Married At First Sight has been known for casting participants who may not be ready for the experiment but are great for reality TV, meaning several MAFS cast members shouldn’t have been cast at all. Throughout the run of Married At First Sight, the series has changed the way it casts its participants, getting more granular about the information they request before the cast members are chosen. With cast members who are looking for a chance at love after feeling like they’ve exhausted all other opportunities, MAFS can be a polarizing experience.
While there have been some incredible relationships built on Married At First Sight, like season 1 couple Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner who struggled in their marriage on the show but have come out deeply connected, other relationships have been underwhelming. The show’s success rate, especially in recent seasons, hasn’t been optimal. With just one couple staying together post-show in the last four seasons, MAFS has been struggling to bring couples together in a healthy, managable way.
Despite knowing that there have been several couples who have met and made things work on Married At First Sight in the past, there have been more who haven’t been able to make it through the experiment and come out on the other side. The disastrously low rates of success on MAFS has been a struggle for the series, making it difficult for viewers to build confidence in the show as a whole. While viewers are still interested in watching the messy drama play out on MAFS, they don’t feel the series will be able to make a lasting match.
With Married At First Sight season 18 on the horizon, many have been curious about the way that the series works behind the scenes, looking into the way the casting of the show has changed through the years. Though the casting has gotten more intricate in the years since the beginning of MAFS, the majority of the couples who are put together have fundamental issues in their relationships that many feel should’ve been caught by the experts. In some circumstances, cast members wind up joining the show to disastrous results, making it clear the team didn’t do their due diligence.
With so many cast members through the years, Married At First Sight has, understandably, had some questionable participants that haven’t been able to keep their relationships afloat, and have had personal issues beyond their time on the show. With MAFS moving into another season, looking at the previous participants can provide clarity into how the show has changed and handled some difficult cast members. Here are 10 Married At First Sight cast members who never should’ve been cast.
10. Chris Williams
Married At First Sight Season 12
On Married At First Sight season 12, Chris Williams took the role of villain seriously throughout his marriage. As one of the most controversial MAFS cast members the show has ever seen, Chris was difficult to watch. Marrying Paige Banks during the season’s premiere, Chris seemed like he was looking for something real, but his past quickly returned to haunt his new relationship. Chris’ ex-fiance announced she was pregnant with his baby, and rather than include her, Chris chose to take care of the situation separately from Paige.
Though the pair stayed married, Chris was determined to ask Paige uncomfortable questions about his off-camera situation. Not only did Chris make Paige uncomfortable by involving her in the pregnancy when he’d said he hadn’t wanted to, he was difficult to deal with as a spouse. Putting Paige down, sharing that he didn’t find her physically attractive, and insinuating he didn’t want to be with her down the line, Chris shocked Married At First Sight viewers by hoping to stay married to Paige on Decision Day.
9. Katie Conrad
Married At First Sight Season 10
Katie Conrad’s time on Married At First Sight season 10 wasn’t necessarily the controversy that it could’ve been, but the aftermath of their relationship made it clear that Katie shouldn’t have been cast on the season. While Katie and her MAFS husband Derek Sherman were happy together during the early moments of the season, the pair faced some hurdles that could’ve separated them entirely. Katie and Derek tried to practice open, honest communication, but struggled just as much as the other couples of the season.
Although Katie and Derek’s relationship was vaguely relaxed, their time together after the season’s end was difficult. After choosing to stay together on Decision Day, Katie’s behavior came into question. Derek felt certain that she was cheating on him with an ex-boyfriend, which had been a concern of his duing Married At First Sight season 10. Though the cheating wasn’t confirmed, the couple split and Katie went chronically offline.
8. Zach Justice
Married At First Sight Season 10
Zach Justice’s Married At First Sight marriage was meant to be an exciting one, but his relationship with Mindy Shiben didn’t wind up lasting and Zach’s behavior after the show made many feel duped. Zach, who was excited for a relationship that could change his life on Married At First Sight season 10, was happy about his marriage to Mindy at first. The couple seemed like they were going to get along at the start, but when Zach didn’t feel instantaneous attraction to his new wife, he didn’t know what to do.
Though Zach hoped he’d be able to build a relationship with Mindy, things didn’t go well throughout their time on MAFS season 10. The pair became friends as they moved through their relationship together, but Zach didn’t share with Mindy that he wasn’t attracted to her, which changed the nature of their relationship. When Mindy began questioning their marriage, Zach became closed off and created chaos for his relationship and the MAFS experts.
7. Alyssa Ellman
Married At First Sight Season 14
Married At First Sight season 14’s Alyssa Ellman has been one of the most talked about stars in franchise history, especially because of her lack of self-awareness that makes it feel like she shouldn’t have been cast on the series. Alyssa and her MAFS husband Chris Collette were a tough match due to her behavior. While Alyssa wanted to be married, it didn’t appear that she wanted to be married to Chris. Instead, the MAFS bride was more concerned that she’d look good on camera.
Concerned with her own perception, Alyssa put her relationship with Chris on the back burner entirely and treated him poorly throughout their MAFS marriage. Alyssa seemed to gaslight Chris when she could, trying to convince him of things that hadn’t actually happened, and shared that she felt threatened by her MAFS husband. While Alyssa was trying to pin the issues on Chris, she was the problem in her marriage.
6. Ryan DeNino
Married At First Sight Season 2
An early Married At First Sight cast member, Ryan DeNino turned out to be a participant that had an ugly background and some anger that led to issues in the future. Featured on Married At First Sight season 2, Ryan married Jessica Castro during the early season of the series. While Ryan and Jessica’s relationship wasn’t a match made in heaven, the pair chose to stay together despite fights cropping up throughout their newfound relationship.
While the couple said yes on Decision Day, Ryan and Jessica’s marriage wasn’t long-lasting. Ryan’s anger made the relationship impossible for the couple to maintain, and while his issues hadn’t come into play as often on Married At First Sight season 2, things got worse as time went by for the pair. Ultimately, Ryan and Jessica split up and legal issues came up in the proceedings of their divorce.
5. David Norton
Married At First Sight Season 3
Another early MAFS cast member, David was a part of Married At First Sight season 3, but his time on the series was complicated. David and Ashley Doherty were married on MAFS season 3, but the couple’s time together was turbulent. Their ideals didn’t line up, and despite trying to work through their issues as a couple, they didn’t find themselves able to see eye-to-eye on anything, even small, menial problems.
The couple shocked viewers when David said he wanted to stay together on Decision Day, but Ashley chose to divorce her MAFS husband. While Ashley made the decision that she felt best fit her life, it became abundantly clear that she was in the right when information about David came to light. Ashley found out that David had some misdemeanors in the past, and learning about his trouble with the law, knew she was better off without him.
4. Luke Cuccurullo
Married At First Sight Season 8
Married At First Sight season 8’s Luke Cuccurullo was excited for his opportunity to find real love on the series, having exhausted his options in the real world. While he was looking for a specific match, he wasn’t sure that he’d found it when he met his MAFS bride Kate Sisk. The pair had difficulties from early on in their marriage, as Luke felt he didn’t feel a connection with Kate at all in the first weeks of their marriage even though he’d spent the initial days happy about his relationship.
While Luke and Kate tried to make their marriage work, his behavior was difficult for her to deal with. Luke claimed he was open-minded and ready to find someone to settle down with, but refused to give Kate enough of a chance to genuinely see if he was interested. Insulting her looks, Luke was harsh with Kate and didn’t seem to understand that he could be sensitive to her feelings while honoring his own. The Married At First Sight season 8 couple chose to divorce.
3. Justin Hall
Married At First Sight Season 15
Married At First Sight season 15’s Justin Hall had a difficult time with his marriage to Alexis Williams, but his appearance on the series was one that opened his eyes tremendously. Justin and Alexis both had hot tempers, and the pair struggled to communicate throughout their time on the series. While Justin’s MAFS experience wasn’t the worst possible, he didn’t find the love that he was looking for on the series.
Justin and Alexis tried to make their marriage work, but things weren’t easy for the pair even though they seemed to be putting in the effort. While Justin had some issues with his dog, Maya, during the relationship, the problems that MAFS viewers recognized in him were less about his situation and more about his personality. Justin wasn’t the right fit for the series, as his temper would get the best of him too often to make a genuine connection.
2. Domynique Kloss
Married At First Sight Season 16
Married At First Sight season 16 ‘s Domynique Kloss was looking for an experience rather than a partner, and found herself married to Mackinley Gilbert on the series. While she felt like she could connect with Mack, Domynique was one of the youngest cast members of the season and it often showed in her relationship. The large age gap between Domynique and Mack was a point of contention, and though they got along in the early days of their marriage, they quickly struggled to find common ground.
With a lot of struggle in their relationship, Mack and Domynique tried to work on their marriage despite her desire to end things early. Domynique was able to discuss marriage, but she didn’t actually seem to want to be in a relationship when it came down to it. Though the pair felt like they could’ve worked through things, Mack and Domynique ended their relationship long before the season’s end, citing her immaturity.
1. Mia Bally
Married At First Sight Season 7
Mia Bally’s marriage to Tristan Thompson on Married At First Sight season 7 wasn’t a constant struggle, but Mia’s MAFS experience was controversial to say the least. The couple’s relationship wasn’t good from the start, especially after court documents were discovered to have been filed against Mia for fraud and stalking. Though the incidents were allegations, Mia’s relationship with Tristan suffered regardless, especially since their marriage got off to a difficult start because of them.
Though the couple’s relationship made it through their tumultuous start, their argumentative nature took over after the allegations were cleared up. While Mia’s situation was a difficult one, with the Married At First Sight star having likely been the victim of abuse in a previous relationship, her marriage to Tristan suffered from her past experiences. The couple chose to stay married after Decision Day, but eventually the Married At First Sight pair divorced and Mia chose to privatize her online profiles.
