MAFS UK viewers call out experts for 'poor matchmaking' between Alex and Holly

24 September 2024, 12:10

Alex and Holly were paired by the experts in MAFS UK 2024. Picture: Channel 4

By Tiasha Debray

Married At First Sight UK fans are riled up after the relationship experts paired Alex, who doesn’t want children with, Holly, who already has them.

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Married At First Sight UK is back on our screens with an all new cast and the drama we were promised is more than being delivered.

Aside from a bride potentially leaving early and a groom who’s been in military prison, the relationship experts Mel Schilling, Charlene Douglas and Paul C Brunson, are now being criticised after fans accused them of purposely making bad matches for television.

Not only have two brides this season been matched with men who aren’t attracted to their size, but on the episode which aired on 23rd September, fans watched as the experts paired Holly, a mother of two with Alex, a man who said he preferred someone who didn't have kids.

Read more: Are Polly And Adam Still Together From MAFS UK 2024?
Read more: MAFS UK’s Charlie takes swipe at wife Eve after ‘quitting’ the experiment

Alex and Holly were the seventh couple to get married on MAFS UK 2024. Picture: Channel 4

Alex and Holly were paired with one another based on physical attraction, where Alex described his ideal partner as a "curvy brunette."

"Physically, they are exactly what the other is looking for," Mel Schilling insisted on the show, however, that’s where it ends.

During the wedding reception, Holly’s friend questioned Alex on his stance on children and how involved he would be in Holly’s children’s lives. “When I first came into this, because I don’t have kids of my own, I don’t have them fatherly instincts,” Alex admitted to his wife’s best friend. “It was a preference if they didn’t have kids.”

While Alex did mention love was all he needed to overcome any issues, once she found out Alex’s preferences, Holly immediately knew this would be a huge problem, telling the camera: “My kids are my life so if he’s not a guy that wants to have children or be around children, then that’s going to be a big problem for me.”

Mel Schilling, Paul C Brunson and Charlene Douglas return as relationship experts. Picture: Channel 4

Viewers were quick to jump online and share their thoughts, targeting their annoyance at the show and the relationship experts in general for their 'bad matchmaking' this season, especially when it came to important overlaps like wanting children.

One wrote: “@MAFSUK How hard is it to put two couples together who BOTH either have children or WANT children!!???? Fail!!”

A second agreed, writing: “I can’t believe how bad some of the matchmaking has been in MAFSUK this season. I get they want people to try something that’s direct to their usual go to. But matching someone who asked for someone without kids with someone with two kids makes no sense.”

While a third passionately added: “Once again, these experts are way off the mark with Alex and Holly, THE GEEZER DOESN’T WANT SOMEONE WHO HAS CHILDREN!!! Why do they do it? Surely there’s got to be performance-related reviews because these guys are useless.”

MAFS experts not making sure the person who is matched with kids is actually OK with that is wild! I think that’s very unfair! Especially for the younger couples! #MAFSUK
— Spliflicated 🇯🇲🇵🇸 (@MBieber_Smith) September 24, 2024

Fans of the show seem suspicious that these casting choices had been made to increase viewership, especially considering the choice to cast Alex in the first place.

After E4 posted a promotional photo of the groom on social media, it came to light that several women stepped forward with accusations that Alex was an abuser. The women, alongside Women’s Aid, signed a petition to remove him from the show, but it was ultimately denied.

Channel 4 released a statement revealing Alex has cleared any criminal background check that was done, stating: “The welfare of our contributors is of paramount importance and, as such, we take all allegations of unacceptable behaviour seriously. We are aware of a single allegation against a Married at First Sight UK 2024 contributor and we have responded directly to those who came to us with that allegation.”

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“As part of our responsibility to safeguard our contributors, everyone taking part in MAFSUK undergoes a rigorous vetting process, involving a criminal record check and multiple psychological evaluations, before they can be cleared to take part.”

“The DBS (criminal record) check carried out on the contributor raised in the allegation was returned clean. We cast contributors based on the information we are legally able to access and we continue to review this process to ensure checks are as thorough as legally possible.”