When it comes to relationship advice he’s the best in the business, but dating expert Paul C. Brunson admits his own very nearly fell at the first hurdle.
The TV personality has become a household name thanks to his regular appearances on Married At First Sight UK and Celebs Go Dating, where he is on hand to match-make, mediate and offer much-needed tips to those who need it.
Happily married to wife Jill for the last 24-years, US-born Brunson, 49 – a former investment banker turned certified life coach – is well-versed in the highs and lows that come with any long-term relationship.
But the presenter – who raises sons Liam and Kingston with his wife – admits their first holiday almost ended with the couple separating after he quickly discovered they had vastly different tastes.
He told new magazine: ‘I know from personal experience that when my wife and I went on our first holiday, it could have been the end of our relationship. It was the worst holiday ever! Now, I understand it was because we holiday differently.’
Describing his wife as a ‘romantic relaxer,’ he added: ‘[she] likes to go on holiday and lie on a beach, maybe go to the spa and do some yoga.
‘But I like to do tour after tour and go around the museums, which is what we call a ‘cultural connoisseur.’ So they are two very different holidays and we went somewhere which is only for relaxing, so it didn’t go down well.’
Brunson recently insisted the new series of Married At First Sight UK will be very ‘different’ to the last – after the show was hit with accusations of fakery.
During an appearance on Heart FM breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden in February, he also confirmed that filming for the anticipated series has kicked off.
The matchmaking star admitted the new series will be ‘one of the most authentic’ series to date, claiming the contestants, this year, are just using the show to find love, not fame.
He said: ‘Don’t tell anyone. We are filming the new series right now. And I know everyone is like, “okay it’s always better. It’s always better”, this is different.
‘This is going to be, I think one of the most authentic… It’s a true cross section of what I call real UK. If I say anything else, I think I’ll get fired.’
Last season, Channel 4 was accused of fakery as some contestants were previously spotted on other TV shows including Laura Vaughan, who dated Gary Lucy on Celebs Go Dating in 2022.
Laura was not the only star who has previously sought love on TV as it was revealed that groom Luke Worley, appeared on Davina McCall’s short-lived The Language Of Love dating show two years ago.
Channel 4 was also embroiled in a fakery row after pretending that groom appearing on their reality show Married At First Sight UK was unaware he had been paired up with transgender woman Ella Morgan – before later revealing he had been told in advance.
In a statement, the network says: ‘This is the first time MAFS UK has featured a trans bride so, to ensure fully informed consent, and with the permission of the bride, the groom was told that the match found for him was a trans woman, after which both parties chose to continue in the process.
‘In all other ways, the integrity of the format was preserved. Our priority during matchmaking is to protect the wellbeing of the cast and create compatible matches, based on detailed assessment of individual preferences, as part of an in-depth, careful matchmaking process.’
Brunson has previously revealed that he seeks extra therapy whilst filming the UK version of Married at First Sight.
While he is always there for the contestants, he explained how the process can be equally tough for the experts, and admitted how he seeks therapy to tackle some of the more challenging aspects of his job.
He told Metro: ‘I’ve been doing TV for 12 years and I would say that this show is probably the most challenging out of all the shows I’ve ever done.
‘In the last decade I see a therapist once every week but when the show is running, I see my therapist twice.’