Married At First Sight’s beloved relationship expert John Aiken has helped countless couples find – and fight for – love on screen.
But away from the dinner parties and commitment ceremonies, it’s his own real-life romance that’s perhaps the greatest love story of them all.
Welcoming Woman’s Day into the stunning Sydney home he shares with wife Kelly Swanson-Roe and their teens, Aston, 15, and Piper, 13, it’s clear that John, 55, is every bit the devoted family man, with Kelly confirming he’s “next level in the dad department”.
“I always knew he’d be a fabulous father. But he really is extraordinary. He’s up early, he cooks breakfast for the family every day. He makes their lunches and he irons their clothes,” she gushes.
MENDING A BROKEN HEART
While Australia knows John as the straight-talking relationship guru, Kelly, 51, knows the deeply compassionate man behind the TV persona – the one who helped mend her heart after unimaginable loss.
When the couple first met in 2005, Kelly was a well-known New Zealand newsreader, admired for her strength after the tragic death of her first husband, Jon Roe, in a canyoning accident in Switzerland just three years into their marriage.
Psychologist John was beginning to step into media, giving a presentation to journalists when he spotted Kelly across the room.
“I knew who she was and I couldn’t take my eyes off her,” he recalls.
Their connection was instant, but Kelly was still grieving and her loved ones were protective. Instead of rushing into romance, they built a friendship, exchanging emails while living in different cities – John in Auckland and Kelly in Wellington.
“He was witty and funny, and we just got on so well,” she recalls.
MOVING FAST
Within months, Kelly made the bold decision to quit her job and move to Auckland to be with John. Soon after, she suggested they buy a house together.
“I was like, ‘What? I’ve only just met you!’” laughs John.
“It took me about five days to gather my thoughts and get on board. It’s been like that ever since – Kelly pushes and motivates me at every point in my life. She’s a phenomenal person.”
Kelly echoes John’s sentiments, adding, she believes that John “was placed in my life at exactly the right time, as though Jonny was orchestrating it all from above.
“He’s someone who understands grief, who lets me be me, who’s not scared of my past and who celebrates every part of me.
“I’m grateful every day that I have John and the kids to share this journey with me,” she adds.
The couple married on Waiheke Island in January 2007, before relocating to Australia to start their next chapter.
Since then, their life has been built on shared values that they’re “deeply aligned with,” says John.
“We’re both still attracted to one another and in love. We get on with each other’s friends and family, we celebrate each other and we want each other to shine. That’s the stuff that matters.”
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