Several former reality stars have spoken out about their experiences after Married at First Sight Australia 2022‘s Olivia Frazer called for reality TV reform.
In June, Olivia — who was regarded as the “villain” of her season — called out the TV WEEK Logie Awards for MAFS nomination in the Best Structured Reality Program category.
“A vote for this is a vote for morally bankrupt, abusive work conditions. Just FYI,” the 30-year-old penned online at the time.
Olivia posted further sentiments on her Story, which were later shared via the So Dramatic! podcast’s Instagram page.
However, several of the TV bride’s fellow reality alumni had slightly differing views about producers’ manipulation tactics, which Olivia previously admitted left her feeling “suicidal”.
Married at First Sight‘s Aleks Markovic says it’s ‘too late to blame’ the edit in reality TV reform conversation
MAFS 2020‘s Aleks Markovic commented on So Dramatic!‘s post, confessing that she “knew that there was going to be consequences and ‘edits'” when appearing on the show.
“However, we do not have guns held to our heads to say certain things,” she countered. “Yes, certain aspects may be cut, copy paste, but at the end of the day, that is what you as a ‘reality participant’ did and said”.
Aleks — who was matched with Ivan Sarakula — added that she doesn’t “agree with people blaming ‘edits'”.
“You are in charge of what you do or say once selected for these shows,” she wrote. “If you choose to go on, be prepared to bite your tongue if you don’t want to come across as a ‘villain’.
“Too late to blame people once the show has been aired.”
Meanwhile, The Bachelorette 2016‘s Cam Cranley said certain participants being depicted poorly “certainly isn’t new”.
“Whilst I do feel for a lot of these people… Very one of them rolls the dice for the chance that they may come off as one of the few portrayed well,” he commented.
“As I have said a million times. They can’t make you say anything mean. Yes, they can manipulate and dramatise, but they don’t force words from your mouth.
“Sometimes a heartfelt apology goes further than an excuse.”
The Bachelor‘s Steph Lynch urges people not to apply for reality TV if they don’t ‘understand the risks’
The Bachelor 2021 “villain” Steph Lynch also chimed in with her two cents.
“If you don’t feel you understand the risks or can’t handle the public opinions, just don’t do it,” she said. “Without the drama, no one would watch.” Hear, hear!
Seemingly referring to Olivia having to forgo her teaching career, Steph added, “If your credibility has implications on your profession, then don’t bother.”
While she agreed that producers have murky morals and that “no one should receive death threats,” the Bachie star said, “intelligent enough people realise what they’re watching is purposefully curated.”
“There are shows like Love Island where they’re not really trying to slot you into certain characters. Those perceptions I feel are quite genuine. However, MAFS or [The] Bachelor, prepare to see yourself in a different light,” Steph wrote.
In her comment, she backed Olivia’s claims that production offers a “false sense of wanting to protect you”.
“The neglect for anyone’s mental health is 100 per cent deceptive and gross”.
The weigh-in from former reality stars comes after Olivia detailed her experience as a MAFS villain on the ABC‘s Background Briefing podcast.
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