‘Toxic and unacceptable’: Backlash grows as police probe MAFS incident

Pressure is mounting on Nine and production company Endemol Shine over the reality-TV show Married at First Sight (MAFS) as police investigate an incident in which a “groom” allegedly punched a wall. The show was also reported to SafeWork NSW.

NSW Police is investigating the incident, news of which emerged last week, involving a couple the show has called “one of the experiment’s strongest”.

Paul Antoine and Carina Mirabile discuss the incident that has led to a NSW Police probe.Credit: Nine

“The matter has been referred to officers from South Sydney Police Area Command, who have commenced an investigation,” NSW Police confirmed in a statement. “As the investigation is current, police will not be making any further comment in relation to the matter.”

SafeWork confirmed on Monday it had received a report of an alleged work health and safety issue related to a MAFS episode and was considering the report.

In Wednesday’s episode of the series on Nine, also the publisher of this masthead, contestants Paul Antoine and Carina Mirabile separately relayed an argument they had the night before that allegedly ended with Antoine punching the wall of their shared bedroom.

On Sunday’s episode, John Aiken, one of the show’s in-house relationship experts who appear on air, labelled the behaviour “toxic, inappropriate and unacceptable”.

‘Toxic, inappropriate and unacceptable’: MAFS experts confront Paul Antoine over the incident.Credit: Nine

The incident took place after Mirabile told Antoine and other contestants she had slept with a rapper whose music they were listening to in an Uber. While the other couple present thought nothing of it, Mirabile said Antoine later became “really angry” and “it escalated really quickly”. After he allegedly punched the wall in their apartment, Carina said he left and didn’t return for the night.

“I felt anxious waking up this morning, a little bit on edge and sad,” she said at the start of the episode, also noting she was not scared of him. Antoine then reunited with Mirabile, tearfully apologising, promising it would never happen again and trying to explain that he felt “disrespected” by her comment.

News of the incident was relayed to other contestants at a dinner party, and then addressed by MAFS experts Aiken, Mel Schilling and Alessandra Rampolla on Sunday night’s episode.

“It does not matter what she said … It does not matter how disrespected you felt,” Rampolla said. “You do not punch walls. You do not punch doors. Period. Full stop. That intimidates.”

The backlash over Antoine was coupled with concerns over how groom Adrian Araouzou has addressed and behaved towards his bride, Awhina Rutene, this season.

Nine and Endemol Shine said in a statement the contestants went through background checks, and the companies “take their obligations in respect to the health and wellbeing of the participants of this program extremely seriously”.

“All participants have access to the show psychologist and welfare resources during filming, during broadcast and once the program has ended,” the statement said.

“We would always co-operate with authorities in any investigation. We will not be making any further comment at this time.”

Speaking with Joshua Fox on his MAFS Funny podcast on Monday, Mirabile said she felt she was provided with all the help she required during filming and producers had “done their job”.

She said Antoine was banned from drinking alcohol for the rest of the season and had to attend therapy every Saturday morning.

She added that even though it was “a pressure-cooker environment” being on set and away from family, “at the end of the day, I felt safe”.

Regarding the police investigation, Mirabile added: “I’m surprised that it’s gotten to this point.”

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) and the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.