I don’t know about you, but when I think about the Married At First Sight (MAFS) greatest hits (you know, the moments that are etched in our minds forever) most of them seem to involve alcohol. From Martha Kalifitidis throwing wine on Cyrell Paule to Domenica Calarco smashing a glass out of sheer frustration at Olivia Fraser, the dramatic dinner party moments are the first things that come to mind when I think about the beloved Aussie reality show.
Ever since the show kicked off in 2015, fans of the show have hypothesized that alcohol is just as much a character on the show as the brides and grooms, used as a tool by producers to amplify and energise the already simmering drama on the show. However, according to the show’s executive producers Alexandra Spurway and John Walsh, this theory couldn’t be further from the truth.
“That’s the most hurtful one,” producer John Walsh admits.
“MAFS is like an iceberg. The support system of MAFS is this massive thing underneath the surface which takes a lot of time and resources.”
For Alexandra — who is present at all the juicy, drama-filled dinner parties — alcohol consumption is no joke.
“Can I just say, I will cut people off if I think they’ve had too much to drink. At the dinner parties especially, we are monitoring their alcohol intake,” she says.
“You’re no good to me if you’re slurring your words. I will send you home. It will never get to that point, because I’ve cut you off. And you’re lucky we do because, if we didn’t, there’d be some very embarrassed, sore heads the next morning.”
According to Alexandra, the participants are surprised when she tells them to take a break from the grog.
“The amount of participants I cut off at each dinner party, you would be astounded,” she continues.
“I’m telling you, even the participants are shocked and are like, ‘oh shit, I didn’t know that this was a thing’. But we cut them off normally after a couple if we think they need to eat something or have a water.”
The strict nature of the alcohol consumption rules on the show are all part of a bigger duty of care the production team has of the cast. According to both John and Alexandra, it’s one of the best systems in the world.
“The duty of care is incredibly robust. There are resources behind the scenes on a daily basis while we film but also prior to, during and after the show finishes,” Alexandra says.
“We’re very proud of our support system.”
Married At First Sight kicks off Monday, January 27, 2025 on Channel 9 and 9Now.
