Married At First Sight viewers rally around bride Katie Johnstone as she reveals body shaming past and breaks down over feeling like a ‘fraud’ on her wedding day: ‘Protect her at all costs’

Katie Johnstone walked down the aisle with Tim Gromie on Tuesday’s episode of Married At First Sight. 

But the bride had some last minute cold feet after putting on her wedding dress, breaking down in tears as she revealed she felt like a ‘fraud’ for looking for love on the show.  

‘It’s like it’s not supposed to happen this way, right? You’re meant to fall in love and then do it,’ the 37-year-old wept. 

‘But nobody fell in love with me, so I just feel like a fraud. Because like, someone’s supposed to love you first.’

The Queensland CEO went on: ‘Someone’s supposed to love you first. And nobody loved me enough to do this. And now I have to trap a stranger into it. 

‘This is meant to be like a thing of love. And it’s not. Like, I don’t even know the guy. He’s a complete stranger. I do want to find love. It makes me scared. And then just wearing this is just freaking me out.’

Earlier in the episode, Katie confessed that she had been body shamed by an ex in the past and it had rattled her confidence.  

‘I have a very distinct memory of being in the pool in a bikini with family and friends, and my ex was there looking down on me and asking me like, can I lose some weight?’ she explained. 

‘I really felt like so destroyed and so ashamed. I was not getting out of that pool.’

She added: ‘For the first time, I feel like I’m stepping forward as somebody who deserves love and is ready for it. 

‘I’ve been single for ten years and I don’t know how to get into a relationship. So, yeah, why not just marry him straight off the bat? I’m hoping for a success story.’

Viewers of the show rallied around Katie, who instantly became a fan favourite, with many sharing their thoughts on X. 

‘With the odds on this show, I’m really really worried abt Katie’ one person posted. 

‘Fair warning, Timbo, if you hurt Katie we are coming for you at dawn with pitchforks’ another said. 

‘I beg of you, PLEASE match Katie with a good, decent bloke OR ELSE’ one more said. 

‘Katie is gonna melt hearts on this season of #MAFS what a catch Tim has already got! You just know the good ones from the fake ones and Katie is a diamond’ another viewer wrote. 

‘I hope Katie does well here. She seems like a lovely hearted woman’ someone else said. 

Another chimed in: ‘I’m just saying if Tim and Katie aren’t a match I’m gonna kick a hole in the wall’. 

‘Protect Katie at all costs’ wrote one person while someone else agreed, ‘Katie is our fave so far. PROTECT HER AT ALL COSTS!!’

It wasn’t a fairytale wedding for Katie as the day quickly spiralled into disaster. 

The groom couldn’t hide his disappointment over being paired with someone who didn’t match his ‘type.’

Tim, 38, made it clear within moments of seeing Katie at the altar that she was not what he was hoping for.

Despite Katie’s warm smile and an effort to break the ice with a hug, Tim recoiled, leaving her visibly awkward and confused.

In a shocking behind-the-scenes moment, Tim pulled a producer aside during their wedding reception to vent his frustrations.

‘Totally not what I wanted. Not good,’ Tim declared bluntly.

‘I normally go for short, petite, blonde or brunette. Katie’s nothing like what I usually go for. There’s just no attraction. I can tell straight away.’

Tim continued to lament his lack of connection, stating he felt ‘shattered’ and ’embarrassed’ by the match. 

‘I feel like I’ve wasted my time. I just want to run away,’ he admitted.

Married At First Sight continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine