Brad Skelly, the Married At First Sight groom, has been chastised for his treatment of bride Shona Manderson.
The 27-year-old Grimsby model was paired with the 31-year-old Nottingham performing arts teacher, and while things seemed good at first, things have begun to shift.
On the most recent episode of the series, which aired on Wednesday night, the experts were forced to intervene after explaining that his actions may become “dangerous.”
Women’s Aid has also chimed in, thanking Mel Schilling, Paul Carrick Brunson, and Charlene Douglas for intervening and calling out Brad’s statements, which included Brad instructing Shona to’shut up’ and stating he ‘allows her’ to express emotions.
‘It is really important that the experts on the show called this out as controlling behaviour and challenged Brad’s view that it was acceptable to say that he had the right to “allow” Shona to be angry,’ the charity said in a statement to MailOnline.
‘TV programmes like these, which are based on the formation of relationships, need to be aware of the dynamics of controlling and coercive behaviour, and always send a clear message that it is wholly unacceptable.’
After the episode went to air, Shona has since revealed watching the scenes back made for ‘uncomfortable viewing’, while she added she would ‘never again put up with this behaviour.’
Sharing a picture of herself on the show, she wrote on Instagram: ‘In this moment I’m trying to be so positive and give it all I’ve got because I’m really trying to believe in us and what I was feeling was so intense and heightened.
‘The last two nights have been hard to watch and I know tonight will be even trickier. I’m aware of the insecurities I have, this experiment really bought them to the surface.
‘Firstly I didn’t like the feeling that the group were talking about us in a negative way, I admit I want to be liked but I needed validation as deep down in my gut I knew there was truth in what people were saying and I was almost trying to convince myself.’
She went on to explain how she felt ‘completely infatuated in that relationship’ and had got lost and been silenced while trying to ‘defend us as a couple’.
‘It’s difficult to see what everyone else could see and what you are watching play out now. It’s uncomfortable to see this from the outside perspective and feeling what arises up for me in witnessing what everyone else could see and now you’re watching it play out just as we watch it for the first time.’
She went on to explain that she had ‘come far’ since then and had ended up with a ‘very, very happy ending’.
During the episode Brad accused Shona of being ‘emotionally immature’ and adding: ‘Not that I’m in a position of authority or to teach her, but if I allow her to get angry, is she ever going to learn?’
Mel soon summoned him and inquired of Shona whether Brad had ‘preached’ to her.
‘I want to make sure you’re aware of the language you’re using with her and giving her the space to think for herself. She’s an independent thinker and she’s got a lot to bring to the table,’ she told him.
‘We’re calling this out because these are the kind of patterns that can become dangerous between two people.’
While Brad was responsive, he later said viewers were ‘not seeing the whole picture’, but did add he took ‘full responsibility’ for his actions.
He continued: ‘I’m not a controlling person at all – anybody who knows me personally knows I don’t have one controlling bone in my body.’
However, he added that people should not take the show ‘at face value’ as the programme’s aim was ‘entertainment’.
Married At First Sight UK continues tonight on E4 at 9pm.
