Married At First Sight UK is about to return with a bang, and it sounds like the experts have high hopes for how popular the series is going to be.
Speaking exclusively to Tyla ahead of the show's August 30th launch, the series' panel of relationship buffs, Melanie Schilling, Charlene Douglas and Paul C. Brunson, gave their thoughts about what we could expect from the revamped offering, which is inspired by its Aussie cousin.
Comparing it to ITV's hugely successful dating show, Love Island - which pulled in 2.8 million viewers for its finale last night - MAFS Australia veteran Mel said: "I'm gonna call it. I think this show has the potential to be more successful.
"Yes, [Love Island] has the elements of flirtation and love, and all that stuff in there, but our show does go so much deeper.
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"It's about people connecting and forming meaningful relationships, and I get feedback all the time from our audience, saying 'I can see myself playing out on the screen' or 'that couple reminded me of me'.
"[They say] when you gave the advice to that person, I took it on too, because I was doing the same thing.
"So I find there's a very very personal, and much deeper connection with the stories, playing out on the screen. It's not just about the surface level stuff.
"Sure, there's people falling in love and there's lots of snogging, mugging off... but at that deeper level there's that stuff that our audience can actually take away and learn, and that can be quite addictive."
"I think people are getting a bit bored with looking at just the physical attraction alone," Charlene concurred. "What I will say about MAFS is there's that real nice balance between physical attraction and going into depth a bit more. Add a bit of sex into it and then it's a phenomenal show."
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Anyone else even more excited for this to drop now?!
The hit series will move from Channel 4 to E4 this year for what's said to be the most "explosive" instalment of the UK version yet - inspired by the success of the Australian reality TV show.
Traditionally, the UK version of MAFS sees a maximum of four couples getting hitched and living alone in a flat as they figure out if they want to stay in or leave the marriage. The couples never meet each other and they are each asked once only if they're going to stay married or part ways.
But this year, the sixth UK series will adopt the format of the show used Down Under, offering up eight couples and showing them get married and then live in their own apartments for several weeks as they decide if they can go the distance.
The main difference is, the couples all meet on a regular basis at explosive dinner parties, to put each other's marriages under the microscope, and have to undergo commitment ceremonies to air their issues week on week.
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Whilst we're super excited for the new Aussie inspired version of the show to arrive back on screens, it isn't too much of a surprise that not all of the contestants' families were quite as thrilled.
Speaking ahead of the new series, one of the show's contestants, Megan, spilled how her nan reacted to her decision to find love on the show.
Divulging how her decision to meet her hubby at the end of the aisle was received, Megan - a 25-year-old drama school graduate, from Stoke - said: "I’m not going to have any friends or family that will say ‘that is sacrilege to marriage’ or that call it a ‘farce’.
"Although my Nan did say that! She said ‘I don’t want to be involved in this farce!' How rude!"
Laughing, Megan added that her Nan was the only person who was surprised by her choice to go on the show, with the rest of her family agreeing that the choice was "so [her]".
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"My bridesmaids and guests know. They’ve all had a positive reaction," she added. "No one has been a negative nelly about it. The most common reaction is one of two: 'God help him' [or] 'I’m not even surprised'.
"I’ve got pretty forward thinking and open-minded friends."
The decision to go on the show is an extra big step for Megan, considering she has never had a boyfriend before.
"[I've] never been anywhere near close to marriage before," she added. "I’ve not even had an official boyfriend.
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"I’ve got it very wrong so far. You know when you get bad eggs? Mine were like rotten eggs.
"I know that is awful to say, but they were not very kind people.
"So, I’ve really had to step back and figure out why I attract that type of person, why I choose the kind of person and why I then stick around. I’ve spent the last couple of years doing the work on me.
"I feel like I’ve now gotten to the bottom to it and I’m now ready for it."
We can't wait to see Megan and the rest of the contestants on the show. Read more about the full lineup here.
Featured Image Credit: E4Topics: TV And Film, Channel 4, Married At First Sight