Controversial Married At First Sight couple Bryce Ruthven and Melissa Rawson could be laughing all the way to the bank after signing a deal with podcasting company Podshape earlier this month.
While the decision to sign the pair has been controversial, Podshape’s CEO Jay Walkerden – a former executive at Nova FM – has said advertisers are lining up to feature on Bryce and Melissa’s 10-part series What Happens After.
Jake Challenor, the publisher of industry website Radio Today, said on his weekly podcast that Mr Walkerden had reassured him Podshape future was looking bright despite the backlash over its latest high-profiling signing.
There’s no such thing as bad publicity? Controversial Married At First Sight couple Bryce Ruthven and Melissa Rawson could be laughing all the way to the bank after signing a deal with podcasting company Podshape earlier this month
Mr Challenor said: ‘I did give Jay a quick call before we recorded this podcast on on Thursday afternoon to see what his reaction was to all the comments on Radio Today – and there has been a lot of them.
‘He said, “Don’t worry, Podshape’s still alive, we’re still kicking, we’ve still got a heartbeat, and there are some brands that are really interested backing that podcast.” So I’m eager to see who those brands are once they’ve signed a deal.’
Mr Walkerden also apparently told Mr Challenor the listener numbers for the two-minute trailer for What Happens After had been ‘very strong’.
If these claims are indeed true, and not just corporate bluster, then it would seemingly prove the mantra ‘there’s no such thing as bad publicity’.
Bryce’s problematic behaviour on Married At First Sight caused plenty of outrage when the show aired on Channel Nine, with some viewers accusing him of gaslighting and manipulating ‘wife’ Melissa.
Despite this, the couple agreed to remain a couple at their final vows – which were filmed in December – and they’re now living together in Melbourne.
Bryce had been trying to relaunch his radio career after his controversial portrayal on MAFS before he and Melissa landed a deal with Podshape a few weeks ago.
Bryce quit his last position as an announcer for Hit104.7 Canberra’s afternoon show in February. He previously worked as a producer for WSFM’s Jonesy and Amanda.
When the Podshape deal was announced on Tuesday, Bryce was trolled on social media and disgruntled radio industry figures complained on online forums.
‘Can’t wait to listen to it on silent,’ one person commented on Bryce’s Instagram account, while another wrote: ‘I would rather die.’
Despite featuring one of the most divisive couples in the history of the show, this year’s season of Married At First Sight lost no advertisers for Nine.
There were no financial consequences for the network even though Bryce Ruthven and Melissa Rawson’s divisive relationship attracted hundreds of negative headlines and prompted a Change.org petition calling for Nine to formally apologise.
Outraged viewers even filed multiple complaints about the show to the media watchdog, singling out Bryce, 32, for his problematic behaviour.
No consequences: Despite featuring one of the most controversial couples in the history of the show, this year’s season of Married At First Sight lost no advertisers for Channel Nine, reports Mumbrella. Pictured: MAFS couple Melissa Rawson and Bryce Ruthven
Throughout the show, Bryce repeatedly told ‘wife’ Melissa, also 32, that she wasn’t his type because she didn’t have blue eyes.
He also voted her the ‘fourth hottest’ out of this year’s brides, flirted with co-star Beck Zemek at the gym and later lied about their conversation.
In addition to getting into a series of altercations with the show’s other participants, Bryce was accused of emotional manipulation and gaslighting.
What controversy? There were no financial consequences for the network even though Bryce and Melissa’s divisive relationship attracted hundreds of negative headlines and prompted a Change.org petition calling for Nine to formally apologise
This year’s season received four times the usual number of complaints, but despite this no advertisers pulled out.
The Nine program ultimately proved to be Australia’s most-watched program of the year so far, with 1.4 million viewers tuning into the finale.
In March, it was reported MAFS may be investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) after receiving a slew of complaints.
Controversial: Outraged viewers even filed multiple complaints about the show to the media watchdog, singling out radio announcer Bryce, 32, for his problematic behaviour
According to a report by The Wash, many viewers took offence to scenes involving Melissa and Bryce.
ACMA revealed it had received 14 complaints about this year’s season of MAFS, and four of those were about the controversial pair.
‘Under the co-regulatory system, the ACMA will refer complainants to the broadcaster in the first instance,’ the media watchdog said.
Slammed: Throughout the show, Bryce repeatedly told ‘wife’ Melissa, also 32, that she wasn’t his type because she didn’t have blue eyes. He also voted her the ‘fourth hottest’ out of this year’s brides, flirted with co-star Beck Zemek at the gym and later lied about their flirtation
‘If the complainant does not receive a response from the broadcaster within 60 days, or is not satisfied with the response, they may refer their complaint to the ACMA who may choose to investigate.’
Last month, a Change.org petition began circulating that demanded Nine issue an apology for airing ‘triggering’ scenes involving the ‘gaslighting’ groom and his long-suffering wife.
The petition, which garnered 2,500 signatures in under 24 hours, also called for the network to acknowledge its alleged ‘failure of duty of care’ towards Melissa.
Troubling: In addition to getting into a series of altercations with the show’s other participants, Bryce was accused of emotional manipulation and gaslighting
‘This season of Married at First Sight Australia features a couple, Melissa and Bryce, who portray an excessive amount of [troubling] signs which are not being handled by the network appropriately,’ the petition stated.
‘There is a clear failure of duty of care to Melissa during filming of the show, allowing her to remain in a toxic and dangerous environment with her partner for the “benefit” of the network.
‘She is being subject to gaslighting, emotional manipulation, isolation, and countless other textbook signs of a controlling and or abusive relationship,’ it went on to claim, adding that certain scenes were ‘incredibly triggering and stressful to watch’.
Fallout: This year’s season received four times the usual number of complaints, but despite this no advertisers pulled out
It continued: ‘This petition is for the Nine Network to acknowledge and apologise for letting Melissa go through this and also airing such a horrible relationship on TV without doing anything to showcase that the relationship is clearly not healthy.’
Similar outrage exploded on Twitter, where many viewers called for the show to be cancelled or boycotted over its depiction of toxic relationships.
Married At First Sight will return for another season next year.