‘Not him’: Beloved MAFS ‘good guy’ Dave exposed by ex-fiancee

He’s one half of one of the most beloved couples on MAFS this year, but his “good guy” image is beginning to crumble.

He’s become known to MAFS viewers as a gentle giant, but now Dave’s nice guy image appears to be crumbling beneath him.

After weeks of being one of this year’s favourites among viewers, things have taken a turn and now Dave’s ex-fiancee has taken issue with the way her ex is being portrayed on television.

Stephanie Jaksch dated Dave for almost four years and they became engaged in late 2022. They were all set for their happy ending, but then Dave decided to call things off.

“They split, and as we all found out, he went straight on to apply to go on reality TV!” a friend of Stephanie’s told Women’s Day. “Applications for FBoy Island closed around the time of their split in November 2023.”

Dave's narrative as the "gentle giant" appears to be slowly crumbling beneath his feet. Picture: Nine

While Dave was unsuccessful with his application for FBoy Island Australia, production company Endemol Shine Australia saw something in him and “offered him MAFS, which he signed on to appear in early 2024.”


The friend went on to say that Stephanie has grown tired of the “good guy” angle being pushed by MAFS producers.

“She’s had enough of his ‘good guy’ narrative. Dave wasn’t ready for a serious relationship with Steph,” they added.

“That was very clear when they broke up,” she claimed. “It is hard to imagine much had changed in the months between separating from her and going on.”

Dave and his MAFS bride Jamie Marinos have been thought of as the show’s “golden couple” up until a few days ago.

However, things all changed during the show’s controversial Partner Swap challenge.

Jamie and Dave's romance has slowly begun to unravel after previously being the "golden couple" of the season. Picture: Nine

“I was building a future with someone and within a matter of days, everything came crashing down,” Jamie told TV WEEK. “I don’t know how he and Veronica’s time went, but I think he realised we might not be as compatible as we thought.”

The realisation came after Jamie had declared her love for Dave without him returning the sentiment.

“It gave me a lot of anxiety because it made me realise, ‘Is my husband even into me?’” she continued. “It was really alarming.”

It resulted in an explosive fight that saw the pair return to latest dinner party separately for the first time.

“I was breaking down,” she recalled. “I was sharing my pain. But Dave met me with no sympathy. There was coldness, dismissiveness – it was abrasive. He could see I was broken but he didn’t seem to care.”

Originally published as ‘Not him’: Beloved MAFS ‘good guy’ Dave exposed by ex-fiancee