Married at First Sight stars joined the show in search of love, but not everyone was single before they joined. Will this become an ongoing trend?
Married at First Sight allows singles the chance to find love, but it was revealed two cast members weren’t single before joining the show. Despite the excitement of new couples participating in this unique experiment, fewer viewers are tuning in. This decline is likely because of the show’s recurring flaws—specifically its matchmaking process.
For example, this season featured a cheating scandal involving David Trimble and Madison Meyers, who were originally matched with other contestants. This controversy raises questions about the accuracy of the experts’ matchmaking abilities. However, the most damaging issues involve both the production and the contestants.
Amid backlash over the show’s professionals, MAFS producers have also faced criticism for their editing mistakes, which some believe were deliberate to manipulate the audience’s perception. Additionally, viewers have begun questioning certain contestants’ authenticity—suspecting they joined the show for fame rather than love.
As a result, this season has sparked debates about whether these issues will continue to plague the series moving forward.
MAFS season 18 had several discrediting faults. Despite past backlash, Married at First Sight has been called out for its poor editing decisions, which many believe are some of the worst cases of producer interference. The show has had multiple audio issues, and key moments were cut, making the editing appear careless.
For example, in one scene several cast members were present, but the venue’s loud music made their conversation nearly impossible to hear. One Redditor at Nordflat said it made it all but impossible to watch—or more importantly—sick Elizan. Additionally, several important scenes were left out, which could have provided more insight into the season’s dramatic moments.
For instance, footage from the night David and Madison began bonding over drinks with Married at First Sight‘s Carla Dwire and Alan Slavic was never shown. Given that David and Madison’s affair was teased from the start, producers failed to show the early signs of their connection before they were caught cheating. As a result, it seemed as if the show’s editing was intentionally manipulated to control the narrative of the situation—even down to casual conversations during outings.
Alan Slavic used a matchmaker before filming
Alan’s brief marriage to Madison was difficult to watch, as he genuinely tried to connect with her and make things work between them. However, Madison continuously berated him, admitted she wasn’t physically attracted to him, and refused to open up. Most notably, Madison cheated with another cast member, making it clear she had emotionally checked out long before the relationship ended.
During the reunion, Alan revealed that despite the heartbreak he endured on the show, he was already seeing someone new. Shockingly, the reality star met his current partner before filming the series through a matchmaker. According to Alan, he went on a date with her before Married at First Sight, and she wanted to see him again. However, she called him the day before his wedding to Madison, leading Alan to break things off with her. After the show, he reconnected with her and realized he wanted to pursue things further.
Despite the difficulties he faced, Alan viewed his experience as a blessing—as it ultimately led him to someone who truly cherishes him.
Juan Franco started a relationship before filming
Juan and Carla initially showed promise, but the attraction simply wasn’t there. At the reunion, Juan revealed he was seeing someone—sparking rumors about whether he had dated his current partner before his Married at First Sight marriage.
In a recent interview on Auntie’s Advice, Juan confirmed that, like Alan, he met his girlfriend in July just before being cast. However, based on his description of her reaction to his casting, it seemed more than like a casual flame—especially since she lived in Brazil. Once Juan joined Married at First Sight, he cut off communication with her and focused on his marriage to Carla. However, before Decision Day, he reached out, told her his relationship with Carla wasn’t working, and asked to see her in Brazil. The two seemingly worked through their differences and are now dating.
Juan’s pre-show and current romance only adds to the growing concerns that MAFS producers are failing to properly vet contestants—ultimately hurting the show’s credibility.
