Married At First Sight set for major revamp in 2025! The hunt begins for ‘transgender and gender-diverse’ participants to appear on new season in bid to keep show ‘fresh’
It looks like Channel Nine’s Married at First Sight is planning to diversify in 2025.
An insider close to the ratings has revealed that the show’s producers are “actively” pursuing candidates who identify as transgender.
And participants are already being questioned about whether they would be willing to be paired with gender-neutral partners as part of the experiment.
A source interviewed by Yahoo lifestyle said MAFS Australia is aiming for diversity after producers cast Elle Morgan, who identifies as transgender, in the UK version of the show.
Morgan participated in the experiment as a bride in 2023, which led to enormous media attention, the insider said.
It looks like Channel Nine’s Married at First Sight is planning to diversify in 2025. An insider close to the ratings has revealed that the show’s producers are “actively” pursuing candidates who identify as transgender. In the photo: experts John Aiken, Mel Schilling and sexologist Alessandra Rampolla
Participants are asked if they would be willing to be paired with gender-neutral partners as part of the experiment. Pictured: MAFS couple Michael Felix and Stephen Stewart
“Producers are now under immense pressure to raise the bar on our version and keep the format fresh,” the source claimed.
When casting for the new season, applicants will also be asked whether they identify as non-binary and transgender.
Applicants have also been asked about their ‘gay sex’ experiences and whether they have had cosmetic surgery.
The insider said producers also pressed applicants on intimate details, including whether they would have the same sex experiences during filming regardless of their own gender identity.
MAFS Australia has featured three same-sex couples so far: Michael Felix and Stephen Stewart, Craig Roach and Andy John and Amanda Micallef and Tash Herz.
MAFS Australia has featured three same-sex couples so far: Michael Felix and Stephen Stewart, Craig Roach and Andy John (pictured) and Amanda Micallef and Tash Herz
The experiment involved the first lesbian couple in 2020. Pictured: Amanda Micallef and Tash Herz
Expert Mel Schilling has previously acknowledged the experiment’s shortcomings in representing LGBTQ+ relationships.
‘For us it was very important to find people who genuinely wanted to find love. We didn’t want to simply match people based on sexual orientation,” she told Metro last year.
Schilling admitted that the Australian series “got so terribly wrong” in its early seasons, suggesting there are “great lessons” to be learned from the experience.
In 2019, a spokesperson for Nine told Daily Mail Australia that they had not included a same-sex couple due to the limited number of gay singles signing up.
“Unfortunately, we felt the match wasn’t good enough, and we didn’t want to include a gay couple just for appearance’s sake,” they said.
A source interviewed by Yahoo Lifestyle said MAFS Australia is looking to add diversity after producers cast Elle Morgan, who identifies as transgender, in the 2023 UK version of the show. Ellie is pictured with groom Nathanial Valentino
While the show received a whopping 10,000 applications from heterosexual singles, only about 20 came from gay singles.
The following year, the experiment involved the first lesbian couple, with Amanda Micallef and Tash Herz tying the knot.
In 2016, MAFS Australia welcomed its first gay couple, Craig Roach and Andy John, which didn’t go as planned.
This new season is expected to push the boundaries like never before and feature the most diverse cast yet, Daily Mail Australia can reveal.