Married At First Sight Australian star Jules Robinson has denounced the addition of a controversial element to the 2023 series that left many of the couples in turmoil.
The reality star, 41, appeared on the series in 2019 when she married Cameron Merchant, and the couple is still going strong four years later.
But in an exclusive interview with MailOnline, Jules slammed the addition of a “photo ranking test,” which asks couples to rank the boys and girls in order of who they find most attractive.
In some cases, they failed to put their partner at the top of the list, leading to massive arguments and awkward confrontations.
Jules, who is launching her FIGUR shapewear range in the UK, said such a grueling challenge would make it “so much harder” for the couples, noting that they would need to have “emotional intelligence” to get their partners to the to rank top.
Strike Back: Married At First Sight Australian star Jules Robinson has rejected the addition of a controversial element to the 2023 series that left many of the couples in turmoil
She said: ‘I think if you look at the Australian version, they’re now doing the attractive test, or whatever they call it, and have to rank them from one to ten.
What’s the positive thing about doing that? I looked at when I was in that experiment, there was no one I would be matched with except Cam.
“There was just no one there and I just think: I would have flat out said, ‘No, I’m not doing this,’ there’s no point in doing that at all in a relationship, and then you see some couples who (you think) “put them on top”! It’s not that hard to make someone feel good.
‘I don’t think there’s anything positive about that? I don’t know why they’re doing that to the cast now unless the person has some emotional intelligence and knows how to put their partner at the top. I just don’t think anything good could come out of that.’
‘Yes, I think we’re just making it a bit more difficult for the couples.
“But let’s face it, they’re matching five couples who have a potential chance and five just for car crash television, isn’t that really what they do?”
Jules added that she had support for Jessie Burford and Claire Nomarhas, who had a turbulent ride during the experiment, tinged with infidelity when she kissed Adam Seed.
Fans hoped during the series’ reunion that they would rekindle their romance, but Claire has since stated that he “ghosted” her after the experiment was completed.
Cheeky! The reality star slammed the addition of a ‘photo ranking test’, which asks couples to rank the boys and girls in order of who they find most attractive
Shocking: In some cases, they failed to put their partner at the top of the list, leading to huge fights and awkward confrontations
She told MailOnline, “You saw them grow emotionally as people and actually learn from mistakes and be very honest. I was really rooting for them.
“That’s a difference as a viewer, I think years ago everyone was very emotionally invested in a lot of people.
And now it’s clear that it’s just so common, and yes, for them, I was really rooting for them. I’d like to train them.’
In MAFS 2023, only two couples decided to stay together at the Final Vows, Tahnee Cook and Ollie Skelton, and Melinda Willis and Layton Mills, and both couples are still happily paired up.
Jules and Cam first got married in MAFS’s 2019 series, which became a runway hit when it aired in Britain during the 2021 Covid lockdown.
She admitted they were caught off guard by the new army of fans the show discovered during the Covid pandemic.
In love: Jules and Cam first married in the 2019 MAFS series, which became a runway hit when it aired in Britain during the 2021 Covid lockdown
Stunning: Jules, who is launching her FIGUR shapewear range in Britain, said such a grueling challenge would make it ‘so much harder’ for the couples
Stunning: She launched her inclusive range in 2020, after struggling with ‘uncomfortable’ shapewear for three months while filming MAFS
“We had no idea, and suddenly our Instagrams were flooding with DMs and our follower count was growing rapidly day by day.
“It was two years ago and I think now that we’re here it still seems pretty new to people, but we’ve been married for five years now. It’s quite old.
“People will message and say, ‘Oh, I’ve been trying so hard to wait for the series to end, and I have to see you and you’re having a baby and I’m so happy.’
“You know that’s always been the case, and England has been with open arms, it’s been so beautiful and so supportive. Yes, that’s it. It was amazing. We are overwhelmed by the support.’
Jules is launching its range in the UK with a pre-order discount, available on myfigur.com.