Reality TV

MAFS EXCLUSIVE: Dion Giannarelli blasts Carolina Santos for coming up with “any little excuse” to sabotage their relationship

''It played out the way she wanted it to play out.''
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Married At First Sight heated up last night as Carolina Santos covertly met up with Daniel Holmes for a sneaky gym date.

But as we watched season nine’s first “cheating scandal” unfold, so too, did Carolina’s husband Dion, who was none the wiser until seeing the betrayal play out on national television.

Now, Dion has set the record straight on his turbulent romance with Carolina, telling Now To Love that his onscreen wife “tried to find any little excuse” to break up with him.

Dion says Carolina and Daniel’s initial bond over loving to workout at the gym regularly isn’t enough to sustain a lasting relationship.

Carolina has struggled to find a connection with Dion.

(Image: Nine)

“It is unnecessary and there are so many other layers taken to make a relationship work other than going to the gym or what music they listen to. That is so miniscule in a relationship,” he says.

“How about trying to connect in deeper level and talking, getting to know each other. I know plenty of people whose partners go to the gym and the other one doesn’t.

“I suppose [she thought of] any little thing to try and push me away, it would seem, she was trying to find any little excuse.”

Adding to the heartbreak, Dion says he was completely blindsided by Carolina and Daniel’s connection and didn’t have the slightest inkling of a budding romance between the pair.

Dion tried to ramp up the romance by surprising Carolina with a date night.

(Image: Nine)

“That was the first time I saw it last night, just when the rest of Australia did. It’s all very new to me,” he says.

“It definitely took me by surprise in terms of her texting and communicating with him and the phone call… I didn’t see that coming,” he adds, referencing Carolina and Daniel’s flirty chat on the phone following their gym rendezvous.

“It’s never easy to watch back and see that sort of betrayal, especially when you put your heart and soul into something.”

Dion says that he went onto the experiment with an open heart hoping to find someone to potentially spend the rest of his life with, or at the very least, to walk away from the show with a new friend.

Carolina snuck off to meet Daniel at the gym.

(Image: Nine)

But it seems there’s definitely no love lost between Dion and Carolina, with the mother-of-one recently being photographed kissing Daniel at a bar in Sydney.

“It’s definitely a lot to watch it back and see it unfold,” the property manager says, adding that he hasn’t spoken to Daniel since filming.

“At the end of the day I’m not one to hold grudges or talk badly about people. It is what it is unfortunately it played out the way she wanted it to play out… I don’t think she’s someone I’ll hang around with again.”

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Want more on Married At First Sight season nine? Check out the links below:

A pro wrestler, a motivational speaker and divorcees: Meet the brides and grooms vying for love on Married At First Sight 2022

Is Married At First Sight real or fake? Let’s examine the evidence

A match made in MAFS: All the Married At First Sight couples who have stayed together after filming ended

Is Married At First Sight legal in Australia? Why the Marriage Act makes things complicated

How much do Married At First Sight contestants get paid in Australia?

What a transformation! These Married At First Sight stars are unrecognisable from their days on the show

The most shocking, hilarious and downright disturbing Married at First Sight bombshells

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