MAFS 2024 Episode 6 Recap: One teary couple make a shock exit as a gossip article causes carnage at the very first Dinner Party

We hope you've brought your appetite, as it's the very first Married At First Sight Dinner Party of the season and drama is being served up on a silver platter. 

There's plenty to sink our teeth into as one groom defends himself against allegations of having a secret girlfriend right before entering the experiment.

Meanwhile, another couple dine and dash by making an unexpected early exit from the experiment. In fact it's the first time the experts have seen a couple leave this early.

Stream every episode of Married At First Sight for free on 9Now.

With that being said, it's time to brace yourself because the first course is just being plated up....

Honeymoons

Despite hitting a speed bump earlier on in their Honeymoon, Sara and Tim have recaptured some of that wedding day sparkle. 

Although Tim swears a gentleman doesn't kiss and tell, Sara does and she confirms that the couple have consummated their relationship. 

Another couple that can't keep their hands off each other are Andrea and Richard.

Despite being the golden oldies of the group, they are seriously giving the younger couples a run for their money.

Natalie and Collins are not having the same problem, and have been sleeping on either side of a pillow fort that gives the Great Wall of China a run for its money. 

The honeymoons are now over and while Natalie and Collins' trip fell a little flat, they're hoping to turn a new leaf over at the Dinner Party. 

DINNER PARTY DEBRIEF EP 1: Dom and Ella's explosive reactions to Jack's 'secret girlfriend' rumour

To say Collins is pumped would be an understatement. 

"This is my thing, dolled up, balls trimmed…" he grins. Yikes.

Natalie is putting on a brave face knowing there's a good chance her relationship hasn't progressed as far as the others.  

But in case anyone was nervous that there'd be nothing to talk about at the dinner table, an online gossip column has delivered the hot topic of the night by publishing an article about one of the grooms.

The article claims that the groom broke up with his girlfriend to enter MAFS and told her he was moving overseas for a job. 

The groom in question?

None other than our top-knot sporting, skinny-pant-loving Jack. 

Rumours run rife as the group get ready, but some participants try to keep an open mind. 

"You never really know whether it's true or not," Jayden says waiting to hear from Jack himself.

Others seem already swayed to one side, with Jono admitting he was "wary" of Jack at the Bucks' Night while Lauren is prepared to fight Jack and defend Tori's honour.

After waking up to an alarming number of messages and notifications, Jack is well aware of the article and it's no skin off his nose.

"This girl has made a deal of it, she wants three seconds of fame," he snuffs.

We'll see how big of a deal this really is once the other participants hash it out at the Dinner Party.

Ding ding ding! It's time...

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Cocktail Hour  

The couples enter one-by-one. For Lauren, there is no mistaking that this is a Cocktail Hour and she bypasses the obligatory kisses and hugs and makes a beeline straight for the bar.

And as she pours herself a glass of champers she observes that everyone is seriously "loved up". 

"Everyone is so in love and happy… it seems too good to be true," she utters those famous last words.

Right on cue, Tori and Jack enter and old mate Jack wastes no time jumping on the defence.

"If someone wants to question my character or integrity I'll tell them to f--k off," he barks at Tim, who has unwillingly been trapped into this conversation. 

"This girl [the ex-girlfriend] is a bit of a crazy." 

The experts collectively roll their eyes as Jack takes the tried and tested 'f--k boy' approach by blaming the woman and labelling her crazy. At least give us something we haven't seen before Jack.

From one performance to another, the experts spot an "uninspiring" Natalie and Collins.

EXCLUSIVE: Natalie reveals the drastic move she made for love after 'a week' in her MAFS audition tape

While Collins is all smiles as he mingles, Natalie can't help but be real and admits to the other brides that there's been "no romance". Welp.

Dinner Party 

Like school kids calling to a class bell, the participants know that the clink of a Champagne class is their call to take a seat.

Everyone assembles at the dinner table and begins warming up their seat... well, almost everyone. 

A quick head count and we notice that two seats are empty. 

It's none other than Natalie and Collins who are outside bickering. 

"You were kinda sour sitting on the couch if I'm being honest," Collins says, dissaproving of Natalie's deflated demeanor.

"You just kinda bad-mouthed our honeymoon."

In an effort to collect herself, Natalie wipes her tears puts on a smile and continues on with the Dinner Party pleasantries.

The sight of everyone else holding their partner's hand and flashing a genuine smile is like rubbing salt in Natalie's already very sore wound.

"I felt like I was in a room full of people but I'm alone," she sighs.

A defeated Natalie can't hold it in any longer and bursts into tears before the entrée is even served. 

Collins quickly follows her to the lounge area and much to his surprise Natalie asks to go home – and not just back to an apartment, but back to her home without him. 

"It didn't even begin and my MAFS journey is over," Collins huffs. 

Before anyone can even digest their first bite of quiche, Natalie and Collins head back into the dining room to make a toast. 

"I'm not my happy bubbly self, being here as been a big challenge for me and I wanted to come and say goodbye…" Natalie begins a heartfelt speech. 

Then Collins chimes in, "It's really really tough, we're all here for love right?" His speech is sandwiched by some very animated 'woahs' and a few of the other participants are having a hard time buying his authenticity. 

"Was he acting? It was like he was going for an Academy Award," Lauren sniggers. 

Jayden isn't convinced either. "There's a lot of fake tears coming from Collins," he says.

In fact Collins seems more peeved that he's got to go back to regular life. 

"I cancelled everything. Oh God, do I have to go back to work tomorrow?" he sighs. And in Collins' defence we too would be spewing if we had to front up to the office the next day. RIP.

Natalie doesn't seem to be a factor in his panic. It's pure, unadulterated FOMO of the couples joking around next door in his absence.

You have to see it to believe it.

Even with Natalie and Collins gone, the other couples are back to playing happy families are all swapping cutesy stories about their honeymoons. 

But soon enough, kickboxer Jayden thinks everyone is playing it safe and wants to address the "elephant in the room" – aka the article about Jack and his ex-girlfriend. 

Before we know it, it's round one of man bun versus man bun.

"Obviously everyone has seen the article about Jack," he begins. Jack rolls his eyes, "Here we go."

'Who's Jack?" lovely Lucinda pipes up.

And after clearing up his identity, Jack explains that there's no more to the story than he simply has a "disgruntled ex". 

But Sara and Richard remind Jack of a few more details of the story. One being that Jack and his ex were allegedly living together and meeting the parents and that Jack allegedly lied about moving overseas for a job when he was in fact going on MAFS. 

Like a well-rehearsed politician, Jack sidesteps the big questions and instead puts the spotlight on his ex saying that she's had a "colourful past".

"I could go there but I won't," Jack says. Spoken like a true gentleman... 

EXCLUSIVE: Jack responds to concerns he only invited PT clients to his wedding

Tori has been silent about the entire matter until this point, but when she opens her mouth she admits she's… "absolutely happy with Jack". Wait, what? Not the response we were expecting.

"It's fine, honestly. It does not need to be a conversation moving forward," Tori blindly backs her man. 

"I don't care what he was doing before he came in here. It is a non-issue and to be honest it's no one's business." 

It's true what they say, love is blind and deaf too apparently.

"It will not be a talking point past tonight," Tori says of the whole saga.

Something tells us Tori will be eating her words but for now we raise a toast to Tori's "happiness".

Ummm, cheers to that I guess?

If you thought tonight was tense, just wait until the couples move in and Confessions Week kicks off in tomorrow night's episode!

And yes, it's set to be just as problematic as you think...

Married At First Sight continues Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now. Catch up on 9Now.