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MAFS 2023 Episode 29 recap: Bronte returns to face Harrison at the final Commitment Ceremony as he cops a serve from the experts

March 19, 2023 - 9.38am

Today marks a big milestone for all of the couples – they have made it to the final Commitment Ceremony of the experiment.

Of course it's been a more strenuous journey for some couples compared to others.

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Namely Bronte and Harrison who the last we heard were broken up after Bronte announced she was flying back home to Perth.

But she's returned to the experiment to have her say once and for all…

Melinda and Layton

Melinda says her and Layton's relationship "is the worst it's ever been" all thanks to the Partner Swap Challenge.

Layton explains that he didn't want to take part in the challenge because a lot of his and Melinda's relationship has been taken away because of "external noise". It's really just a polite way of saying he despises Bronte and Harrison.

The groom is adamant that he understood the task but just didn't want to move in with a woman he wasn't married to.

John Aiken isn't sure that Layton is getting the bigger picture and encourages him yet again to stop being so analytical.

Melinda feels like Layton doesn't make her a priority. "Judged", "neglected", "abandoned" "guilty" and "disliked" are among a few of the emotions Melinda is feeling.

John recognises that Layton isn't calculated or trying to hurt Melinda, he just needs to try and let go of the reins a little. It's something that Layton thinks he can try doing.

Wanting to put everything that happened this week behind them, Layton writes 'stay' as does Melinda.

Tahnee and Ollie

For the first time ever, Tahnee and Ollie haven't had a perfect week. Ollie says it was "a bit of a doozy" for him personally.

He admits to struggling with the Partner Swap Challenge.

"I think what it made me feel was 'Oh sh--, I've got insecurities and I wanted to be the one spending that time with Tahnee,'" Ollie says.

"It made me second guess if I've done enough as a partner."

MAFS 2023 — Sweet Ollie admits he's had a bit of a bad week. Nine

Ollie confesses that the whole process made him doubt if he was good enough for the relationship.

Tahnee assures Ollie that he is "more than good enough" and John praises Ollie for being "so courageous".

Don't fret, our golden couple are still gaga for each other.

"I think this lovely woman is the absolute tops," Ollie swoons over Tahnee.

And of course the sweethearts choose to stay.

Evelyn and Rupert

Evelyn uses her moment on the couch to call out Harrison. She's frustrated that Harrison seems to get a kick out of stirring other couples up and she's not happy that her and Rupert were his target this week.

But Harrison says: "That's what you signed up for love."

Melinda jumps to Evelyn's defence: "You're just a rude guy."

"You're a grown man talking like that to females, have some respect."

"Oh don't play the sex card, grow up," Harrison snaps back.

Mel Schilling sees there's no end in sight to this squabble and like a mum breaking up a fight between her kids in the back seat of a car, she puts an end to the arguing between Harrison and Melinda.

Like me, you might've forgotten that this is actually a couch session about Evelyn and Rupert's relationship and on that note the experts return the focus to them. And it seems the couple could be having better days.

"Quite frankly I just feel underappreciated by Rupert and undervalued," Evelyn shares.

The bride admits she feels like Rupert hasn't made much of an effort in courting her and at this point in the outside world she probably would've cut things off.

Rupert gets where Evelyn is coming from and says he wants to take her out on dates but is scared of getting rejected.

Mel says that it's clear they both want the same things they're just having some trouble communicating.

The pair take the advice on board and are ready to face the experiment head on for another week.

Lyndall and Cameron

It's no secret that these two have been figuring out the logistics of a long distance relationship post experiment.

With Cam's remote work taking him away for months at a time, he says it will be difficult but there are ways around it.

Alessandra Rampolla backs Cameron into a corner by asking him what exactly those solutions are.

"There would be times when I can sneak a week off or fly to Perth or Lyndall can come to Darwin, I'll just have to play it by ear," he says.

"This work isn't a forever thing and that's where I'm at."

It's progress from his last response but Alessandra reminds him that Lyndall might not wait around for him to figure it out.

And Lyndall isn't sure if she wants to.

"We still struggle with communication, conflict resolution, apologising, reassurance and I feel like that is the basis of a long distance relationship," she says.

"I need to make sure that communication is solid before I say yes to any kind of arrangement where we're not seeing each other for massive amounts of time."

"Is it worth the sacrifice of doing that?"

Alessandra wants to know if Cameron is willing to compromise and he says he is, but only time will tell.

Alyssa and Duncan

Duncan opens up about what he calls "the hardest day he had in the experiment". In case you missed it, Duncan broke into tears after a fight he and Alyssa had when they reunited after the Partner Swap Challenge.

"I felt pretty broken actually, I was crying," he reveals.

Using some sort of emotional acrobatics, Alyssa says she "feels rejected" that Duncan didn't tell her that he cried.

"Hearing for the first time that you were crying, that's a big emotion to not share with me," she says.

But Alessandra reminds Alyssa that this moment is about Duncan not about her.

Alyssa bursts into tears.

Confused, Duncan assures his wife that he's "not having a go" but is just talking about how he felt."

He's met with silence and it's not entirely clear if Alyssa has taken what he and the experts are saying on board.

But with both of them choosing to stay, we have another week to find out if Alyssa is willing to put herself in Duncan's shoes.

Bronte and Harrison

After a tumultuous week, Mel is keen to know where the controversial couple is at.

Harrison starts with his position: "If this is actually going to be a relationship there's a lot, a lot of work that needs to be done."

He then proceeds to list a number of boundaries that Bronte has crossed. We've condensed them for you in an easy-to-read list below.

Bronte can't say she wants to go home in a moment of anger and then take it back.
Venting to friends and family is allowed but she needs to be mindful she is only talking about his behaviour not character.

Harrison then raises his biggest issue – Bronte saying she felt manipulated by him.

"To call someone a manipulator is damaging to their character," Harrison fumes.

"It could potentially change my life."

MAFS 2023 Harrison Boon — Harrison has some strict boundaries in place for Bronte. Nine

Mel wants to know if the same boundaries are in place for the way Harrison speaks about Bronte. He says "absolutely".

But Bronte says that's not always the case. She recalls one instance where Harrison told Lyndall that Bronte was "fake" "a liar" and "a gaslighter".

Mel uses Harrison's own logic against him when she reminds Bronte that those words would be "damaging her character". It's a boss move from Mel.

But Harrison "genuinely doesn't recall" saying those things

"That's not gonna cut it, you can't play the amnesia card now," Mel calls him out.

It's like pulling teeth but Mel eventually gets this response from Harrison: "If I did say then I take accountability for it."

The moment of truth finally comes and everyone holds their breath as they prepare for Bronte to finally have her say and reveal that she is….STAYING!!??

Tahnee sums up everyone's feelings when she says: "It's a f---ing joke".

To add insult to injury, Harrison also writes 'stay' after saying he "unequivocally" would leave at the last Dinner Party.

Harrison then gives a very poetic speech about how he would love to see Bronte in her element during Homestay Week.

Sick of Harrison's BS, an unsuspecting Ollie pipes up. "Harry, did you not say at the Boys' Night that you didn't want to go to Perth at all."

"You said that Bronte just wanted to hop in a bikini and show off," Melinda adds.

With his hands tied behind his back, Harrison succumbs and admits that he said those things.

At this point Bronte looks like she might be regretting her decision to stay after all.

Married At First Sight continues Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm and Sunday at 7.00pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.