The reason Married At First Sight producers are already in damage control ahead of wild new season: ‘Biggest challenge the network has ever faced’

The upcoming season of Married At First Sight will be one of the most explosive ever.

But ahead of the season’s premiere in January, claims have emerged that producers are already doing damage control over the hit Channel Nine reality series.

An industry insider said this Yahoo lifestyle that producers are desperate to prevent the show’s dramatic storylines from leaking.

“While Channel Nine is excited for Australia to see the latest series, which has more twists and turns than any other series, they are well aware that they have a Mission: Impossible ahead of them in the next three months,” said the insider.

A source close to the production added that one of the pitfalls of filming a series like MAFS is that it is shot months in advance.

With such a lengthy window between filming and air date, it can be quite a task to keep those exciting storylines under wraps while encouraging contestants to stay quiet about the success or failure of their on-screen relationships.

The insider said that while this creates a “nightmare” for Channel Nine every year, this year would reportedly be even scarier for producers.

“I dare say that this year will be the biggest challenge the network has ever faced. A lot will go wrong before we get to where these relationships are today,” the source added.

It was also claimed that the MAFS production team was in crisis talks last week after discovering that one of the biggest hopes for the upcoming series had dropped out.

The source said the couple’s “riveting” storyline would see Australia rally behind their on-screen love and that the network was keen to ensure audiences discover their on-screen fate.

The source also said that all participants agreed to remain silent about their storylines, which could mean lying to family, friends and colleagues.

They added that the production allocated money in the budget to ensure that viewers believe that all the couples are together before their edits air.

The source said the couple who reportedly called it quits last week will still attend events together ahead of their fate airing on the show.

“This couple will attend media events together and make appearances in front of the cameras,” they claimed.

“So don’t believe everything you see when it comes to who still looks together and who doesn’t.”

Ny Breaking Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment.

Social media erupted after Channel Nine dropped the trailer for the upcoming season in December.

Fans took to social media to condemn the apparent overrepresentation of influencers among the incoming crop of brides and grooms.

“Another group of wannabe influencers, yeah,” one user commented.

“Oh great, I can’t wait for a new season of Real Estate Agent Wants a Wife,” another added.

The criticism didn’t stop there.

Others were equally vocal about their frustrations.

‘How many influencers/actors are there this year?’ another skeptical fan wondered, while some mentioned that the experiment was more about fame than love.

“Just call it what it is: drama,” one viewer wrote.

“None of them do it for love… it’s all for the followers and their 15 seconds of fame.”

This year’s line-up features a mix of IT professionals, wellbeing experts and entrepreneurs, but fans have turned their attention to their polished social media profiles.

The cast includes Rhi Disljenkovic, an IT account manager; Lauren Hall, a CEO with ties to a former MAFS groom; influencer Jamie Marinos and ex-bachelor reject Sierah Swepstone.

Other names include wedding officiant and DJ Morena Farina and TikTok tradie Dave Hand, and Billy Belcher, who are already building a following online.

With at least two contestants linked to former reality TV stars, fans claim the experiment prioritizes entertainment and Instagram-worthy drama over actual matchmaking.

Ny Breaking Australia revealed in September that 2025 hopeful Morena Farina and Tony Mojanovski’s whirlwind romance appears to be crashing before it even began, after Morena recently learned her new husband is still married to his ex.

Sources close to the production have revealed that the revelation came as a complete shock to Morena, who was immediately smitten with Tony.

But instead of embarking on a fairytale romance, the 57-year-old was seen looking dejected outside One Global Resorts last week, with suitcases in tow, after reportedly leaving the show in tears.

Married At First Sight premieres Monday, January 27 on Channel Nine