Married at First Sight shrinks were barely around to help, it’s revealed, despite booze-fuelled fights

DESPITE booze-fuelled fights and emotional meltdowns, it’s been revealed the psychologists who matched Married at First Sight couples weren’t around to help.

FOR a show that sees psychologists match singles in arranged marriages, you’d think the experts would stick around to offer support to the overwhelmed couples.

But a star of controversial series Married At First Sight has revealed she barely heard from the relationship specialists who are portrayed as overseeing the television experiment.

Even in the midst of booze-fuelled fights and emotional breakdowns, it appears the mental health experts billed as being central to the Channel Nine show were missing in action.

“I spoke to them a bit before the show … but not (during),” 28-year-old schoolteacher Nicole, who featured in the latest instalment, said.

“I would’ve liked to have seen them more involved, for them to come up and talk to us. When I watched the last season (of the show) it seemed like they were involved because it cuts to them a lot in their opinions and reasons why, so yeah.”

Nicole and Keller had a bumpy road to the Married At First Sight finale, with two emotional and booze-fuelled blow ups. Picture: Supplied

Last night saw the latest season come to an end, with the three remaining couples deciding to stick together after the four-week social experiment.

For Nicole and mechanic Keller, 26, it was a bumpy road to the finish and she expected to hear more from the experts — neuro-psychotherapist Dr Trisha Stratford, couples therapist John Aiken and psychologist Sabina Read.

“No, not really,” Nicole said when asked if the three were made available during filming.

Show experts John Aiken, Sabina Read and Trisha Stratford paired the arranged marriages but then it seems the couples were on their own. Picture: Supplied

In the dinner party episode that aired last week, in which Keller made disparaging remarks about radio presenter Bella and then challenged her partner Michael to a fight, Stratford, Aiken and Read were shown watching the explosive scenes on a screen in another room.

However a source told News Corp Australia that they didn’t intervene on the night or make contact with Keller and Nicole about the incident afterwards.

The explosive dinner party episode last week almost ended in a punch up. A source says the experts, shown watching from another room, didn’t intervene. Picture: Supplied

The two were then put under further strain after Keller’s messy night out with his mates, which ended in a new tattoo and plenty of broken glass.

Throughout the show, Keller had spoken about his difficulty readjusting to life after leaving the Navy and hinted at some emotional scarring from things he’d experience during his military service.

His insecurities and alcohol-fuelled outbursts were put on show for the entire country to see but with little contact from those most experienced to offer support.

On decision day, Nicole and Keller decided to stay together but their current status is unknown. The finale was filmed several months ago.

Nicole said in the lead up to “decision day”, she spent a bit of time talking with the experts about her impending decision about whether or not to stay with Keller.

“They were involved a little bit, like I talked to them about the reasons why we were matched …” she said.

A spokeswoman for Nine insisted participants received “ongoing support” during and after the show from an additional psychologist “independent of our three on-camera experts”.

“Our three on camera experts’ ... role is specifically designed to match and commentate for the audience during the production of the show, not to be hands on psychologists for the participants,” she said.

Despite their dramas, Keller and Nicole agreed to give the relationship a go. The other two couples — Mark and Monica from Sydney and Michael and Bella from the Gold Coast — also decided to continue their unions.

However the finale was filmed several months ago and whether the pairs are still together is yet to be revealed.

In early episodes of the show, former navy serviceman Keller spoke about adjusting to civilian life. Picture: Supplied

The show began with five pairs, but Jess and Dave called it quits on their honeymoon and same-sex duo Andy and Craig also went their separate ways.

Casting for a new season of the Nine reality series is currently underway.

Originally published as Married at First Sight shrinks were barely around to help, it’s revealed, despite booze-fuelled fights