Yikes: Married at First Sight Australia 2023‘s Josh White and Alyssa Barmonde were both still legally married to their exes while filming the show.
According to the literal law, IRL you have to be legally divorced to enter into a new marriage. However, as we all very much know by now, when it comes to MAFS, anything goes!
As reported in episode 258 of the So Dramatic! podcast, one insider explained that Josh was going through a “messy divorce” while in the experiment. So much so that he was permitted a different contract than his co-stars!
According to the source, the father-of-two‘s contract allowed him to “go home at any time”.
“That’s also why he was granted permission to leave [by John Aiken], despite it being against the rules,” they explained.
As such, his TV wife Melissa Sheppard “only spent four weekends with him the entire time”.
Melissa Sheppard and Josh White weren’t in contact when he travelled to see his family
“When they got back from their honeymoon, she didn’t see him for six days because he went back home to his family,” the insider added. “Her and Josh didn’t even text each other during that time.”
Due to contestants having a curfew and being told not to interact with other couples, Melissa was “left in her hotel room feeling isolated and alone and was crying most days”.
In contrast to her TV hubby, the mother-of-one could only got to see her son once during filming.
“It was really unfair and massive double standards,” the source concluded. “Everyone should have the same contract.”
Melissa also referenced Josh’s current marriage woes in an interview with The Kyle and Jackie O Show on February 20.
What’s the deal with Alyssa Barmonde still being married during Married at First Sight 2023?
So Dramatic! can also exclusively reveal that Alyssa (who is married to Prince Charming Duncan James on the show) only split from her ex-husband a few months before filming.
The divorce set to end their marriage of seven years wasn’t even finalised when she said “I do” for TV!
Now, one MAFS insider has confessed that Alyssa’s divorce also turned ugly and was playing out behind the scenes of the show.
“She was working through a lot of heavy stuff on the outside. There were lawyers involved and custody battles over the kid,” the source revealed.
As such, the first few weeks of her marriage to Duncan were “overshadowed” by legal issues.
“Duncan spent a lot of time supporting her through all of the heavy shit she was going through outside the experiment,” the insider added. “He was even helping her write letters to lawyers and stuff.”
While “it’s a big part of their story”, the storyline won’t be aired as it involves current legal proceedings.
The producers literally had one job: to find single people. SMH!
Want even more goss? Listen to episode 258 of the So Dramatic! podcast with Megan Pustetto below!
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