MAFS’ Ben Claims Show Producers ‘Criticised’ And Laughed At His ADHD
24 April 2024, 10:58 | Updated: 25 April 2024, 16:01
Married At First Sight Australia’s Ben Walters has been vocal about what he claims he experienced during the reality show, accusing producers of mocking his mental health and ADHD symptoms on set.
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MAFS Australia’s Ben Walters has been quite open, since quitting the show, about his negative experiences during filming.
The experts Alessandra Rampolla, Mel Schilling and John Aiken initially paired the groom with Ellie Dix, but the pair quickly realised there was nothing between them and left the experiment halfway through.
But Ben hasn’t been happy that he has gotten a ‘villain’ edit and he’s complained about the alleged lack of communication and support he received from the crew during filming. The groom has now jumped on a podcast to reveal the extent of his claims.
- Read more: When Did MAFS Australia’s Jono And Ellie Really Start Their Relationship?
- Read more: MAFS’ Richard Complains About Show’s Low Pay As He’s Left ‘Broke’
Speaking to the So Dramatic! podcast, Ben reported that he felt that producers of MAFS had made fun of his neurodivergence behind the scenes of the show.
Speaking to the host, Ben explained that his ADHD made focusing difficult and he often found himself getting distracted whilst needing to speak to the camera.
He said, “I’ve always been reluctant to tell people that I’ve got ADHD because I don’t want to fall into victim mode and use that as an excuse in challenging situations.”
However, despite not wanting to bring too much attention to it, Ben needed the producers to take extra measures to assist with his focus and lessen distraction.
According to the reality star, after getting unfocused a few times he asked the producer to “keep still” as their movements were making it harder.
Ben claimed, “Her face lit up like a Christmas tree and she started laughing. I said: ‘Do you find mental health funny?’. Then I got pissed off and I just cut the interview and walked out.”
“I was upset, and I said ‘This is very unprofessional, I didn’t sign up to be taken advantage of through my mental health. I thought this show was about relationships and love, not criticising someone for ADHD’.”
Ben claimed the producers allegedly gave him a bad edit on the show after this encounter.
He felt he was being punished for walking out of an interview and he went on to say, “I think they figured out what triggers to use and really amplified that to get those emotions out of me. That’s why I’m so cramped up on the camera.”
Ben also revealed the exact moment he realised he wasn’t going to get a good edit on the show, “I realised that I wasn’t going to be getting a great edit because when we’d film a scene, they’d just get Ellie to talk,” he said.
He claimed the producers avoided asking for his side of the story, or for him to speak at all.
According to Ben, the producers allegedly interviewed every couple in attendance at Jade and Ridge’s wedding halfway through the season, except him.
The groom claimed, “There were numerous times where I thought: ‘Am I being cancelled, or is this just a coincidence.”
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