If you’re hoping for drama on Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2025, you won’t be disappointed, as relationship expert John Aiken has teased an explosive showdown between himself and one of the participants.
During a pre-season MAFS 2025 screening event, the clinical psychologist told journalists about the upcoming encounter.
“We’ve got some big showdowns between the experts and some of the couples, and indeed, there’s a particular one between me and one of the participants, which is first for MAFS, and it’s important,” he said.
“It’s one of the roles that we play. We call out bad behaviour, and I think we are really talking for the audience as well, and that’s one of the roles that I think has strengthened over the years for us as experts.”
John explained why he believes it’s important for himself and the other MAFS 2025 relationship experts, Mel Schilling and Alessandra Rampolla, to call the MAFS 2025 cast out.
“When we see something that needs to be pointed out and corrected, we do it this year. We have to go very hard on particular people at particular points, which I think will get the audience talking right around Australia and also further afield.
“I’m excited to see how that lands with you all, because, you know, with Married at First Sight, it is a show where you learn what not to do when it comes to dating and relationships.
“You can see through [participants] behaviour, [and see] certain things that you would absolutely not want for either yourself or you as a couple or perhaps for a friend or a family member.
“So there’s a lot to love about the show this year.”
John doubles down on the importance of calling out MAFS participants
John has been a relationship expert since the show’s inception in 2015. In a 2024 interview with Chattr, he said that he’s made more of a point of calling out Brides and Grooms when he believes they are in the wrong.
“Over the last three seasons, I’ve become more direct,” John said at the time. “You’re in a privileged position where you can give them really hard-hitting feedback in a short amount of time, in the hope that it lands and it changes.”
“You really have a responsibility as an expert to call out bad behaviour and make them accountable.”
Married at First Sight 2025 premieres on January 27 on Channel 9 and 9Now.
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