Married At First Sight is set to drop one of the biggest twists in the show’s history.
Controversial exes Lauren Hall and Eliot Donovan are returning as intruders – but they will not be matched together again.
As previously revealed by Daily Mail Australia, Hall will be paired with professional golfer Clint Rice, while Eliot will be matched with Veronica Cloherty.
Insiders have revealed that cast and crew were blindsided when Eliot suddenly reappeared on set, arriving late to a dinner party and leaving jaws on the floor.
‘It was like the ultimate plot twist,’ a source close to production said.
‘Lauren and Clint had just started to get comfortable with each other when Eliot showed up out of nowhere. The look on Lauren’s face was priceless – she was completely gobsmacked. And Clint? He was not impressed at all.’
‘Lauren’s new groom Clint let Eliot absolutely have it,’ they added.
Eliot’s dramatic return came after his abrupt exit from the experiment just days after his wedding to Lauren, saying he wanted someone younger and less materialistic.
His departure angered viewers, with many questioning his motives for signing up in the first place.
Eliot was reportedly offered a lucrative five-figure sum to rejoin the show, with insiders claiming producers were desperate to shake things up mid-season.
‘Eliot feels like he was misunderstood,’ a well-placed source dished.
‘He’s back to clear his name, but he’s not apologetic about his behaviour. He and Lauren were a complete mismatch and he hasn’t changed his mind about wanting out of their romance.’
Behind the scenes, whispers suggest that producers orchestrated Eliot’s return as part of a major twist – blindsiding Lauren just as she was moving on with Clint.
According to a source close to production, the entire situation was a ‘stitch-up’ from the start.
‘Lauren was initially hesitant about returning at all,’ the insider revealed.
‘She had been promised full support – everything from her vows being written to her wedding dress being sorted. But the night before her wedding to Clint, nothing had been arranged and she was left scrambling to find a dress at the last minute.’
It’s also claimed Lauren developed reservations about her return, but was pressured by producers into coming back.
‘She was running a business and only given two days’ notice – it was a lot to take on,’ the source continued.
‘She was put under relentless pressure until she said yes. The morning of the wedding she even tried to escape with friends, but producers and makeup artists turned up at her house at 5am and kept pushing her to go through with it.’
Despite the chaos, Lauren had started to build a promising connection with Clint, a charismatic and successful golfer known for his composed nature.
‘Lauren and Clint were really starting to hit it off,’ the insider shared.
‘Clint’s been a rock for her, and she was finally getting a fresh start. Eliot showing up has completely thrown a wrench in the works.’
Joining Clint and Lauren as intruders to spice things up are couple Teejay Halkias and Bethy Kelly, who have already tied the knot in scenes filmed on Tuesday.
Amid the casting chaos, Daily Mail Australia recently revealed the new batch of intruders were brought in with one strict condition – to bring the drama.
Each were handpicked for their potential to cause a stir after the early exit of three couples – and the stable contentment in other marriages – left plotlines thin, the insider revealed.
‘They were told from the get-go that they need to create tension and keep the drama flowing,’ they shared.
Last season, two of three intruders couples failed to last the distance, staying on the experiment for a few days before sensationally quitting.
‘Producers have made it clear they don’t want a repeat of the Ash (Galati) and Maddy (Maxwell) situation, where they quit and gave up on their romance after three days.’
Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine.