MAFS 'backup groom' Tim King reveals true feelings for Awhina Rutene: 'Deserves better'

For the first time in the history of Married At First Sight, a brand new group of brides and grooms have been introduced as ‘backup options’ for the remaining participants. Final Test Week gives the cast the chance to meet their ‘Plan B match’ - someone who they were almost paired with in the experiment - to see if the grass is greener on the other side before making a decision at Final Vows.

While the new matches were presented as people who applied for the show but missed out on the initial opportunity, it turns out this wasn’t exactly the case for everyone. Tim King, who went on a ‘date’ with Awhina Rutene in Tuesday night’s episode, tells Yahoo Lifestyle that he was actually meant to appear as an original groom this season.

“I was one of the main participants. I got the phone call towards the end of June to say that I was going to be on the show and I was going to get married in three weeks' time, and it was very fast moving from there,” he details.

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Tim says he had an interview with relationship expert John Aiken, underwent a psych test, organised his wedding guest list, wrote his vows and even picked outfits for commitment ceremonies and dinner parties before being told his match had pulled out.

He then travelled to Europe for six weeks as he had already taken three months off work and was told that he could potentially be a mid-season intruder. While he was overseas, the official cast leaked online and Tim realised he knew one of the participants - Lauren Hall.

“We matched on a dating app going back maybe 18 months ago and we'd had quite a few conversations. We were planning on catching up and going on a date and it never eventuated, but we sort of stayed in contact every now and again and had a few messages here and there,” he shares.

Tim believes he was almost paired with Lauren as an intruder

Tim reveals he reached out to Lauren on social media to seek some advice and she encouraged him not to go on the show.

“She said, ‘Whatever you do, stay in Europe. It's an absolute s**t show. It's gonna be much better over there. Do not come here, it’s not worth it’,” he recalls. “That was when Eliot [Donovan] had just left her.”

Tim says he and Lauren stayed in touch and soon realised they were both being told that they would be getting married in four weeks as intruders.

“We were like, are they pairing us together? And if they do, do we go through with it? Do we pretend we don't know each other?” he shares. “Lauren called me when I landed in Brisbane and she was asking if I had a call with producers that day, which I did. And I never really heard from Lauren again. It’s weird.”

A few weeks later, Tim received a call from producers saying he was “no longer required on the show” as they were “going in a different direction” - which is around the same time he saw photos of Lauren getting married to Clint Rice.

“I think from the way that she was portrayed on the show, I would have struggled,” he says when asked how he thinks he and Lauren would’ve gone in the experiment. “I think just that judginess and that entitlement doesn't sit well with me, so I wouldn't be suited to someone that had that outlook on life.”

Tim spills on his 'date' with Awhina

After being knocked back from the show twice, the producers called Tim a month later to reveal that his initial match was actually in the experiment and they wanted him to meet her. This is when he flew to Sydney for his ‘date’ with Awhina, who had since been matched with Adrian Araouzou.

“The first thing I said when I met her was, ‘Just so you know, I'm not here to be a home wrecker, I'm just curious as to why you wanted to meet with me today’. She went into saying that she's really struggling to know where to go with her relationship from here,” he details. “She gave me all this information about being with someone who is controlling, that is emotionally unavailable at times, that doesn't empathise with her.

“I pretty much just asked her about her values, her wants, needs and expectations in a relationship, what she's truly looking for, and if those needs and expectations aren't being met, then why is she still there? So I pretty much just encouraged her to go with their gut and it became like a therapy session.”

Tim calls out Adrian's behaviour on the show

After meeting Awhina and hearing about the struggles in her relationship, Tim admits he feels like a “protective husband” watching the show and seeing how Adrian treated her throughout the experiment.

“I actually messaged a couple of my friends that watch the show and I was like, ‘How dare he treat Awhina like that?’. She’s just such a kind, caring, genuine person. I really started feeling for her, especially with Cleo and that family catch-up they had.” he says.

“I've got some mutual connections with Adrian actually and the way that he is on the show, they have said that he's like that in person. So yeah, watching Awhina I felt for her and I think that she definitely deserves better.”

Has Tim spoken with Awhina since their 'date'?

Tim reveals he hasn’t had any contact with Awhina since their ‘date’, but he can understand why producers would’ve matched them together on the show.

“There definitely are some shared values that do align. When you spend an hour with somebody in a situation like that where you've got cameras around and you're miked up, it is hard to really be authentic and genuine. But from watching the season and seeing just how kind genuine and caring Awhina is, they’re qualities that I definitely look for in a partner,” he remarks.

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“So I think based on that, definitely there could have been a relationship that formed. But who knows? She definitely had those values and qualities that I do look for in someone, so you don't know where things could’ve gone.”

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