Married at First Sight trolls target local business

A Gold Coast plastic surgery clinic owner is devastated by a flood of abusive reviews and calls after his sub-contractor’s Married at First Sight episode controversy. Read the fallout

A Gold Coast business and its staff are copping the brunt of online trolls after Sunday night’s episode of Married at First Sight (MAFS).

The Coastal Clinic Plastic Surgery at Southport and Aesthetics clinic at Varsity Lakes opened in 2022, boasting a string of positive five star reviews online.

But Practice owner and specialist plastic surgeon Dr Drew Cronin said all that has changed within hours of the MAFS episode airing on channel 9.

The reality show which centres around the concept of marrying a stranger in the search for love, featured Gold Coast cosmetic nurse Ellie Dix who sub contracts at the Varsity-based clinic.

Herself and fellow contestant Jonathan McCullough revealed themselves as a couple in Sunday’s episode. Both were previously matched with other people on the show.

Now Dr Cronin says: “We have 10 staff, two surgeons and three subcontractor injectors who currently work out of our business.

“Unfortunately, because of how some people have reacted to what one of those sub-contractors has done six months ago, all 15 of those people are being unfairly targeted.”

Ellie Dix and Jonathan McCullough. Picture: Supplied

The online backlash to the reality show episode has been “scary and confronting” for the clinic.

Dr Cronin said since Sunday’s episode, 13 one-star Google reviews popped up overnight between both clinics.

The surgeon said staff had been abused and threatened over the phone and “all online platforms” - as well calls being made on Facebook community pages to boycott the clinics.

“People who have never been patients in our clinic, that have never met me, never had anything to do with the surgical or non-surgical business feel entitled to make permanent one star reviews based on their disagreement with the actions of one subcontractor aired on television 12 hours ago,” he said.

“What they probably don’t realise is they’re hurting and attacking an entire group of people who are completely separate to, and innocent of, any actions taken by anyone on that show.

“People with their own lives, families, and financial commitments that all rely on a business that people are so quick to judge.”

Dr Cronin said negative reviews could prove detrimental to the business long term.

“In 20 years – potential patients will still see those reviews online, and if the people writing those reviews are trying to attack Ellie for something they’re upset about in the moment, that affects the entire business, and everyone associated with it, permanently,” he said.

“It is a permanent stain on a business that has otherwise had a stellar record over something that it has no responsibility over and it has no input into.

“We’ve got receptionists getting abusive phone calls today – constant phone calls of a harassing and bullying nature and threatening behaviour from unidentified people all day.”

Dr Cronin said he was concerned for the welfare of his admin staff.

“We’ve had people who won’t give their details or their number contact us wanting to know when Ellie will next be in the clinic – presumably so they can confront and either harass her or assault her,” he said.

“These staff are lovely people who probably don’t even watch MAFS and are copping the abuse because they answer the phones.

“We’ve had comments on our Instagram, on our Facebook basically saying no one should come to our business because Ellie works out of here.”

Dr Cronin added: “To suggest that you can instantly fire staff because of what they’ve done in their personal lives is ridiculous.”

Dr Cronin said Ms Dix had been a contractor for the Coastal Clinic for 12 months and provided an “excellent service” to patients without “any issues”.