CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses alleged domestic violence.
The 2025 season of Married At First Sight (MAFS) Australia is already in full swing, but controversy has reignited surrounding one of its grooms, Adrian Araouzou.
The 30-year-old Sydney-sider, who is paired with single mother Awhina Rutene, faced serious domestic violence allegations — later dropped — prior to being cast in the show.
According to The Australian, Adrian was previously acquitted of domestic violence charges against a former partner, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, domestic violence common assault, and resisting police charges.
The incident, which allegedly occurred in 2020, saw police called to Adrian’s shared home after reports of screaming. Court documents state that officers allegedly found a “hysterical and barely consolable” woman in the bathroom with blood on her hands.
Despite being cleared of all charges in November 2021, the resurfacing of these allegations prompted Channel Nine (who also owns this publication) and Endemol Shine, the show’s producers, to reportedly launch an internal investigation.
Adrian has firmly denied the accusations, stating through his lawyer last year: “Any suggestion of physical assault is categorically denied. I had my day in court, I was found not guilty and the application for an AVO was dismissed. Any allegation otherwise is completely baseless and highly defamatory”.
It is unclear whether or not bride Awhina was made aware of Adrian’s past allegations or if it will be apart of the unfolding season.
Speaking to PEDESTRIAN.TV in an interview ahead of the new season, a MAFS producer from Channel Nine,John Walsh, discussed the importance of managing participant welfare: ”There’s a lot of off screen management, which [producer from Endemol Sunshine, Alexandra Spurway] has to do, the duty of care is very important to us — that people feel supported. It is a very difficult experiment, a very difficult TV show to be apart of. It’s physically very demanding — filming every day in front of cameras, trying to maintain a relationship on camera with someone you’ve just met. It’s a very high pressure environment.”
PEDESTRIAN.TV has reached out to Channel Nine and Endemol Sunshine for a comment.
Lead image: Getty Images
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