‘Very afraid’: MAFs star Ryan Donnelly claims ex-TV wife Jacqui Burfoot tried to ‘destroy’ his life

A Married At First Sight star has claimed his ex-TV wife tried to “destroy” his life, with the alleged ordeal at one point leaving him “very afraid”.

Married At First Sight star Ryan Donnelly told reporters he was left ‘very afraid’ while claiming his TV ex-wife Jacqui Burfoot ‘tried to destroy (his) life’ with ‘false allegations’. Picture: Supplied.

Married At First Sight star Ryan Donnelly says he was left “very afraid” while claiming his TV ex-wife Jacqui Burfoot “tried to destroy (his) life” with “false allegations”.

Mr Donnelly has taken out an aggravated violence order (AVO) against Ms Burfoot, who he was initially coupled with on the popular Aussie TV program.

The pair shared a tumultuous on-screen relationship, in which Ms Burfoot ultimately chose to walk away from.

In the program’s Final Vows segment, she said “Ryan, in a world of red flags, you are the red carpet”, to which Mr Donnelly responded: “Be gone with you, you horrible woman”.

Mr Donnelly appeared in Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday, where he claimed Ms Burfoot had attempted to “destroy” his life.

Married At First Sight star Ryan Donnelly told reporters he was left ‘very afraid’ while claiming his TV ex-wife Jacqui Burfoot ‘tried to destroy (his) life’ with ‘false allegations’. Picture: Supplied

Mr Donnelly appeared to reference comments made online by Ms Burfoot while speaking with reporters outside the court on Wednesday.

“An individual has tried to destroy my life, my potential for career options, collaborations, all that sorts with false allegations, so men can be victims as well,” Mr Donnelly said outside court.

“I’ve had a lot of suffering, had a lot of harm as a result of all these claims online and there’s no foundation for it.

“I think it’s vicious, malicious, and it just won’t stand…It doesn’t matter if it’s men, or woman, at the end of the day people shouldn’t be able to get away with lies and horrific things said about them, so, yeah I’m taking this matter very seriously.”

He said he’d been left “very afraid” at one point.

“Afraid? I have received some menacing things sent to me as a result of the things she’s been posting, so with such a massive platform as MAFs, it’s quite dangerous to be associated with these things,” he said.

“I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen in future , and yeah, at one point I was very afraid, of course.”

Jacqui Burfoot is now engaged to fellow MAFs star Clint Rice. Picture: Supplied

Mr Donnelly shared a tumultuous on-screen relationship with Ms Burfoot, which came to a fiery end during the show’s Final Vows segment. Picture: Supplied

Mr Donnelly had no comment about whether he’d stop posting about her online, as well as going off social media.

Representing Mr Donnelly is Shirin Razi from Azadi Lawyers.

Ms Razi told NewsWire her client has “concerns for himself” which prompted him to seek an AVO.

“I do know that my client is clearly very afraid and does have concerns for himself which is why he sought the AVO,” Ms Razi told NewsWire.

“The matter is before the courts. Ryan would like what any person would like which is protection, and after the breakdown of a relationship not to be slandered not to be bullied and harassed online.”

Originally published as ‘Very afraid’: MAFs star Ryan Donnelly claims ex-TV wife Jacqui Burfoot tried to ‘destroy’ his life