'Slip of the tongue': Ben revisits the off-camera moment he 'mocked' Ellie and made her question their marriage on MAFS 2024
EXCLUSIVE: During Tuesday night's episode of Married At First Sight, Ben came under fire from Ellie for seemingly "mocking" her during a discussion about their marriage.
"I was like, 'I believe you're here for the right reasons'," Ellie explained in a confessional.
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"He actually mocked me and said, 'Oh, you're here for the right reasons' – it was really high pitched... honestly, it struck a nerve."
Ellie said she felt "really stupid" and "belittled" following the incident. "The way he treated me was really, really awful," she sighed.
Speaking to 9Entertainment about what happened, Ben said he never meant to hurt Ellie's feelings during the off-camera discussion.
Ben has opened up about the conversation that almost derailed his marriage. Nine
When asked if he could tell he struck a nerve at the time, he said: "100 per cent.
EPISODE 11 RECAP: Ben's 'mocking' comment derails his marriage while Jack's intimacy confession stuns the grooms
"It was a slip of the tongue, and I had no intention to hurt Ellie's feelings. I sometimes say things a bit harshly."
Ben wishes he would have taken a softer approach to the conversation, but added: "I accept what happened and [will] learn from it. I'm a work in progress."
He also stood by his comments about wanting to start a family, which is something that Ellie was happy to hear after days of uncertainty.
"Choosing to partake in the experiment was also to deep dive on who I am and what I want," he continued.
"It pushed me hard for some self discovery which I can now say I'd like to have a family."
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Above all, Ben thinks his relationship with Ellie would be in a much better state if it wasn't for the intense grilling he received during the wedding.
Ellie's cousin Jordan thought it was a red flag that Ben was a tour guide and owned a podcast, assuming he might be in the experiment for the wrong reasons.
"I felt I was guilty until proven innocent, and didn't receive a fair go from Ellie's cousin," he added.
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It appears the tension between Ellie and Ben will be brought up at tonight's highly anticipated second Dinner Party.
You can watch a preview of what's to come in the video below.
Married At First Sight continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now. Catch up on 9Now.
