MAFS 2023: Couple swap scandal as groom travels to Perth for affair

The new season of Married At First Sight has been full of drama – but the biggest scandal actually took place after filming wrapped.

Sources tell Daily Mail Australia that shy groom Josh White recently had a secret tryst with Lyndall Grace after they hooked up at a post-finale party in December.

Josh, a Sydney-based advertising director who is ‘married’ to sex-obsessed hairdresser Melissa Sheppard on the Nine series, then travelled to Perth for a romantic weekend with accountant Lyndall from January 26 to 29.

Their fling will come as a shock to viewers because Lyndall, who has cystic fibrosis, is paired in the experiment with Northern Territory carpenter Cam Woods, and their wholesome romance has captured hearts across Australia.

However, it’s understood no infidelity took place because Lyndall and Cam split before the finale; likewise, Josh and Melissa called it quits halfway through filming.

MAFS has been rocked by a couple swap scandal after one groom travelled to Perth for a secret tryst despite being paired with another bride on the show. (MAFS stars are pictured at Ivy Sydney on December 17, the night the two participants at the centre of the scandal kissed)

Sydney-based advertising director Josh White (pictured), who is 'married' to hairdresser Melissa Sheppard on the Nine show, travelled to Perth for a romantic weekend with accountant Lyndall Grace from January 26 to 29

This will come as a shock to viewers because Lyndall (pictured), who has cystic fibrosis, is paired in the experiment with Northern Territory carpenter Cam Woods, and their wholesome romance has captured hearts across Australia

Sydney-based advertising director Josh White (left), who is ‘married’ to hairdresser Melissa Sheppard on the Nine show, travelled to Perth for a romantic weekend with accountant Lyndall Grace (right) from January 26 to 29. Lyndall, who has cystic fibrosis, is paired in the social experiment with Northern Territory carpenter Cam Woods

‘Josh and Lyndall were secretly hooking up for weeks,’ a cast member said.

They added that the pair first kissed on December 17 when several MAFS participants went for a night out at Ivy Pool in Sydney, a day after filming the reunion.

‘Things started when he told her he really liked her and felt like kissing her, and she said, “Well, go on then,”‘ the source added.

Josh and Lyndall 'couldn't stop pashing' during a wild night out with their castmates at Ivy Pool in Sydney on December 17, a day after filming the reunion

They are pictured on the night of the kiss

Josh and Lyndall ‘couldn’t stop pashing’ during a wild night out with their castmates at Ivy Pool in Sydney on December 17, a day after filming the reunion. (Pictured on the night of the kiss)

'Josh and Lyndall were secretly hooking up for weeks,' said a cast member. 'Things started when he told her he really liked her and felt like kissing her, and she said, "Well, go on then"'

‘Josh and Lyndall were secretly hooking up for weeks,’ said a cast member. ‘Things started when he told her he really liked her and felt like kissing her, and she said, “Well, go on then”‘

Josh and Lyndall are said to have hit it off and ‘couldn’t stop pashing’ during their wild night at Ivy Pool with several of their castmates, added the spy.

‘After [the kiss], they would spend hours on the phone with each other every night and just got to really know each other that way,’ they said.

Lyndall didn’t make any effort to hide their romance – which has since ended – and told a handful of co-stars about it during a MAFS meet-up in Perth on New Year’s Eve.

Photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia show Josh looking very much in love while posing for happy snaps in in Perth (pictured), which were shared on his now-deleted Instagram account

Photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia show Josh looking very much in love while posing for happy snaps in in Perth (pictured), which were shared on his now-deleted Instagram account

The affair, which had been kept under wraps for weeks, was only recently exposed to the entire cast in WhatsApp group chats for the brides and grooms.

Meanwhile, photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia show Josh looking happy and very much in love during his trip to Perth, where he visited Lyndall and stayed at her house.

‘When [the] sun shines on you, you feel it,’ he captioned one selfie shared to his now-deleted Instagram account.

'When [the] sun shines on you, you feel it,' he captioned one selfie

‘When [the] sun shines on you, you feel it,’ he captioned one selfie

‘Your day breaks, your mind aches / Your head / You won’t forget her,’ he wrote next to another photo of himself at a café.

A source told Daily Mail Australia: ‘This is a real-life couple swap, and it’s causing a major uproar.

‘Josh got to meet her family and friends and stayed at her house. Things were looking pretty good for them.’

Josh was pictured returning to Sydney on January 29, having cut short his trip to Perth for unknown reasons.

Josh was pictured returning to Sydney on January 29, having cut short his trip to Perth for unknown reasons

Josh was pictured returning to Sydney on January 29, having cut short his trip to Perth for unknown reasons 

Josh and Lyndall kept their tryst a secret from Channel Nine and production company Endemol Shine Australia. It is understood several cast members were not supportive of their relationship, which has since ended.

‘A of lot [the MAFS] cast were stunned their hook-up became so serious so quickly,’ one bride said, adding that the affair has ‘left a sour taste’ in some people’s mouths.

Melissa, Josh’s ex-‘wife’, was apparently ‘the last one to hear about it, and boy was she not happy,’ the insider added.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Lyndall, Josh and Channel Nine for comment. 

Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine and 9Now

Things didn't work out between Lyndall and Cam on the show and they split before the finale

Things didn’t work out between Lyndall and Cam on the show and they split before the finale 

Likewise, Josh and Melissa (pictured) called it quits halfway through filming. Melissa was apparently 'the last one to hear about it, and boy was she not happy,' a source said

Likewise, Josh and Melissa (pictured) called it quits halfway through filming. Melissa was apparently ‘the last one to hear about it, and boy was she not happy,’ a source said

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk