppy and I want a happy ending more than anything else,” he added, wiping away tears.
“It’s s–t. What else do you do? It’s all over now.”
The self-deprecating single mum initially appeared to capture viewers’ hearts with her witty one-liners and heartbreaking marriage breakdown story.
But by the end of the first episode, fans had labelled the 38-year-old “cold” and “insensitive” for abandoning FIFO worker Luke, 39 at their wedding reception after freaking out at the prospect of being separated from her young sons.
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