Married At First Sight UK star Matt Murray has shared his reasons for leaving the show's reunion halfway through filming.
Matt, 32, decided to leave the reunion filming after his couch chat alongside his ex Whitney Hughes. MAFS expert Mel Schilling shared the news with the show.
She said: "Before we go on, Matt will be bowing out of proceedings for the rest of this evening.
"Whitney will be staying with us but we will be respecting Matt's wishes to take some time away from the group."
The move left both the group and viewers confused and, later, a source revealed to the Mirror that Matt wouldn't be taking part in filming for the Christmas reunion either.
Now, in an exclusive chat with the Mirror, Matt has explained why he left the reunion part way through filming – following Thomas Harley and Zoe Cliftons's claims he was told to leave.
When asked about why he decided to leave after his couch talk with Whitney, Matt explained: "The night before, at the dinner party there was a lot of alcohol and I got really upset, really upset.
"I was very emotionally overwhelmed, I couldn't stop crying. It was a lot. And when I woke up in the morning I was like, 'this environment is toxic for me, I don't want to be in this environment'."
He added: "So I spoke to welfare and production and I said: 'Look I would like to come and say my bit with Whitney and then I would like to, respectfully, leave. I don't want to be around this anymore, it's not good for me, it's not good for my mind, I wanna go'. And they all agreed that was perfectly OK and then I left."
A Channel 4 spokesperson said: "Contributor care is our priority at all times throughout this production. Appropriate support is available to contributors before, during and after filming and broadcast, including access to our experts and an independent psychologist. This support is proactively offered at every stage and, whenever requested, will be ongoing."
They added: "Alcohol intake is monitored and limited across Married at First Sight UK shoots. Producers prioritise the contributor’s safety and wellbeing at all times."
He also touched on claims he was told to leave for 'hostile' and 'aggressive' behaviour as Matt said: "I don't read stuff because some of the stuff that gets written at the minute pickles my mind, I'm like: 'Where's that come from it's not even...'
"I just don't understand why it makes sense to make stuff up – it's not nice."
The barber admits he felt 'worn down' following the continuing drama around his participation in the show.
"I was just worn down," he explained. "I was a shell of a person. I've not really watched the final episode because I think I would find it really difficult to watch the reunion because I was very overwhelmed and I knew the second we had this chat I was done, I was going I needed to go home."
The final episode of the series wrapped at the beginning of June and the cast returned for the reunion episode over a month later at the end of July.
After returning to his day job and splitting from Whitney, Matt admitted he was reluctant to take part in the reunion.
He said of his return: "It was not nice. I almost – to be honest with you – didn't want to go because I knew me and Whitney weren't together but we'd stayed friends.
"I didn't really want to go to the reunion but I thought, 'It's alright I'll show up' and I knew Jonathan was going to be there and I've always got on with him really well. I just knew there were a couple of people that it'd be nice to see."
However, Matt said, as soon as he walked into the mixer he instantly regretted his decision.
"It was almost like the second I walked into the mixer before the dinner party, there was an instant regret and I was like, 'Why are you even here? This is not your life'," he explained.
Matt also discussed the rumours and the treatment by the public since leaving the show.
As the barber was asked about the criticism and trolling, Matt took a deep breath and a long pause and said: "At first it was really difficult. There was days I couldn't get out of bed and I didn't know how to deal with it.
"It's all well and good saying, 'Ignore the trolls, ignore this, ignore that,' but when it's actually happening to you and you've never experienced it, it's a hell of a lot to deal with. You could read 100 positive comments and two negatives will stick in your mind and you're like: 'Why are people saying this about me?'"
He added of the ongoing rumours around his love-life, including claims he is now dating Marilyse Corrigan from the previous series: "I feel like there was a hell of a lot of lies coming out from people and there were stories coming out with in-factual information, that for me was the most difficult part.
If I have done something and done something wrong, write what you want, say what you want, I'll hold my hands up to that and take full accountability.
"But, if someone's saying something and doing posts and stories about things that just are not factual and are so far-fetched and wrong that really hurt and was dragging me down and keeping me from trying to get on with my life."
However, he has learned to shake off the hate as he said: "Now, honestly, I don't care.
"I know who I am and I'm a good person – regardless of my size, stature, face tattoos and everything else I'm probably more likely to help that old woman with her shopping and make sure she gets home alright thank 98% of the population. I know that's who I am.
"It's just taken me a minute to remember who I am."
Matt then revealed the effect the experiment has had on him as he said: "I lost myself in the experiment, the whole process – completely lost myself, lost my sense of identity and all the work I've done on myself over the years it all felt like it was irrelevant.
"I just want to shake the world a little bit and be like: 'I'm not this big red flag they've painted me out to be' and I suppose it's only time that's going to be able to do that."
