Who knew watching strangers get married on TV could be so entertaining? Plenty of viewers are loving season ten of E4's hit show Married at First Sight Australia for all its tense moments and endless drama, which is currently being aired in the UK.
But while audiences are gripped by the stories of the hopeful couples, who meet their potential love of their lives at the altar, many are wondering if the weddings shown during the programme are actually legitimate. We've done some investigating and found out all you need to know about what happens after they say 'I do'.
According to a spokesperson at the reality TV show's broadcaster, Channel Nine, the weddings that viewers witness are not legally binding. They told Australian online publication Now To Love: "In order to comply with the Australian Marriage Act (1961) which requires one month and one day notification, a marriage in law was not conducted."
The rep added: "Each participant embarked on a commitment ceremony with a wedding celebrant with all due intention to commit fully to this union for the duration of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, they are given the option to continue with the relationship or go their separate ways."
While the marriages may not be totally real, the experts on the show encourage the participants to take the experiment seriously. And while some have succeeded in finding long-lasting love, others have parted ways.
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© NINEIt's also important to note that the show is "unscripted". While some viewers may wonder just how much influence the producers have over the contestants, the show is billed as an "unscripted reality series", meaning cast members don't follow a physical script.
However, previous contestants have spoken out about how much the producers are involved in the filming process. Former cast member Olivia Frazer previously said that while there isn't a "physical script", contestants are sometimes asked to rephrase sentences. "You have to repeat back the questions producers ask you, which is why it sometimes sounds scripted," she said in an Instagram Q&A.
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