Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Tasha Hall

Married at First Sight Australia fans praise brides for exposing 'gaslighting' groom at first dinner party

Married at First Sight Australia returned to our screens on Tuesday night as the newlyweds attended the first-ever dinner party, and it certainly wasn't one to forget.

Whilst romance blossomed for some couples fresh off their honeymoons, others were entering the group social on a very different note.

Monday's episode saw the last two couples be matched at the alter by the panel of experts on the dating reality show, as "sexy mumma bear" Melissa matched with single-dad Josh and anticipated power couple Melinda and Layton tied the knot.

But the focus at the first dinner party was on Bronte and Harrison, who have been at the centre of drama since they got married, after Bronte's friend aired the construction worker out to dry over claims he slept with another girl a week before coming onto the show.

In shocking scenes just after the couple shared their vows and said 'I do', Bronte's friend Jess pulled her aside claiming Harrison was seeing someone on the outside and planned to remain with her after the show.

And fans have also spotted their dislike for Harrison, despite him seemingly brainwashing his new bride into believing her friend Jess only wanted her "five minutes of fame," and even went as far on Tuesday's show to say she was "likely jealous" of the pair getting married.

Bronte and Harrison on their wedding day (E4)

Harrison opened up about the couple's rocky start to the experiment at the dinner table in front of their peers, as he defended his marriage and intentions for being on the show as the group all raised a glass to him after Bronte said she was taking him at face value.

But it was bride Melinda who first caught on to his "red flags" in his story "not quite adding up" as she expressed her concerns for her friend Bronte at the table openly.

"I don't buy it. I don't know any girl who would say something like that just for attention on the wedding day, girls don't just do that," said Melinda to the producers.

"She [Bronte] needs to get to the bottom of this story because it's just not adding up."

Melinda continued to grill Harrison in front of the full dinner table as the other couples watched on eagle-eyed as he increasingly became defensive and said he "doesn't feel he needs to explain himself" after she questioned why he hasn't let Bronte see his phone.

Even the experts, who were watching on from behind the scenes, expressed their concerns at the news and confirmed they too would need to "get to the bottom" of the accusations noting he "had no answer for the hard truths" he was faced with.

Harrison told producers: "I don't see why she is putting her two cents in where it didn't belong," after Melinda gave her friend the advice to "run fast" hinting that she has met this type of character in the past.

Viewers were then stunned as an emotional Bronte got held under fire by her own groom as Harrison attempted to turn the tables and flip the blame onto her, which many people feel was an attempt to take him out of the spotlight.

Fans were left speechless as Harrison started "playing the victim" declaring he needs more from his bride at the table in front of everyone and demands she proves herself to him as the experts even admitted they "have their work cut out" with this one.

Fellow brides Caitlin and Evelyn joined Melinda in taking a visibly upset Bronte aside to reassure her she wasn't the problem.

"That right there is gaslighting and manipulative and then he acts like he doesn't know what he has done or said anything wrong," said Caitlin.

Fans took to social media to vent their anger about Harrison, with many even demanding he shouldn't be appearing on the show due to his "abusive" tendencies towards his new bride after also confessing he isn't "sexually attracted" to her after they already slept together.

One person wrote: "This evelyn and melinda bestie tag team against harrison is literally all i have ever wanted #MAFS #MAFSAU."

Another fan penned: "Brontë being referred to as too emotional and hysterical is such a huge, gaslighting red flag from Harrison, what a disgusting person he is! #MAFSAU"

Someone else wrote: "It makes me sick to watch. Can't help but wonder how people who've experienced abuse first hand feel suddenly switching on to see Harrison manipulating the hell out of Bronte and Mel and almost everyone #mafs #mafsau #MAFSAustralia."

"I keep thinking about people who've experienced gaslighting first hand tune in to see Harrison manipulating the hell out of Bronte,and Mel and everyone. Channel 9 at least have a trigger warning! #mafs #mafsau #MAFSAustralia" added someone else as fans critisized the show for allowing it to air the clips.

Meanwhile, a lot of fans have also speculated the pair could be "game playing" with people unable to believe Bronte would put up with his behaviour unless they had a plan on how to play the cameras.

"No one is buying this s**t Bronte and Harrison just go home," added one fan.

Married At First Sight Australia airs Monday - Thursday on E4 at 7:30pm.

Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here .

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.