Yahoo Lifestyle 
MAFS' Al Perkins 'quits fame' to focus on his faith: 'Grown up a lot'
EXCLUSIVE: The former reality TV star is forging a new path for himself.
After finding fame as the shoey-drinking groom on Married At First Sight and appearing on the raunchy reality show Love Island, Al Perkins is now turning his back on life in the spotlight.
The 26-year-old former party boy recently quit his Back To Reality podcast to “focus on his faith”, swapped red carpet events for overseas missions with his church, and rarely posts on social media anymore.
A source tells Yahoo Lifestyle that while “he’s still the same Al”, he’s changed a lot since he began dating his girlfriend Hope Kelesis, 18, earlier this year.
“He's grown up a lot lately,” the source says. “After MAFS he got caught up in the fame, party invites and offers that followed and stopped going to church as much. But now he’s re-centring himself and focusing on his family, relationship and faith.”
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Fans were left confused earlier this month when fellow Love Island star Taku Chimwaza announced that Al had suddenly quit their podcast to “focus on his mental health”.
“Al has decided not to continue to host Back To Reality with me,” Taku told listeners. “He’s okay, he’s doing just fine. He’s taking a little bit of time off to focus on his relationship and his faith. I think it’s important to take time off when you’re feeling a bit uneasy.”
Taku then shared that Al’s former MAFS co-star Selina Chhaur would be taking over as co-host moving forward.
'His priorities have massively changed'
The announcement came just a few weeks after Yahoo Lifestyle revealed that Al had travelled to East Timor in Southeast Asia with his church to help the local community build schools and houses.
“I want to use my platform more wisely and give back by doing things like this and hopefully inspire other people to do the same,” Al said at the time.
“Being here makes me realise we cannot complain at all in Australia. These kids don’t even have shoes and they’re the happiest kids I’ve ever met.”
SHOP:
Yahoo Lifestyle understands that Al will still be using social media and attending some events, but “his priorities have massively changed”, he now wants a “better, balanced lifestyle” and “understands what’s important”.
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