Watch: MAFS expert John Aiken scorns bride Mel with brutal reality check – before one move blindsides everyone
It's been a rough two weeks for Married At First Sight couple, Mel and Luke, and on Sunday night, they finally got to chat with the experts about their relationship issues.
Almost immediately – right after Mel and Luke sat as far away as possible from one another – the experts knew something was up.
MAFS: After The Dinner Party starts Wednesday February 18 only on Stan.
Tensions have been bubbling between Luke and Mel. Nine
The couple explained the whole ring fiasco, Luke shared that he'd been on the receiving end of some "coldness", and Mel said that she didn't feel an instant connection. That's when expert John Aiken realised he needed to step in.
He quizzed Mel on her efforts to get to know her husband, and asked her if she really believed that she'd "given it a go".
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Mel and Luke's Wedding Album
"Alright, this is why we've asked you these questions, because you need a wake-up call," John told her.
"MAFS isn't about fairy tales, it's about real relationships, real work, real challenges, but most importantly, being open-minded."
READ MORE: The MAFS 2026 brides and grooms' jobs before appearing on the show
As he delivered the reality check audiences have been waiting for, it seemed to be sinking in.
John Aiken finally delivered the reality check that Australia has been waiting for. Nine
Especially when he delivered the line, "you've essentially done the very thing that's keeping you single".
A prime example of why we call them The Experts.
When it came to Luke's turn to share his experience in the relationship, he only made it through a few sentences before the tears started to flow.
Luke struggled to hold back tears as he shared his side of the story. Nine
He shared that the whole ordeal had really knocked his confidence and made him question himself, despite the fact that he believes he "genuinely gave it my best shot".
As the others in the room seemingly also tried to hold back the tears – Rachel did not quite achieve this goal – the vibe soon shifted to one of triumph when Luke wrote that he'd decided to stay.
The situation even prompted some tears from the other contestants. Nine
"I suppose almost an ignorant part of me didn't want to believe that it wasn't ever going to work," he told the experts as the other contestants erupted into applause and cheers.
READ MORE: Radio trio to host Stan Original MAFS: After The Dinner Party – here's what you need to know
Even though Mel decided to leave the experiment, John reminded her that the rules dictate that if one person wants to stay, they both remain for another week to see if they can work out their differences.
Luke ultimately decided to stay, which means the couple are in the experiment for another week. Nine
"What's important is that you get curious, you open your mind up, because from what we're hearing, he really didn't get a chance from the word go," he said.
"You've got a week now where you can actually find out why he's so compatible, and break patterns."
Stream every episode of Married At First Sight for free on 9Now
MAFS: After The Dinner Party starts Wednesday February 18 only on Stan.
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