One of the most joyous yet truly absurd things Married at First Sight (MAFS) 2025 manages to consistently deliver to viewers each year is introducing us all to some quirky participants who turn the dating experiment into actual TV gold, whether that’s in good or bad ways.
One couple who has people talking is Jacqui Burfoot and Ryan Donnelly, who are both, somehow, speaking the same (bizarre) language – Jacqui’s looking for a man who will take the lead and let her lean into her “feminine” while Ryan has a “warrior mentality” and woefully asked in his very first episode, “where did all the men go?”
Yet, somehow, the two of them so far haven’t been able to fully hit it off, despite their love for TikTok-style relationship lingo.
From Ryan dropping Jacqui on the dance floor and begging producers to cut out the footage so it wouldn’t embarrass his new wife to Jacqui’s disgust at Ryan’s shoes on the lounge and bed, the relationship has already been through its teething issues. Things were not made any better by Ryan ranking Jacqui third in the Confessions Week photo ranking challenge, leaving his new wife distraught.
MAFS fans convinced Ryan and Jacqui are production plants
The bizarre back and forth of Ryan and Jacqui’s dynamic, with the couple being relatively fine one second before clashing the next, has left fans quite baffled. Now, many fans have started taking to social media to speculate if the two are actually actors, especially after Jacqui’s ability to burst into tears at random points.
“I am convinced she’s an actress,” one MAFS viewer said on an Instagram post, with many agreeing. “Absolutely believe they are both actors, trying to get recognised by Home and Away,” another person joked, while some tried to allege Jacqui was “fake crying”.
“Ok so are these two actors? Very bad acting. Has to be fake so scripted,” another disbeliever commented.
Ryan’s reality TV history
A resurfaced clip of Ryan on Aussie reality show Beauty and The Geek hasn’t helped rumours that the controversial groom is a production plant, with Ryan role-playing what appears to be an army drill sergeant ahead of an interrogation on the show.
In the clip, a buff Ryan is seen looking stern and directing the participants to move to a certain direction.
@sammireneex do i need glasses or is that Ryan? #mafsaustralia #mafs #mafsau ♬ original sound – SammiReneex
MAFS fans on TikTok flooded the comments section with their suspicions on Ryan.
“He’s also been an extra on Neighbours – he’s an actor,” one person said, with another saying, “Oh I have HEARD they have been recycling actors in these shows.”
“That’s where he got his warrior mindset haha,” another joked.
Ryan spotted filming a Hollywood movie in Sydney
To make matters worse, Ryan was recently been spotted on the set of a new film with a major Hollywood star.
Daily Mail Australia published photos of Ryan strolling down a Sydney street carrying a briefcase and wearing a smart, blue suit while a camera crew was filming him. Also filming scenes were Maze Runner star Dylan O’Brien, 24 actor Dennis Haysbert and Twilight‘s Xavier Samuel.
It’s believed the men were filming for a new horror thriller called SendHelp.
Prior to appearing on MAFS, Ryan had other paid acting gigs. According to his deactivated Star Now profile, he’s had parts on Neighbours and NCIS: Sydney.
Jacqui admits she plays it up for the cameras
In response to fans’ confusion around her erratic behaviour, Jacqui Burfoot has taken to Instagram to share her MAFS experience. “I agree – my character makes no sense,” she wrote in a lengthy Instagram Story. “Blame the editors!”
Jacqui went on to allege that viewers had been “fed a highly fictional storyline”, and addressed a few specific moments from the show, but also did admit to “playing up for the camera” at times.
A MAFS groom has chimed in on the Jacqui and Ryan acting rumours
In an interview with MAFS groom Adrian Araouzou, we decided to ask him about his stance on Jacqui and Ryan and if, well, they’re two actors taking the piss.
“It’s funny, I’ve seen those comments too,” Adrian said to Chattr about the rumours. “I wish I could tell people they were actors. But that is Jacqui, and that is Ryan.
“In a weird way, they somewhat work together,” Adrian continued. “Because you’re like, wait a minute, how can anyone be like Jacqui? Then you get Ryan, and who the hell is like Ryan?! It’s like the perfect pair. And that’s a 0.0001% chance to find a perfect match like those two, and the experts found them.”
Married At First Sight 2025 airs Sundays at 7pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
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