MAFS UK star Mark Kiley claims he was left ‘unemployed and single’ after appearing on the show as he brands it a ‘Love Island rip-off’

Married At First Sight British star Mark Kiley claims his appearance on the show has left him ‘unemployed and single’.

The customer service manager, 36, signed up for the series with the dream of finding Mr Right, and soon tied the knot with Sean Malkin.

Unfortunately, the couple’s relationship didn’t work out, with both admitting they struggled to find an emotional connection.

And in an interview with The sunMark revealed he had been forced to take a £7,000 pay cut to return to his old job, after hoping he would ‘live a good life’ following his appearance on the show.

He said: ‘When I went on the show I quit my job and missed a pre-paid holiday on which I spent £1,700. I left everything behind to do this but came out with nothing.

“I know it was my choice, but I felt like I mis-sold the dream that it would work and that I would say goodbye to my normal life.”

When contacted by MailOnline, a Channel 4 spokesperson said: ‘All contributors have been thoroughly prepared for the experience of taking part in Married at First Sight UK, a prominent TV reality series.

“We emphasize to all cast that the series should not be seen as a means to achieve fame or fame and warn against unrealistic expectations of this nature.”

Mark explained that he had been single for ten years and decided to sign up for MAFS UK, but claimed bosses were more focused on ‘creating drama’ than finding love.

He went on to say that bosses had taken tips from Love Island to boost ratings, and he was told that ‘intruder couples’ would be introduced into the series to stir up drama.

Questioning the divisive segment, Mark said he hopes bosses abandon the idea in the next series as it was ‘ridiculous’ to step in mid-way through the process.

Mark further claimed that he had received tips from a number of other couples in an attempt to get more airtime, and that many of the stars had been ‘scouted by producers’.

He also claimed that a couple agreed to remain friends early in the process but continued to pretend they were in a relationship to stay on the show longer.

A Channel 4 spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘MAFS UK is very much an unscripted reality series and what viewers see on screen is an accurate representation of the cast’s actions and opinions at the time.’

Mark further revealed that bosses were forced to tighten curfew rules for the couples after they continued to party into the early hours.

He said: ‘When the curfew was introduced you had to be back at 7pm and you could be in other people’s apartments until 10pm.

“Then the production team went to check if everyone was in their apartment by knocking on the door to see if they were still there.”

A Channel 4 spokesperson said: ‘Each individual agrees to a standard of conduct before commencing filming and we take appropriate action on a case-by-case basis if contributors fall below that standard.’

Mark’s time at MAFS UK came to an untimely end when he and Sean decided to end their marriage. He believes his husband was ‘not ready’ for a serious relationship.

He further revealed that they are no longer in touch and he has unfollowed him on social media.

Mark further revealed that although many of the couples give the impression that they are all still good friends, in reality he struggles to get in touch with many of them.

E4 has confirmed that this year’s couples have already reunited for a one-off special set to air in 2024, after becoming the biggest all-broadcast and subscription video-on-demand streaming title in its penultimate week.

This follows from the news in September that the program achieved the highest viewing figures ever.

Now the cast will reunite in the English countryside for an explosive dinner party to see what happened after the show.

Ella, Erica, Jordan, Paul, Shona, Thomas, Jay, Rozz, Georges, Matt, Peggy, Adrienne, Tasha and Laura will all be there.

During the dramatic retreat, the brides and grooms can revisit old dramas and reveal whether their relationships have stood the test of time.

In addition to the one-off special, a fourth series will also be broadcast next year, with a new set of couples taking part in the experiment.

The new reunion will air on E4 in 2024, ahead of the launch of the latest series of Married at First Sight Australia.

One cast member who won’t be invited, however, is Luke Worley, after he was axed from the series after banging on the door of Jordan Gayle’s apartment where he lived with his wife Erica Roberts and starting a fight with his co-star.

MailOnline recently revealed that Luke was told he was not welcome to take part in the six-month special, which was filmed at a secret location in East Sussex earlier this month.

A source told MailOnline: ‘Luke’s relationship with Channel 4 has deteriorated since his axing was broadcast.

‘Not only did he get into an argument with Jordan, but he also used threatening language against him on social media, which the channel obviously considers unacceptable.

‘Luke has spoken out about his experiences filming the show and will no doubt do so again… trust between him and Channel 4 has been lost.

“He’s not feeling great knowing that the majority of the cast is filming the special and his invitation has all well and truly been rescinded, but they feel his attitude is too difficult to handle at this point.”

Meanwhile, the reunion is sure to also delve into the new relationship that has developed between Shona Manderson and Matt Pilmoor.

The duo married Brad Skelly and Adrienne Naylor on the show, but their respective romances both ended and led to their union.