While couple swaps and cheating scandals are part in parcel when it comes to Married At First Sight, so too is contestants forming romances with each other after the experiment comes to an end.
One such potential couple that viewers can’t get enough of is Ella Ding and Brent Vitiello, who failed to find love with their on-screen partners Mitch Eynaud and Tamara Djordjevic, respectively.
When the show began airing in February, rumours quickly circulated that Ella and Brent were dating.
Ella was photographed smiling and laughing with Brent at Bondi Beach on Valentine’s Day – and their public encounters in recent weeks have further fuelled the romance flames.
During Fitzy and Wippa’s MAFS dinner party in Sydney on March 31, Fitzy asked: “Would you guys ever hook up?” and the chemistry between the pair was palpable.
“Hey babe,” Brent said to Ella.
“We were focusing on our relationships only but I will say something now,” Brent continued. “If there’s any woman in the world that you would want as your partner, you’d want Ella.”
Ella says that she didn’t get the chance to know Brent on a deeper level during filming.
(Image: Nine)Ella said that during the experiment, she didn’t get the chance to know Brent on a deeper level.
“We were there just focusing on our partners,” she said.
Then on April 3, Ella and Brent addressed the relationship speculation as they left his Bondi apartment to make their way to Domenica Calarco’s reunion party.
“Which rumours? Do you mean Mitch and Tamara? That’s all I know,” Brent said, referencing rumours their on-screen partners have also started dating.
“Aren’t they saying ‘Team Brella’?” Ella then said.
“If there’s any woman in the world that you would want as your partner, you’d want Ella,” Brent said.
(Image: Nine)The pair said viewers’ encouragement for them to become a couple is “quite nice” and “cute”, but admitted they are “just chilling”.
“We are, we’re just chilling,” Ella said, while Brent added: “We’re just doing a bit of Brella s–t and that’s it.”
On April 5, the night after the MAFS finale aired, Brent appeared on Fitzy and Wippa’s radio show where he set the record straight.
“Team Brella… we’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback about that mean as I have been spending time together, but again, it’s still it’s still as friends you know, we’re still trying to get through,” Brent said.
Ella said she is still processing her relationship breakdown with Mitch.
(Image: Nine)Fitzy then called Ella, who confirmed she is yet to kiss Brent, but is considering moving to Sydney.
“Look, we’ve definitely said that we would have been a better match. And yeah, we get along, we’re very similar, we’re both by fire signs, we’re both Aries,” she said.
When asked why he hasn’t tried to kiss Ella yet, Brent coyly responded: “I’m reading the room type thing.”
Ella added: “I’m gonna be completely honest, I’m still just healing and getting over stuff like with Mitchell and Tamara and just like all the all the c–p that’s been going on in the past few months.
“It still still gets to me and I don’t want to rush into anything if I’m not feeling you know, ready for it. And I’m just not ready.”
Then just a week later on April 11, Brent and Ella proved just how compatible they are by meeting each other’s parents a joint birthday party in Sydney.
Brent, his mum Lana and father Rino posed alongside Ella and her mother Belinda for a group picture.
The former co-stars seemed very comfortable in each other’s company, with videos obtained by Daily Mail showing them dancing together and with their arms wrapped around each other.
The following day, Ella provided an update on her relationship status, telling 9Entertainment: “Brent and I are not dating, we’re not seeing each other, we haven’t kissed.”
“We do hang out, we actually spend a bit of time together but I’m just not ready. Like I’m just not there.
“My head is so far from trusting and emotionally investing in another man, it’s the furthest thing from my mind right now and he knows.”
Brent, Ella and Al enjoyed a trip to Melbourne over the 2022 Anzac Day long weekend.
(Image: Instagram)But Ella gave us a glimmer of hope when asked if she could see herself with Brent in the future, saying: “We really do get along and we are pretty similar, but I still don’t really know him that well.
“We haven’t had deep conversations yet, we haven’t spent that real quality time together so I don’t know. I just want to get to know him.”
Then on April 25, Brent further fuelled relationship rumours after uploading a TikTok video of himself partying in Melbourne with Ella and co-star Al Perkins.
The following day, on April 26, Brent uploaded a snap with Ella and Al, writing: “These 2 humans give me more life than you can imagine.
“These 2 humans give me more life than you can imagine.”
(Image: Instagram)“What a wild little trip we had in Melbourne and grateful for the memories. Not as grateful for the hangovers though.”
In one of the photos taken on a Ferris wheel, Brent had his arm firmly wrapped around Ella, while in another snap from dinner, it appeared the 34-year-old had his hand on her lap.
While visiting Melbourne, where Ella is from originally, Brent spent even more time with his rumoured girlfriend’s mother Belinda.
Belinda posted a photo of herself chilling out on the couch with Brent and Al, captioned: “It was so lovely to get to know these two genuine gentleman over the past few days. Lots of laughter and happy vibes.”
It’s safe to say she definitely approves of Brent!
Brent and Al hung out with Ella’s mother Belinda.
(Image: Instagram)On April 29, after weeks of speculation, Ella finally confirmed she and Brent had shared a kiss.
“We have had sleepovers actually but I can control myself and so can he. But we’ve cuddled, we’ve DM’d, we’ve spoken about a lot of things,” Ella told the So Dramatic! podcast.
“We’re both very physically attracted to each other, there’s no denying that and I may have pecked him.”
When pressed for more details, Ella admitted the short kiss took place at her birthday party earlier this month.
Then on the first weekend of May, Brent and Ella enjoyed a romantic couple’s getaway to Far North Queensland.
While chatting with Fitzy and Wippa’s radio show upon their return home, Ella revealed she and Brent shared a kiss while at their hotel.
“I just grabbed his face,” Ella said, with Brent adding: “It just happened.”
He continued: “But to be fair, I’m sure there was many more times that we wanted to except I did get a little crook and I wouldn’t have kissed me either seeing the state I was in for a bit.”
Ella and Brent said they got to have “really honest and open” conversations while away together.
“Like last night we had dinner and it was just so nice. Talking about everything. And you know, we went and watched the stars and it was actually just so romantic. It was it was so nice,” Ella said.
When asked if they are in a relationship yet, Brent responded: “No but we’re not we’re not making anything official.
“Yeah, I mean, I think that’s where that’s where it creates, you know, tension and pressure. I think if it’s going to be official, it’ll just happen on its own organically.”
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