Married At First Sight’s Natalie Parham and Collins Christian have sensationally quit the experiment after they failed to connect on their honeymoon.
Natalie, a Melbourne-based physiotherapist, called time on her marriage to account assistant Collins at the first dinner party.
They made the announcement halfway into the night, sparking a wave of reactions among the cast.
‘It just doesn’t feel real and right. I’d rather him be honest than just put this mask on,’ Natalie explained before they both agreed to leave.
‘I really wanted this to work. I wanted this just to be my happily ever after. I wanted to show us off to everybody, but I need a relationship with honesty and communication,’ she continued.
Natalie, visibly distressed and far from her usual ‘happy bubbly self,’ addressed the group with a heartfelt goodbye.
‘Being here has been a big challenge for me,’ she confessed, signalling the end of her journey on the show.
Collins, echoing her sentiment, acknowledged the difficulty of their decision.
‘I just want to say, before you guys come up, um it’s really tough, but look, we’re all here for love, right?’ he said.
After sharing the news with his co-stars, Collins could be seen breaking down behind the scenes.
‘It’s over. Oh my God. I cancelled everything. I have to go back to work tomorrow,’ he said.
The reactions from their fellow contestants were mixed, with some expressing skepticism over Collins’ display of emotion.
Lauren Dunn openly criticised him for what she perceived as an act, suggesting he was seeking an Academy Award for his performance.
Fellow groom Jayden Eynaud also weighed in, hinting at a disingenuous display from Collins, contrasting it with Natalie’s genuine distress.