MAFS' Alyssa 'coincidentally' loses job after 'villain' edit: 'Really dark'

MAFS' Alyssa Barmonde has revealed she was "coincidentally" made redundant from her job two weeks after the show's finale aired after being portrayed as a 'villain'.

The 35-year-old single mother told the Daily Telegraph that she was recently let go from the company where she'd worked as an executive assistant for seven years.

Alyssa shared with the publication that her issues with 'husband' Duncan James came after suffering one of many panic attacks, revealing, "It was really dark for a couple of months."

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She adds that she stopped watching the show after the couples retreat episodes as she "could see what the edit was", and was left upset that her arguments with Duncan lacked proper context.

Alyssa claims that Duncan didn't want to spend time with her, but told her on camera that she didn't have "enough time for him", questioning his motives and adding it was "interesting" to see it all play out on screen.

The reality star also hit out at the producers of the show for encouraging "bullying culture" from fans.

The bride said that while she understood that fans of the show would be sharing their opinions online, she has also been receiving "the most vile messages" with the "intent to hurt" to her personal phone number and business accounts.

After receiving constant abuse from fans, Alyssa asked Nine for access to her Instagram to challenge the narrative of the show's edit but was denied, as MAFS has yet to finish airing in the UK.

"They're protecting the show and the narrative they've created, rather than letting me have my own voice," she said.

She told the publication she has since been seeing her long-term psychologist three times a week and has had to up her anxiety medication, adding she hopes future stars of the show know what they're getting into.

Josh defends 'dear friend' Alyssa

It comes after fellow MAFS star Josh White shared a post solely dedicated to defending Alyssa, who he described as "a dear friend".

"It is important to me to say this," Josh began his lengthy post. "She is a dear friend. She is kind. She is so (very) funny. She lights up any room. She is an incredible, loving Mother; and she has made a success of herself, here in Sydney, when her family are half a world away. I think only people who have an understanding of how difficult that is, will understand the type of character, resilience and resolve that that requires."

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He continued, saying his children recently met Alyssa, as well as Tahnee Cook and Janelle Han, and had a "wonderful time" with the women, with the reality star saying he saw "another side of Alyssa".

"I maintain you can tell a lot about people by how they interact with children," he said. "With my daughter, Alyssa was soft, she was giggling, they seemed to have in jokes and were talking like were very firm friends. My daughter came away buzzing from the experience, apparently they’ve organised to bake a cake together and give each other makeovers.

"When I got home, I messaged Alyssa to tell her how much that interaction meant, how excited my kids were and how appreciative I am of her as a friend. I now share that with you, as it’s important you understand how so many of us who are lucky to call Alyssa a friend, feel about her."

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