Married At First Sight UK has received strong backlash over its latest bride Ella, the first transgender contestant to join the franchise.
The controversial matchmaking show drew vile trolls and concerned viewers alike when this year’s big shakeup was announced.
Much of the backlash seemed to revolve around producers choosing to keep Ella’s transgender identity a secret from her groom until after their wedding.
While some left snide comments about Ella’s gender, others raised concerns about her safety on the series.
‘This is disgusting! They can’t do this to someone without knowing,” one person wrote.
Married At First Sight UK has received strong backlash over its latest bride Ella (pictured), the first transgender contestant to join the franchise
The controversial matchmaking show attracted vile trolls and concerned viewers alike when this year’s big shake-up was announced
‘Anything for the view. How awful of the production team to do this to either of them,” said another.
A third added: ‘What a shame MAFS for not disclosing this to the groom b4 (sic) and giving him a choice. It’s a new low for your show.”
While many of the comments seemed to focus on the groom’s experience, others sided with Ella and expressed concern for her.
‘The groom should at least have been asked if he would be open to a gender-diverse bride. It puts her in grave danger even if he participates,” one wrote.
Elsewhere, other viewers doubted MAFS producers would pair Ella with someone who wasn’t open to a relationship with her.
Shocked fans of the show took to social media to share their thoughts about Ella’s casting
“I don’t believe for a second that the groom isn’t aware that this is possible and I’m sure they would agree that they would be happy with this,” one person wrote.
“I don’t think they’d drop that bomb without finding out if anyone would like it.”
Married At First Sight Australia star Tahnee Cook shared her own experience and said all applicants are asked if they would be willing to be matched with someone who is transgender.
She also said she was “quite disgusted” by some of the transphobic comments made by viewers.
Some viewers doubted producers would pair Ella with someone who wasn’t open to a relationship with her
Married At First Sight Australian star Tahnee Cook shared her own experience and said all applicants are asked if they would be willing to be matched with someone who is transgender
Tahnee appeared on the most recent season of Married At First Sight Australia
Ella, who billed herself as a “blonde bombshell with a sense of humor and a heart of gold,” said of being the show’s first trans bride: “This experiment is much more than just me getting married… I see this as a big problem. for someone who has gone through a transition.’
The clinic consultant from Weston-Super-Mare is joined by fellow brides Tasha, Shona, Rosaline, Porsha, Peggy, Laura and Jay, and grooms Thomas, Terence, Paul, Nathanial, Luke, Georges, Brad and Arthur. season.
The upcoming season will be the longest MAFS UK season ever, with 36 episodes tying together the romances of the blindly matched couples.
Ella continued, “I deserve love because I have been through a lot as a person. I deserve to be happy with someone who loves me, for me, and accepts me because I’m amazing! I was born a boy, I switched.’
She shared emotionally, “That’s why I’m very open-minded and just having a lot of fun because I’ve had such a life.”
The upcoming season will be the longest MAFS UK season ever, with 36 episodes tying together the romances of the blindly matched couples.
The pairs are matched and guided by returning experts Mel Schilling, Paul C. Brunson and Charlene Douglas
The series follows season six and follows the Australian format.
Relationships will be reexamined at weekly dinners and at the recurring commitment ceremonies, with couples choosing whether to stay in the process or get out of it.
All this and much more will culminate in a dramatic series finale: high-stakes glossy vow renewals, where each couple must decide whether to recommit to their partner or go their separate ways for good.
The pairs are matched and mentored by returning experts Mel Schilling, Paul C. Brunson and Charlene Douglas.