Married At First Sight couple Clint Rice and Lauren Hall were all smiles as they reunited in Sydney for a dinner date after they tried to flee the couples retreat in a helicopter after a series of explosive fights with their co-stars.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Clint, 43, said the weekender in Byron Bay descended into chaos, with constant feuding and cast members ‘playing up for the cameras’ to maximise their screen time.
Lauren, 37, revealed to the show’s brides that there was no chemistry between her and Clint, a fact she later denied when he confronted her about it.
In an earlier episode, Lauren confessed she didn’t think her husband was ‘alpha’ enough for her after she walked in on him doing the dishes.
The groom was then spotted flying solo back to Sydney from the retreat, fueling speculation his relationship with Lauren had all but ended.
But lo and behold, Lauren looked very cosy and happy wearing Clint’s suit jacket around her shoulders to enjoy a romantic dinner at Sake at The Rocks following the fracas.
Lauren re-purposed her floor length bodycon dress, which she wore in last Sunday’s commitment ceremony, for the off-camera outing with her MAFS husband.
The self-described ‘homemaker’ was the stylish picture of the 1960’s American housewives she emulate, as she stepped out with Clint in a form-fitting white mini skirt, a pair of strappy black high heels and purple tinted sunglasses.
She carried a green handbag, styled with a printed scarf.
Clint looked suave in a pair of navy suit pants worn with a light blue Ralph Lauren shirt, worn with brown boots and a matching belt.
He appeared deep in thought while listening to Lauren, and nursing a margarita at an outdoor table.
His spirits lifted, though, as he escorted his wife to the Japanese restaurant for dinner and she asked to borrow his jacket.
Despite the evening sunshine, Lauren folded her arms over her stomach in the cold, and happily accepted the small chivalrous gesture.
According to Clint, tensions between the couple and their castmates had brewing for weeks before ‘the tipping point’ of the retreat.
‘The fights were non-stop, and a lot of them were just for show. It was unbearable.’
Lauren and Clint will be a no-show at Wednesday night’s gathering.
They negotiated with producers to film a private dinner in their apartment instead, rather than face another showdown with the group after Lauren called bride Jamie Marino a ‘troll’ because she described the other brides as ‘drunk bogans’ and ‘feral.’
‘The dinner parties were an absolute circus,’ he said.
‘It wasn’t about genuine conversations, it was just people performing for airtime.’
It is now known that Clint has moved on since the experiment with fellow MAFS participant Jacqui Burfoot, but this date night outing indicates he and Lauren still have some time left in the experiment as a couple.
Jacqui, who is currently living with Clint in his native Tasmania, confirmed she’s on speaking terms with Lauren on Wednesday, despite snapping up her ‘husband’ after filming.
A viewer asked the Kiwi bride how she felt about Lauren making some mean comments about her appearance during the photo ranking challenge.
‘I forgave her pretty quickly because she actually apologised to me at the couple’s retreat and afterwards,’ Jaqui revealed in an Ask Me Anything on TikTok.
‘We speak now. As soon as she arrived in the experiment, people had been in her ear about how horrible I am. No wonder she thought I was rough and a bogan.
‘Once she got to know me, she said she was sorry she didn’t give me a chance because we actually have a lot in common.’