It’s become abundantly clear in recent years that Married At First Sight producers will stop at nothing to meddle in the contestants’ relationships to maximise drama.
Since MAFS contestants sign contracts that often prohibit them from speaking out about what goes on behind the scenes, Now To Love spoke exclusively to one of season seven’s breakout stars who made headlines for his unfiltered opinions and hilarious quips.
Lincoln Alexander, who attended the wedding of his best friend Natasha Spencer and her groom Mikey Pembroke in season seven, lifts the lid on all things producer manipulation, camera techniques and big behind-the-scenes drama.
Mikey Pembroke and Natasha Spencer were mismatched from the start.
(Image: Nine)During the exhausting 12-hour filming day at Tash’s wedding, Lincoln says there was never a shortage of drinks on hand.
“From what I saw, they obviously try to push a narrative,” he tells Now To Love.
“At the reception, I was sitting on a table with Tash’s other best friends and her mum and dad. Obviously because I was sort of one of the main characters in that episode, I never had to ask for my champagne to be refilled whereas everyone else did. And I just got absolutely plastered,” he laughs.
“When Mikey walked down the aisle, I said something like ‘she’s going to eat him alive’ and because I said that they latched on to that.”
Lincoln was “egged on” by producers to grill Mikey.
(Image: Nine)Lincoln says that later at the reception, he was encouraged by a producer to pull Mikey aside.
“They said ‘When I give you the cue, you’re going to walk over to Mikey and have a word with him’. And then they obviously got the cameras all set up for it,” Lincoln reveals.
The producers then distracted Tash by getting her to have a chat with her parents so Lincoln could have a word with Mikey.
“I sat down and grilled him for a bit and then went back to my table and [the producers] pulled me aside again,” the hairdresser says, adding that producers urged him to “voice his concern” directly to Tash.
WATCH: Lincoln tells Mikey he isn’t ‘alpha’ enough for Tash at their wedding. Story continues after video.
“They said ‘You’re going to take Tash outside to where this white cross is and stand there with her and tell her what you said about Mikey’.”
But Lincoln admits that without producers’ interventions and encouragement, he still most likely would have acted the same way.
“It was a bit of a team effort. I feel like they more egged me on to do it,” he says. “I was considering it and they gave m the final push, but I probably would have done it anyway.”
Lincoln says the producers and crew were quite brazen about their need for a definitive storyline.
“I feel like a lot of it is them coming up with a narrative that they want at the time, and they try to pursue that narrative in any way possible, even at the expense of the people on the show,” he says.
Lincoln says the producers and crew were quite brazen about their need for a definitive storyline.
(Image: Nine)Throughout the years, former MAFS contestants have aired their disappointment with the way Channel Nine has handled their wellbeing and mental health during and after the show.
Lincoln admits Tash didn’t receive adequate support during her stint on season seven.
“I know with MAFS, Tash was really struggling with her mental health at the time, but they didn’t really sort of care. And they wanted to push that narrative despite her voicing her concerns about her mental health,” he says.
“Later on in the season they wanted her to say something to Mikey’s mum about how he was treating her really badly.”
But Tash refused, telling producers such a conversation with her then-husband’s mother would be “so disrespectful.”
“The producers really tried to push [her to say it] and then she did break down in tears and they obviously filmed it and then that was aired,” Lincoln says.
Tash struggled with her mental health while on MAFS.
(Image: Nine)In a statement to Now To Love, a representative for Channel Nine says the network and partner Endemol Shine “takes its obligations in respect to the health and wellbeing of the participants extremely seriously.”
“All participants have access to the show psychologist during filming, during broadcast and once the program has ended. Nine also have an additional service for participants should they like or need further individual and confidential psychological support,” the statement read.
“This service gives participants access to clinicians who have been specifically engaged to support those involved in the program in relation to their experiences. This service is available to all participants for as long as they need it, it does not end”.
Want more on Married At First Sight season nine? Check out the links below:
Is Married At First Sight real or fake? Let’s examine the evidence
How much do Married At First Sight contestants get paid in Australia?
MAFS’ Al Perkins spills on his previous relationships and what the show has taught him
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