‘I barely got out alive’: Davina Rankin on Married At First Sight

SHE was the bride we all loved to hate, but the cost of Davina Rankin’s “affair” on MAFS was a heavy one.

DAVINA Rankin has opened up about the pitfalls of appearing on a series like Married At First Sight, admitting that she “barely got out alive”.

The Brisbane-based model, 26, became the contestant everyone loved to hate after appearing on this season of the reality show. Viewers were shocked to see her arranging a secret date with Dean Wells behind her “husband” Ryan Gallagher’s back.

Davina’s ‘wedding’ to Ryan on MAFS.

Amid the backlash, Davina stayed off social media.

“It’s just crazy because people believe so much,” she told the ABC.

“They genuinely believe I had an affair on my husband. This was a guy I’d only known for a week, we’re not boyfriend and girlfriend, let alone husband and wife. And if it was such a ‘secret’ why were there cameras in my face the whole time?”

Davina revealed that she was called a “homewrecker” and “every slander word you can imagine” online, as well as receiving death threats and abuse.

“I barely got out of this whole ordeal alive. I can’t even imagine what it would be like for younger boys and girls who have to deal with this alone,” she admitted to the broadcaster.

“I feel like if I go to the shops, all of those people that have commented on a meme about me are going to be there.”

The controversial contestant also described feeling betrayed by Nine.

“I should have seen the warning signs. They were looking for a specific person to fill my character’s role — they already knew what they wanted from my character before they even met me.”

Earlier this week, Davina made her first teary return to social media with her first video blog.

“Copping a large amount of hate is really not something I’m used to,” she told her followers. She became emotional as she thanked friends, family and followers for their support.

“I never in a million years thought I would need that community ... thank you, thank you, thank you.”