Married At First Sight UK’s Thomas Hartley has issued an apology to co-star Sophie Brown following Wednesday’s explosive row.
The mental-health-care assistant used threatening language towards Brown after she questioned his relationship with Adrian Sanderson, suggesting it was more of a friendship.
He said: “You wouldn’t know that because you’ve only been here two weeks... don’t make me come for you.”
Hartley then branded Whitney Hughes a “liar and an adulterer” amid her new relationship with Matt Murray.
He fumed: “I don’t care what you say to me. You’re a liar and an adulterer. You’re a basic b***h and that’s all you’ll ever be!” before going on to storm off in dramatic scenes on the E4 reality series.
The tense scenes on the latest instalment of MAFS UK sparked a flurry of reaction on Twitter, with many fans outraged at the way the reality star behaved.
In the wake of the controversy, Hartley posted an emotional video in which he tried to explain his actions, revealing that he had “really had enough” at the time of filming – and has since had death threats.
He began: “By the time we sat down to film that, I’d already left three times. I’d left three times, I didn’t want to be there.
“I wanted to go home. I’d just got back from home stays, its personal stuff going on which they all knew, as I’ve said before and I did not want to talk to those people.”
Referring to his comments pointed at Brown, he said: “I own the Sophie thing, it was just heightened too far, I’ve apologised and we’re in a good place now. The other two [Whitney and April] I don’t care.
“The language that I used was course and vile and I don’t like it and that’s me owning my s**t, I don’t care what anybody else thinks. That’s what I think.”
Hartley then continued to justify his behaviour, adding: “The point being is, I did not want to be there at that time. And if I had my time again, knowing what I know now, I would just not have gone.”
Captioning his post, he wrote: “I’d had enough. I don’t do this and I have apologised to Sophie, but I’d really had enough. I also must work on my words and language. For myself, not for anyone else.”
The E4 star later said that he has received death threats after the dramatic scenes played out on screen.
He tweeted: “OK. I made a mistake and I hold my hands up totally, however sending death threats isn’t warranted.”
Following his video, Brown took to Instagram to graciously accept Hartley’s apology, writing: “There was a lot going on that day.
“I know you were also dealing with things, and we are over it now and I appreciate the apology.”
Married At First Sight UK continues Thursday at 9pm on E4.
