MAFS Australia: Married At First Sight’s biggest scandals

Married At First Sight is one of the most controversial shows on TV.

From cheating accusations to explosive fights, Channel Nine’s social experiment has had its fair share of scandals over the years.

Here are the most shocking moments from the past 10 seasons as the tenth season comes to an end.

Tayla and Cam’s ‘sexting scandal’ 

MAFS is gearing up for yet another cheating scandal this season, this time involving intruder bride Tayla Winter and Cam Woods. 

The couple, who have both split from their respective TV spouses, apparently began flirting via text messages after filming wrapped last year. 

The sexting scandal involving Cameron Woods (left) and Tayla Winter (right) is set to be exposed at the upcoming MAFS reunion 

An insider told Daily Mail Australia that things eventually became sexually explicit when Cam exposed his penis during a video call with the Tasmania-based nurse. 

‘Cam FaceTimed her while at a night club and showed her his d**k. She just laughed off the incident, but she was impressed,’ the source claimed. 

Cam’s TV wife Lyndall Grace reportedly got wind of the X-rated exchange, and confronted Cam and Taya during the reunion on Sunday night.

Bronte’s leaked voice notes prove she knew who Harrison was on wedding day

A series of leaked voice notes reveal Bronte Schofield actually knew all about her groom’s past weeks before filming began – and plotted with her friend to ‘put on a show’ for the cameras. 

A month before her TV wedding, she exchanged voice notes with her pal Jessica Tomlinson – the same wedding guest who would later ‘expose’ Harrison at the reception – in which the two women discussed their plan of action. 

The audio files show that not only did Bronte know Harrison was going to be one of the grooms on MAFS beforehand – although she didn’t know for sure she would be matched with him – but also prove she knew details about his alleged ‘girlfriend’. 

Leaked voice memos between MAFS star Bronte Schofield (left) and her wedding guest Jessica (right) prove she knew about husband Harrison Boon’s ‘secret girlfriend’ before their wedding

She used this intel to ramp up the drama on her wedding day by arranging for Jessica, 24, to ‘break the news’ of Harrison’s other relationship to her at the couple’s reception, then acting completely blindsided in front of the cameras.

In one voice note, Jess is heard warning Bronte about Harrison’s ’21-year-old girlfriend’ – who has since been identified as Abby Miller – and Bronte responds by saying she is willing to ‘play this up like crazy’.

‘Butt dial’ scandal set up by producers

Intruder groom Rupert Bugden sparked the drama after he accidentally ‘called’ his wife Evelyn Ellis while he and fellow grooms, including Dan Hunjas, were trash-talking their wives at a bar.

However damning screenshots, obtained by Daily Mail Australia, appear to prove the whole storyline was staged by the show’s producers. 

In the texts, Rupert, 26, admits the phone call his ‘wife’ Evelyn supposedly overheard when he pocket-dialed her on a boys’ night out never actually happened. 

Dan, 42, had allegedly told the other grooms his wife Sandy Jawanda wasn’t his type and also bragged about his previous conquests. 

Intruder groom Rupert Bugden (pictured) sparked the drama after he accidentally ‘called’ his wife Evelyn Ellis while he and fellow grooms, including Dan Hunjas, were trash-talking their wives at a bar 

The damning screenshots appear to prove the whole storyline was staged by the show’s producers. In the texts, Rupert Bugden admits the phone call his ‘wife’ Evelyn Ellis supposedly overheard when he pocket-dialed her on a boys’ night out never actually happened

Claire and Adam’s secret kiss

Claire Nomarhas admitted to kissing Janelle Han’s husband Adam Seed on a boozy night out, despite being married to Jesse Burford.

The 31-year-old kindergarten assistant denied the hook up for days, before she eventually admitted to the kiss.

The admission caused drama for both couples, and ultimately both relationships ended shortly after.

Claire Nomarhas (left) admitted to kissing Janelle Han’s husband Adam Seed (right) on a boozy night out, despite being married to Jesse Burford

 The admission caused drama for both couples, and ultimately both relationships ended shortly after. Pictured with Jesse Burford

Olivia exposing Domenica’s OnlyFans account

Olivia Frazer (pictured) infamously outed rival bride Domenica Calarco for having an OnlyFans account during a dinner party on last year’s season 

Olivia Frazer infamously outed rival bride Domenica Calarco for having an OnlyFans account during a dinner party on last year’s season.

Domenica was humiliated to learn her co-stars knew about her racy side hustle and broke down in tears.

Olivia refused to apologise for sharing Dom’s racy photos, which a friend of hers had discovered circulating on Twitter and Reddit.

While the distribution of the image was described by many viewers at the time as ‘revenge porn’, a police investigation into the matter has effectively been closed after Olivia refused to speak with officers.

Carolina and Daniel’s affair

Carolina Santos (right) and Daniel Holmes (left) didn’t hit it off with their respective ‘spouses’ last year, so decided to pursue a secret relationship with each other 

Carolina Santos and Daniel Holmes didn’t hit it off with their respective ‘spouses’ last year, so decided to pursue a secret relationship with each other.

They eventually came clean about their affair at a commitment ceremony and asked the experts if they could re-enter the experiment as a new couple, but their request was denied.

They lasted in the outside world for 10 months before announcing their split. 

They eventually came clean about their affair at a commitment ceremony and asked the experts if they could re-enter the experiment as a new couple, but their request was denied

Coco and Cameron’s shock romance

It seems there’s nothing MAFS participants love more than a good fling.

During the 2021 season, Coco Stedman and Cameron Dunne were at the centre of an explosive cheating scandal that divided fans.

Coco, who was paired with Sam Carraro, sought comfort in Cameron after multiple clashes with her uninterested ‘husband’.

During the 2021 season, Coco Stedman (right) and Cameron Dunne (left) were at the centre of an explosive cheating scandal that divided fans 

It didn’t take long for the two to hit it off, and the other brides and grooms weren’t shy about discussing their budding romance.

But it turns out their relationship didn’t last once the cameras stopped rolling.

Coco said at the reunion: ‘Since leaving the experiment, Cam and I hung out a few times… Cam and I got intimate.’

When asked if Cameron had ‘hit it and quit it’, Coco laughed it off by saying: ‘He got his Coco Pops and left for the day [but] there’s no ill feelings there.’

Martha and Cyrell’s red wine moment

Martha Kalifatidis and Cyrell Paule had an explosive feud that almost turned physical during season six in 2019.

One of their arguments escalated to the point Cyrell grabbed Martha’s dressing gown and a producer was forced to separate them.

Martha laughed as Cyrell walked away from the melee, then proceeded to smash a fruit bowl in anger.

Martha Kalifatidis (right) and Cyrell Paule (left) had an explosive feud that almost turned physical during season six in 2019. One of their arguments escalated to the point Cyrell grabbed Martha’s dressing gown and a producer was forced to separate them

At the next dinner party, Martha was still simmering with rage and told fellow bride Ines Basic she was going to ‘pour a drink on Cyrell’ – and followed through with her threat.

She tipped a glass of red over her rival’s head, causing total chaos.

Viewers were quick to condemn the brides’ petty behaviour and the moment soon became one of the show’s most memorable scandals.

At the next dinner party, Martha was still simmering with rage and told fellow bride Ines Basic she was going to ‘pour her drink on Cyrell’ – and followed through with her threat 

Sam and Ines’ affair 

After weeks of secret text messages and flirty meet-ups, viewers were on the edge of their seats when Ines Basic and Sam Ball finally sealed the deal in the 2019 season.

With both of them ‘married’ to other people, their affair caused widespread outrage, with many fans furious that the experts didn’t intervene and put a stop to it.

Sam’s ‘wife’ Lizzie Sobinoff later said pair were ‘disgusting’ and ‘belong with each other’ – but their illicit romance didn’t last outside the experiment.

After weeks of secret text messages and flirty meet-ups, viewers were on the edge of their seats when Ines Basic (left) and Sam Ball (right) finally sealed the deal in the 2019 season 

Bronson Norrish calls his wife Ines a ‘c**t’ 

After weeks of enduring verbal abuse from his ‘wife’ during the 2019 season, frustrated groom Bronson Norrish finally snapped at the first commitment ceremony.

He accused his unhinged bride Ines Basic of ‘acting like a c**t’, leaving the entire cast and trio of experts speechless.

Relationship guru Mel Schilling was particularly appalled, and told Bronson it was never acceptable to call a woman the C-word.

But many viewers disagreed, saying Bronson was right to call Ines a ‘c**t’ because of her awful behaviour on their honeymoon.

After weeks of enduring verbal abuse from his ‘wife’ Ines Basic (right) during the 2019 season, Bronson Norrish (left) finally snapped at the first commitment ceremony and called her a ‘c**t’

Dean and Davina’s affair 

The most talked-about moment from season five was the affair between Dean Wells and Davina Rankin.

The pair betrayed their respective spouses by meeting up for a secret coffee date.

However, their brief tryst came to an end when Dean decided he was happier with his ‘wife’ Tracey Jewel, before kicking Davina to the curb. 

The most talked-about moment from season five was the affair between Dean Wells (right) and Davina Rankin (left)

Telv’s white powder regrets

Tradesman Telv Williams and beautician Sarah Roza were portrayed as the golden couple of Married At First Sight’s fifth season in 2018.

But Telv’s less-than-squeaky-clean past outside of the show was exposed when photos emerged of him snorting white powder from a stripper’s backside.

Things went from bad to worse for the father of two when leaked emails obtained by Daily Mail Australia revealed he had called Sarah a ‘crazy woman’ and told a Channel Nine employee their ‘relationship’ was strictly for publicity purposes.

Season five groom Telv Williams’ less-than-squeaky-clean past outside of the show was exposed when photos emerged of him snorting white powder from a stripper’s backside

‘Oh s**t!’ Sean rejects Jo at the altar 

Australia fell in love with bubbly single mother Jo McPharlin in 2018, but the same couldn’t be said for her ‘husband’ Sean Donners.

The pub owner famously muttered ‘oh s**t’ under his breath when he saw his eager-beaver bride trotting down the altar. 

He later voted to ‘leave’ her at the first commitment ceremony, resulting in a heartbroken Jo calling him a ‘douchebag’ in front of the other couples.

Ryan’s ‘Naked Dating’ appearance

Ryan Gallagher was portrayed as a poor, broken-hearted groom when his ‘wife’ Davina Rankin cheated on him during the 2018 season.

But a very different side to his personality emerged when footage resurfaced from his X-rated appearance on The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

Ryan was a contestant on the program’s infamous Naked Dating segment, stripping down in the studio in front of a giggling Jackie ‘O’ Henderson before admitting his dating style was ‘KFC and a root’.

Ryan Gallagher was portrayed as a poor, broken-hearted groom when his ‘wife’ Davina Rankin cheated on him during the 2018 season – but a very different side to his personality emerged when footage resurfaced from his appearance on Kyle and Jackie O’s Naked Dating segment