Married at First Sight UK resumes in four days, but the series has already made show history by including the first trans individual.
Ella Morgan Clark is one of the singletons who make a marriage commitment before ever seeing their fiancé.
The 29-year-old Weston-super-Mare clinic consultant hopes to find her happily ever after on the E4 programme, and the production crew has worked hard to make it happen.
They took the intelligent decision to speak to the groom about his spouse in order to give the union the greatest chance possible.
A spokesman for Married At First Sight UK explains why they took this choice.
‘Since we revealed this year’s cast, there’s been much speculation on Ella’s match and what her match was told in advance of the meeting at the altar,’ they began.
‘We want to address this recurring question, out of respect for everyone involved.
‘In this specific instance, with Ella’s permission, the groom was made aware his bride was trans, to ensure full, informed consent before entering the experiment.’
Although the groom was informed that his wife is transgender, the producers did not mention anything more about her in order to retain the format’s authenticity.
‘In all other ways, the integrity of the format was preserved,’ the spokesperson said.
‘No further information was given, and the couple met and married as strangers.
‘Our priority during matchmaking is to protect the wellbeing of the cast and create suitable matches that we believe will work and thrive in the outside world and are based on a detailed assessment of individual preferences as part of an in-depth, careful matchmaking process.’
Ella has also spoken out about her involvement and its significance to the LGBTQ+ community.
‘This experiment is so much more than just me getting married,’ she explained.
‘I see this as a big deal for someone who has transitioned.’
The show values diversity and inclusiveness, and has already featured three same-sex couples: Matt Jameson and Daniel McKee, Thomas Hartley and Adrian Sanderson, and lastly, success story Zoe Clifton and Jenna Robinson, who are still together after meeting on the 2022 season.
‘Since moving to E4 in 2021, Married at First Sight UK has been a pioneer in terms of diversity and inclusion,’ the spokesperson shared.
‘Over the course of the past two series, the show’s cast have reflected the many and varied ways people look for and express love in modern Britain.
‘After featuring three same-sex couples in previous series, this year the show will include its first trans and its first pansexual contributors, a unique milestone for a mainstream dating format, and something we are incredibly proud of.’
Dating gurus Charlene Douglas, Paul C Brunson, and Mel Schilling will once again assist the marriages in staying on track.
This time, eight new relationships will be created, but who will make it to the final commitment ceremony? We can hardly wait to find out!
MAFS UK will return on Monday September 18 at 9pm on E4.
