Married at First Sight is a British television programme where strangers start a marriagelike relationship with each other, meeting only minutes beforehand. Upon returning, they live together for a period of time, during which they meet at commitment ceremonies and choose whether or not they will continue their relationship. On 14 March 2021, Owen and Michelle from Series 5 became the first couple to celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary together.
On 24 November 2020, it was announced that the programme would move to Channel 4's sister channel E4 in 2021, and would use the format of its Australian counterpart following the highly successful broadcast of the latter on E4.[2]
Following the success of Series 6, it was recommissioned for a longer 30-episode seventh series, and a 37-episode eighth series.
First aired in October and November 2016. The couples were:
#
Couple
Age
Occupation
Final decision
Current status
1
Lucie
27
Marketing executive
Yes
Divorced
Steven Griffiths
30
Writer
2
Sara
30
Personal assistant
Yes
Divorced
Adam
32
Trainee counsellor
3
Caroline
28
Operations coordinator
Yes
Divorced
Adam Donoghue
34
Train manager
4
Melissa
27
Student nurse
Yes
Divorced
Clark Sherwood
26
Business development manager
Series 3 (2018)
First aired in February and March 2018. The couples were:[citation needed]
#
Couple
Age
Occupation
Final decision
Current status
1
Richard
28
Police sergeant
No
Divorced
Harriet
32
Financial director
2
Ben Jardine
36
Property
Yes
Separated
Stephanie
32
Police officer
3
Wayne
31
Insurance broker
Did not marry
N/A
Carrie
35
Estate agent
Series 4 (2019)
First aired in March and April 2019. The couples were:
#
Couple
Age
Occupation
Final decision
Current status
1
Steph
28
Nurse
No
Annulled
Jonathan
39
Property manager
2
Verity
28
Office manager
Yes
Separated
Jack
25
IT consultant
Series 5 (2020)
First aired in October 2020. The couples were:
#
Couple
Age
Occupation
Final decision
Current status
1
Shareen
47
Events manager
No
Divorced
David
54
Wholeseller
2
Michelle
25
Teacher
Yes
Married with child
Owen
31
Global account manager
Series 6 (2021)
After the success of the Australian version, the Australian format was adopted. In Episode 1, two couples (Bob & Megan and Ant & Nikita) were matched and married. In Episode 2, two couples (Matt & Dan and Luke & Morag) were matched and married. In Episode 4, two couples (Josh & Amy and Franky & Marilyse) met and were married. In Episode 5, the final two couples (Adam & Tayah and Jordon & Alexis) met and were married.
This series began on 30 August 2021. The final scheduled for 30 September 2021 was postponed after technical problems prevented it from being shown.[4] The final episode was rescheduled the following day.[5]
This couple left the experiment outside of commitment ceremony.
This couple elected to leave the experiment during the commitment ceremony.
This couple was removed from the experiment by the experts or Production.
^1 : Due to an altercation off-camera at the first Dinner Party, the Production team removed Nikita from the experiment. As a result, Ant also had to leave.
^2 : Jordon originally chose to stay in the experiment to pursue an extra-marital romance with Megan, following the two sharing a kiss at the first dinner party. However, he changed his mind during the first commitment ceremony and chose to leave. As a result, Alexis & Jordon left the experiment.
^3 : Due to a delay with returning from their honeymoon in Mexico, Matt & Dan were unable to attend the first dinner party or commitment ceremony.
^4 : After forming a romantic connection following the end of their previous marriages, Alexis & Ant were allowed to return to the experiment as a new couple.
^1 : After forming a romantic connection following the end of their previous marriages, Alexis & Ant were allowed to return to the experiment as a new couple.
Viewing figures (2021)
Official, 28-day consolidated ratings are taken from BARB and include E4 +1. Catch-up service totals are added to the official ratings.[6]
^Technical issues led to the accidental repeat of part of episode 19 during the scheduled Thursday night broadcast of the final. The episode was rescheduled for the following day after efforts to show the correct episode failed.
"Afters" specials
For this series, a special aftershow was broadcast on Thursdays at 10 pm, after the final Married at First Sight episode of the week.
^This episode was delayed as the final was unable to be broadcast in its intended Thursday slot, with the programme rescheduled for the day after. On the intended airdate, First Dates occupied most of its slot as E4 opted to show it as filler.
Series 7 (2022)
After the success of the sixth series, an extended thirty-episode version using the same format was commissioned. This time, the cast included two same-sex couples - one male and one female. In each of Episodes 1, 2, 4 & 5, two couples were matched and married. In a franchise first, two additional couples were married and joined the experiment in Episode 12. The series began on 29 August 2022, the first episode being followed by a "One Year Later" special episode with some of Series 6's cast. For this series, the Dinner Parties and Commitment Ceremonies moved from Brighton to Trinity Quay Wharf in London's Docklands.
This couple left the experiment outside of commitment ceremony.
This couple elected to leave the experiment during the commitment ceremony.
This couple was removed from the experiment by the experts or Production.
^1 : Pjay wrote Stay, but agreed to leave the show based on Jess' answer on the couch.
^2 : After beginning an affair at the Couples' Retreat, Whitney & Matt asked the experts if they could re-enter the experiment as a couple - removing Gemma & Duka from the experiment. Rather than going through the traditional Commitment Ceremony process for these two couples, the experts spoke to them as a combined group before their respective decisions were revealed.
^3 : Thomas wrote Leave but after hearing Adrian's reasons for wanting to remain in the experiment changed his mind to stay and work on their relationship.
^4 : Kwame wrote Stay but agreed to leave the experiment as he didn’t want to keep Kasia in the experiment against her will and that she was adamant the relationship was over.
^5 : Thomas & Adrian decided to mutually separate during the final dinner party and forgo taking part in Final Vows.
^After beginning an affair at the Couples' Retreat, Whitney & Matt asked the experts if they could re-enter the experiment as a couple - removing Gemma & Duka from the experiment.
Viewing figures (2022)
Official, 7-day consolidated ratings are taken from Thinkbox and include E4 +1. From this series, 28-day ratings with viewership on devices other than televisions are no longer available, and so cannot be directly compared with the previous series.
After the success of the sixth and seventh series, an extended thirty-six episode version using the same format was commissioned, starting on 18 September 2023. The cast included the show's first transgender bride, Ella,[17] and the first limb deficient bride, Jay. In each of Episodes 1, 2, 4 & 5, two couples were matched and married. In Episode 12, a further two couples were matched and married before the final two weddings occurred in Episodes 17 & 18.
This couple left the experiment outside of commitment ceremony.
This couple elected to leave the experiment during the commitment ceremony.
This couple was removed from the experiment by the experts or Production.
^1 : Arthur was unwell for the second Dinner Party and Commitment Ceremony, so his decision was delivered by Expert Mel in the form of a letter.
^2 : Brad & Shona did not attend the third Commitment Ceremony, due to their relationship challenges.
^3 : Despite Porscha writing Stay at the third Commitment Ceremony, Terence decided to leave the experiment - and as a result, Porscha also left.
^4 : Brad & Shona were removed from the experiment by the experts at the start of the fourth week.
^5 : Nathanial decided to leave the experiment during the fourth dinner party, after an argument with Ella over her relationship with JJ. Ella left the experiment after the commitment ceremony.
^6 : Ella & JJ re-entered the experiment as a couple at the couple's retreat.
^7 : Luke was ejected from the experiment after an altercation with Jordan before the fifth Commitment Ceremony. As a result, Jay also had to leave.
^8 : Sean decided to leave during the sixth Dinner Party. As a result, Mark also left the experiment.
After the success of the sixth, seventh & eighth series, another thirty-six episode version using the same format was commissioned, starting on 16 September 2024. In each of Episodes 1, 2, 4 & 5, two couples were matched and married. In each of Episodes 12, 13 & 14, a further couple was married.
