Married At First Sight star Troy Delmege has copped a swathe of criticism ever since footage of his aggressive tooth-brushing habit was aired on the show.
The IT Manager drew further disdain after claiming he wanted a ‘Barbie’ bride with a ‘big chest,’ later appearing on the Today show to insist he was taken out of context.
But after viewing the episode, remorseful former class mates defended the ‘very nice guy, who they picked on relentlessly in school’ pleading: ‘give him a chance!’
From top 20 tennis star to toothbrush tyrant: How MAFS’ Troy Delmege went from a sporting prodigy on a US college scholarship to a reality star with an aggressive hygiene habit
And for the most part, the 35-year-old does not appear to carry much of a bad boy reputation.
Around the time he graduated from Sydney’s St. Ives High School, Troy was heralded as somewhat of a tennis prodigy.
‘I was ranked top 20 in Australia as a kid in the under 14 years of age group, and then also in the under 16 years of age group,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Give him a chance’: But after viewing the episode, remorseful former class mates defended the ‘very nice guy, who they picked on relentlessly in school’ pleading: ‘give him a chance!’
Defence: And for the most part, the 35-year-old does not appear to carry much of a bad boy reputation
Upon graduation, Troy received attention from international sporting schools, eventually signing with Marquette College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
His future was certainly bright, but after devoting everything to the Marquette Golden Eagles Tennis team, he returned home four years later, with an MBA and zero desire to compete professionally.
‘I had a full scholarship and represented Marquette University for four years in division one NCAA competition 2001-2005, for both singles and doubles,’ he explained.
Prodigy: Around the time he graduated from Sydney’s St. Ives High School, Troy was heralded as somewhat of a tennis prodigy, eventually being recruited by US College Marquette
When asked about whether he ever wanted to try his luck as a pro, Troy said: ‘Before going to college I considered going pro, but not really afterwards.’
‘I was actually burnt out with it after my college career and needed time away from the sport to be honest. College tennis can be quite full on.’
Drama surrounded his senior year, with his College paper the Marquette Wire reporting he had been replaced for his last ever game, with his coaches refusing to comment.
Represent! ‘I had a full scholarship and represented Marquette University for four years in division one NCAA competition 2001-2005, for both singles and doubles’ he explained
‘I hosted a party in my apartment with the whole tennis team, and got falsely accused of writing a crude sign on a wall, which was noticed by public safety officers,’ he explained of his axing from the team.
‘I was not given any due process or chance to defend myself. It’s a bit of a sore point because I felt I had contributed so much over 4 years that I deserved better.’
What happened? When asked about whether he ever wanted to try his luck as a pro, Troy said: ‘Before going to college I considered going pro, but not really afterwards’
‘I was pretty angry and upset for a while.’
After that, he shifted his focus away from the game, working a corporate job overseas for a year, before returning to Marquette to complete an MBA degree.
While he couldn’t comment on whether his dedication to tennis hampered his ability to find love, he did offer: ‘Tennis and class work were extremely time consuming.’
Burnt out! ‘I was actually burnt out with it after my college career and needed time away from the sport to be honest. College tennis can be quite full on’ he continued
Drama: Drama surrounded his senior year, and he was axed from the team before his last ever game, with coaches refusing to comment to school paper the Marquette Wire at the time
The party: ‘I hosted a party in my apartment with the whole tennis team, and got falsely accused of writing a crude sign on a wall, which was noticed by public safety officers,’ he explained to Daily Mail Australia
During reality TV debut on Sunday, the 35-year-old was seen brushing his teeth aggressively, prompting viewers to react in horror on social media.
Possibly nervous about his impending nuptials, toothpaste was seen dribbling down Troy’s chin as he kept frantically brushing his pearly whites.
Gave it all: ‘I was not given any due process or chance to defend myself. It’s a bit of a sore point because I felt I had contributed so much over 4 years that I deserved better… I was pretty angry and upset for a while’
‘Troy brushing his teeth actually makes me want to vomit’, one fan wrote on Twitter, responding to the bizarre moment the groom freshened up ahead of his wedding.
He also copped criticism from News Corp over video that saw him chowing down on an entire can of tuna before his wedding.
‘Footage of him eating tuna before his wedding before maniacally brushing his teeth in an extremely unattractive way is just beyond lame and confected,’ they wrote.
‘Hey Troy, you missed a bit mate’: During reality TV debut on Sunday, the 35-year-old was seen brushing his teeth aggressively, prompting viewers to react in horror on social media
Gone fishin’: He also copped criticism from News Corp and other social media users for video that saw him chowing down on an entire can of tuna before his wedding