Married At First Sight: New relationship expert revealed as Puerto Rican ‘sex coach’ Alessandra Rampolla
Married At First Sight’s relationship experts John Aiken and Mel Schilling will be joined by a blonde bombshell who’s branded herself as the ‘erotic goddess’ in Argentina.
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A Puerto Rican ‘sex coach’ who ditched her husband after losing 60 kilograms will join Nine’s controversial reality series, Married At First Sight next year.
Alessandra Rampolla, who has branded herself as the ‘erotic goddess’ in Argentina where she has built up a huge following for her candid relationship advice, will replace Trisha Stratford as one of the trio of ‘experts’ set to try their luck matching couples who marry as soon as they meet on the program.
Rampolla, 46, was candid about enjoying sex as an overweight woman, before undergoing gastric-banding surgery in 2006 and dropping a third of her body weight.
The glamorous peroxide-blonde then divorced her husband of seven years after he wanted to start a family in their home country of Puerto Rico, but she wanted to stay in Argentina to focus on her career there.
In a statement, Rampolla said she was “thrilled to be joining John [Aiken] and Mel [Schilling] in Australia’s biggest social experiment. With my particular expertise, I hope to contribute to the complex mix of components that ensure marriages not only work but thrive in the long haul.”
She said: “One of my strongest core beliefs is that sexual expression and compatibility are vital in building, nourishing and maintaining healthy romantic relationships, and it is my pleasure to help guide our participants in balancing this important fact in their brave quest for love.”
Her signing was confirmed by Nine at the network’s annual up fronts, which emphasised a new slated of reality TV programs – which are proving the more profitable production option, post-COVID.
Nine programmers conceded during the network’s upfronts that the show had been forced to change its audition processes, to focus casting those “looking to find love not fame” - a not-so subtle dig at the outrageous attention seekers who populated previous seasons.
After a six-year break, a new season of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia is expected to air next year – with ‘boss’ Mark Bouris replaced by the UK version’s entrepreneur, Lord Alan Sugar.
Fitness queen, Michelle Bridges, radio host Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli and Olympic gymnast, Olivia Vivian (who starred on Ninja Warrior) are among the first to be named as participants on the business crash course.
Meanwhile, it is unclear whether Sophie Monk will return as host of Love Island Australia, which is set to film locally on the Gold Coast, after its previous location in Spain was ruled out because of coronavirus restrictions.
Monk, who most recently appeared on 10’s The Masked Singer, was not named as part of the show she hosted to ratings success for Nine two years ago.
Continuing Nine’s reliance on matchmaker TV, a new season of Beauty and the Geek will return in 2019, likely to be hosted by Monk. It is crossing channels after it first aired on the Seven Network.
Meanwhile, one of Australia’s top cops, former Detective Gary Jubelin will join Nine’s 60 Minutes team as a contributor next year; with Liz Hayes to also host a new series, Under Investigation (a one-year special, deep-diving into news events and cold cases).
Its Logie-winning drama series, Doctor Doctor will go back into production for another season, starring Rodger Corser as well as a new cast including Packed To The Rafters favourite, Zoe Ventoura.
Amazing Grace is part of their new slate of shows, with Wentworth star Kate Jenkinson to play a midwife working at an alternative birthing clinic, attached to a metro hospital.
Sea Change star Sigrid Thornton will co-star as well as a diverse supporting cast of Catherine van Davies and Kat Hoyos.
ORIGIN BOWLS UP FOR SUPER ADS
Channel 9 has challenged Australian advertisers to create Super Bowl style ad campaigns to air during the top-rating State Of Origin.
With the ads of as much interest as the sporting action during the NFL’s season-ending show-down, the Origin tri-series between NSW and Queensland could electrify the NRL blockbuster - even in the ad breaks.
Liana Dubois, director of Nine’s Powered platform, announced State Of Origin-ality could win the most creative ad agency or business up to $1 million in advertising inventory across the network’s TV, radio and print assets.
“We want to challenge brands to come up with Australia’s version of Budweiser’s ‘Wassup’ or Apple’s Ridley Scott-directed ‘1984’ which introduced this Macintosh computer to the world. We want to see brands have fun and create magical moments for viewers, like when Darth Vader struggled with his powers before managing to lock his dad’s VW with just the power of The Force,” Ms Dubois said.
“Australia is a creative nation and we want more ads that make advertising famous. We want the ads to be talked about the next day just as much as who scores the winning try.”