MAFS cast defend Alyssa amid public backlash: 'She deserved better'

A number of this year’s Married At First Sight cast members have shared their support for Alyssa Barmonde following her controversial ‘edit’ on the reality show.

The 35-year-old has copped heavy backlash online following her TV appearance as viewers have criticised the way she was shown treating her ‘husband’ Duncan James.

Now that the season 10 stars have all regained access to their social media, several brides and grooms have taken to Instagram to stand up for their co-star and assert that she was portrayed inaccurately on TV.

During a Q&A, Lyndall Grace shared a video saying that viewers might be surprised to learn that every single person in the cast absolutely loved Alyssa.

“I probably couldn’t name one person that didn’t,” she remarked.

RELATED:

• MAFS' Alyssa takes brutal dig at ex Duncan after confirming Evelyn romance

• MAFS' Alyssa 'flees Australia' after losing her job: 'Wants to move on'

• MAFS' Tahnee reveals biggest misconception about her: 'Not true'

She also posted a collage of snaps of herself and Alyssa and described her as one of her best friends from the show.

“She’d go to war for me, and I’d do the same for her,” she wrote. “She’s not perfect, but she has a heart of gold. She deserved better, we ALL agree.”

Lyndall’s on-screen ‘husband’ Cam Woods also shared a video of Alyssa dancing in a pub alongside the caption: “She might have a child but she is awesome!”

'Such a shame'

Meanwhile, Ollie Skelton posted a video on his Instagram Story of himself and Rupert Bugden talking about how Alyssa was “massively blindsided” by the way she was edited.

“She’s a sweetheart, I don’t know how they did that to her,” Rupert said. “I went to the gym with Duncan often and he was saying nothing about that. He was always talking nicely about her.”

Tahnee Cook also spoke about Alyssa during her Instagram Q&A on Friday and said she was “one of the most beautiful people” she has ever met.

“She is that friend that will always be there for you no matter what,” she wrote. “I know this show can really bring out the worst in people and highlight more negative aspects but I really wish you got to see more of how warm and kind she is. It's such a shame.

“She would always bake us treats and leave [them] at our door in Skye Suites, let me borrow her shoes, bring me period pain medication when I needed. At the end of the day, you only see such a small snippet of who we are (for better or for worse) BUT we are human. We make mistakes and we can only grow from our experiences.”

'Free Alyssa'

Melinda Willis echoed her co-stars’ sentiments and said Alyssa was “one of the best” people on this year’s season.

“I’m getting on this bandwagon too because I feel like every single [cast member] has exactly the same thing to say about Alyssa, hashtag ‘Free Alyssa’,” she told her followers. “Let’s get this movement going because you guys are giving her such a horrible time and I promise you if you were there and doing the show with Alyssa, she would absolutely be one of your best friends.”

The business owner also compared her own ‘edit’ to Alyssa’s and how she was portrayed completely differently at her wedding to how she was for the rest of the season.

“Also fun fact,” she wrote on another Instagram Story. “Duncan’s literal words to me the last time I saw him were, ‘Alyssa didn’t deserve that edit’.”

Bronte Schofield, who also received backlash following her time on the show, shared a lengthy post supporting Alyssa and called out her negative portrayal.

“The cast and myself have sat back and watched the public tear you down over an edit that you had no control over,” she wrote. “It breaks my heart that people have jumped on the bandwagon to judge a woman who put her heart on the line to find love in the most catastrophic and controversial way despite everything you have going in your everyday life you never let it stop you from being the big-hearted, beautiful woman that you are.”

'I feel so validated'

Following the outpouring of love, which also included posts from Layton Mills, Caitlin McConville and Josh White, Alyssa shared an Instagram Story of herself crying.

“Real tears this morning. Happy ones this time,” she captioned the video. “Thank you to all my cast peeps speaking out. It means so so much you have no idea. I feel so validated.”

This comes shortly after Alyssa revealed that she had 'coincidentally' been made redundant from her executive assistant job of seven years following her appearance on MAFS.

Never miss a thing. Sign up to Yahoo Lifestyle’s daily newsletter.

Or if you have a story idea, email us at lifestyle.tips@yahooinc.com.