With the drama heating up on the latest season of Married At First Sight Australia it’s easy to forget that last year we were completely enthralled by the lives of a different set ‘brides’ and ‘grooms’.
We loved them and at times we loathed their behaviour, but we couldn’t wait to see how their relationships turned out.
So, 12 months after we were first introduced, let’s see which of our MAFS favourites are still blissfully coupled up and which are back on the dating scene.
Ines Basic
Ines was nicknamed the ‘bride from hell’ during her short-lived marriage to stripper Bronson Norrish, which ended when her ‘affair’ with fellow contestant Sam Ball was revealed.
Seen by many as the villain of season 6, Ines has struggled with her physical and mental health in the aftermath of the show.
“I had some really horrible death threats and the police had to [do] a drive-by past my house because of a stalker,” she told New Idea.
Ines remains active on social media and appears to be living her best Insta-influencer life but has kept a relatively low profile otherwise, focusing on returning to a normal life after it was spectacularly derailed by the ratings juggernaut.
However, that’s proving easier said than done.
In March last year Ines appeared in court after she admitted to drink driving on Christmas Day 2018. She was ordered by the judge to serve 70 hours community service and “get some perspective on life.”
“It feels like MAFS is stunting my growth, because people expect me to be the person they saw on the show when really that was 10 per cent of the real me,” she admitted to NW Magazine.
As to the question of love, Ines says she’s ruled it out for the foreseeable future.
“I have no desire to start dating again,” she says. “I’m happy being by myself for now. I never want to rely on a man to survive.”
Bronson Norrish
While his tenure on MAFS will always be remembered for the revelation his ‘wife’ Ines was having an ‘affair’ with fellow contestant Sam Ball, Bronson’s behaviour on the show also left a lot to be desired.
Frustrated by Ines’ cruel taunts Bronson lashed out, calling her an extremely derogatory name.
While he stands by his decision to call Ines out on her behaviour, looking back he wishes he had chosen his words more carefully.
“I probably could have used a better word, but I’ve never had anyone treat me so badly in my life,” he told TV WEEK.
Despite his rollercoaster experience on the show Bronson remains hopeful there is still someone special out there for him.
Last March the 35-year-old former stripper turned entrepreneur enjoyed a loved up holiday in Bali with his former high-school crush Melissa Dobson.
That relationship sadly fizzled out but he has since been linked to professional surfer Elli-Jean Coffey.
Bronson brought his lust for life to Kiwi shores this summer, sharing snaps from his cruise trip around New Zealand on his Instagram page.
In September it was announced that Bronson’s ex-girlfriend, Vanessa Romito, would star in the seventh season of Married At First Sight.
“Best of luck to her. I hope she has more luck on the show than I did,” said Bronson.
Sam Ball
Sam and Lizzie’s ‘marriage’ was a complete disaster.
Sam’s life definitely looks a little different after MAFS.
The controversial star’s comments about his ‘bride’ Lizzie’s physical appearance caused serious drama last season.
After the season ended Sam intended on staying in the limelight, setting up a Youtube channel and hiring a social media manager.
However fans of the show weren’t so easy to forget his scandalous ways and Sam, speaking exclusively to WHO, admitted the backlash he experienced had seriously affected his mental health.
Sam has since deleted his presence on social media to focus on living a quiet life and has rarely been seen in public.
In January he was spotted by a viewer working in an alcohol store in Coolangatta, Queensland.
Elizabeth Sobinoff
Lizzie won viewers’ hearts as they watched her brave response when her ‘husband’, Sam Ball, cheated on her with Ines.
But a year later from the betrayal Lizzie is ready to put her trust in the experiment one more time.
In a new trailer for MAFS season seven, 28-year-old Lizzie reveals she will return to the show in 2020.
Lizzie also debuted a complete body transformation, revealing not only a significant weight loss but also that her signature platinum blonde locks have been replaced with a sleek brunette do.
“Second time round it’s different. I’m gonna get the love I deserve. This has to work this time!” Lizzie said, explaining her reasons for returning to the show.
Lizzie is believed to have been matched with retired AFL player Seb Guilhaus. It’s widely rumoured they will be introduced half-way through the season as intruders. We hope it’s a case of second time lucky for Lizzie!
Cyrell Paule
Things didn’t work out between Cyrell and her on-screen husband Nic.
Dubbed ‘Cyclone Cyrell’ for her boisterous personality and her tendency to attract drama Cyrell has had a whirlwind 12 months since she burst onto our screens last year.
Her onscreen marriage to Nic Jovanovic might not have gone the distance but that didn’t keep her down for long. In March Cyrell began dating Love Island‘s Eden Dally.
“He’s a cool guy… we’re seeing each other,” Cyrell revealed to the show Talking Married.
In August the couple announced to New Idea that she was 12 weeks pregnant and that while the pregnancy wasn’t planned they were looking forward to becoming parents together.
“But you always end up falling for the ones you least expect and you find happiness when you’re not even looking for it,” Cyrell told Now To Love Australia.
The couple briefly broke up in October at the time Cyrell posted an image of herself on social media cradling her bare pregnant belly along with the caption, “Even if it’s just you and me. We’ll create our own happiness. #mylittleprince #myoneandonly”
Luckily two months later the couple had rekindled their relationship and they welcomed their son into the world earlier this month.
Cyrell, 27, gave birth in hospital after an induction and a four-hour labour. Eden, also 27, was there at her bedside.
“He’s so cute, I’m already obsessed with him,” Cyrell told New Idea.
“He doesn’t cry loudly, he’s a quiet boy. He didn’t get a loud mouth like his mum!”
Jessika Power
Her first attempts at finding love on the show with farmer Mick Gould may have come up blank but Jess didn’t let that dampen her spirit, quickly entering into an ‘affair’ with contestant Dan Webb.
Jess and Dan’s relationship ended in just as scandalous fashion, self-destructing during an unbelievably awkward argument broadcast on Talking Married.
Then came rumours she’d cheated on Dan with season five participant Telv Williams.
Dan said those rumours were the final nail in the coffin for him and that he ended things because she just couldn’t be honest with him, describing their relationship as “toxic.”
After the fling with Telv Jess moved on quickly, dating The Bachelor star Nick “The Honey Badger” Cummins, who had horrified fans by choosing no one at the conclusion of the show.
However by July she had a new boyfriend, Nick Furphy from MAFS season four.
“People won’t be happy with this relationship but it has nothing to do with them. Jess has grown so much after the show. Don’t always believe what you watch on TV,” Nick told the Daily Mail.
In September after a couple of months of relationship bliss and shared Instagram spon-con opportunities Nick and Jess called quits on their relationship.
“Regretfully after thinking of what’s best for myself and Nick I decided to end our relationship. I love you all and I appreciate the concern but this is fresh and private,” Jess shared on Instagram.
Jess has been open about the fact that she’s had plastic surgery to enhance her looks, even admitting to spending $26,000 on more cosmetic work following her break-up with Dan.
Despite the heartache following her very public break-ups, Jess hasn’t given up on love. In fact, she recently revealed that what she wants in a partner is pretty simple.
“Someone who makes me laugh. Looks wise, [nice] eyes and good teeth… that’s all I really look for,” she says.
Mick Gould
Mick was the first MAFS man to be cast off by Jess and while he was furious at the time, in retrospect Mick probably thanks his lucky stars he escaped when he did.
“It was absolutely appalling to find out Jess and Dan were playing up behind Tamara’s and my back. I don’t think they realised that if they left the experiment they wouldn’t fall off the face of the earth,” he told TV WEEK.
For a while there was speculation Mick and Tamara were themselves a budding couple after they were spotted in Melbourne packing on the PDA at Tamara’s 30th birthday, walking arm in arm and setting the rumour mill wild.
And he even made a cheeky reference to his MAFS co-star when he posed for the camera in his birthday suit for The Naked Farmer, a social media movement designed to encourage people who are struggling to speak up and to seek help when it comes to their mental health.
“Photographer – what pose would @tamara__joy pull if she was a bloke and raising awareness for the naked farmer which is all about mental health in the bush whilst also saying, hey I’m going to the Gympie music Muster!? Me – I got this, officer,” he captioned his photo.
While things with Tamara never became official Mick has found lasting love with another reality TV star, shacking up with The Bachelor cast-off Kayla Gray after meeting at a New Idea event.
“I didn’t think going to an event with a bunch of reality rejects would be where I met my soulmate,” Mick joked.
But stranger things have happened and it looks like these two might be the real deal.
After six months of dating Kayla quit her job in Melbourne and moved onto Mick’s farm in regional Queensland.
Rumour has it the loved-up couple are so sure they’re onto a good thing that they’re already talking about tying the knot and having a family.
Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli
Martha Kalifatidis and her MAFS husband Michael Brunelli are one of only two couples to have stayed together after the show ended and more than 12 months later the glamorous couple are still going strong.
Hilariously, at the TV WEEK Logie Awards last year they told TV WEEK that they’re just as shocked as anybody that they’re still together.
“We’re more surprised [that we’re still together] than the rest of you guys to be honest!” Martha laughed.
Michael added: “We just didn’t put any pressure on each other, we just let it grow naturally. We complement each other really well.”
While Michael returned to his career as a primary school teacher, Martha now has a flourishing career as an influencer and beauty Youtuber.
The couple, who moved to Sydney together in December, sparked rumours they are tying the knot officially when they were spotted picking out wedding rings this week.
Cameron Merchant and Jules Robinson
When you think season six Married At First Sight Australia success stories, your mind goes straight to golden couple Cameron Merchant and Jules Robinson.
Who didn’t cry when Cam got down on one knee to propose to Jules at their final commitment ceremony? And since the show wrapped the loved-up couple has been closer than ever.
In April the couple told Woman’s Day that they did not want to waste time in starting a family.
Jules has made no secret of the fact that she’d like twins, telling the publication on more than one occasion, “I’m hoping for twins so we can just get it done.”
While there’s been no pregnancy announcement yet the couple have shared plenty of cute moments with us in the meantime.
In September the pair celebrated their one year anniversary by posting a goofy video of the pair singing Kokomo by the Beach Boys on a Phuket beach on Jules’ Instagram.
As one of the few genuine matches in six seasons of MAFS, the couple has shown us that true love can be found on a reality TV show, and we’ve all been invested in seeing their happiness continue.
So we were thrilled when Jules and Cam made it official in November last year, marrying in a lavish ceremony that was aired on A Current Affair.
Here’s hoping that the couples on this year experience the same happiness!
