MAFS cast first-ever transgender bride: What you need to know

Married At First Sight UK has made history after it was announced this week that they have cast the reality show’s first-ever trans contestant.

What you need to know

• 29-year-old clinic consultant Ella will walk down the aisle on MAFS UK’s upcoming eighth season

• Ella has been described as a “blonde bombshell with a sense of humour and heart of gold”

• While fans are thrilled by the show’s inclusivity and look forward to seeing Ella’s journey, some people have questioned if her groom will be open to marrying a trans woman

• However, insiders have confirmed that participants are asked before filming begins how they would feel if their match is same-sex, trans and/or non-binary

🗣️ What they said

Ella on making MAFS history: “This experiment is so much more than just me getting married. I see this as a big deal for someone who has transitioned.”

Radio host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson on The Kyle & Jackie O Show: “You should, at least with the groom in the pre-interview, be asking the question, ‘Would you be open to a relationship with a trans person?’. Because all it’s doing is just reinforcing a negative reaction to someone who is going through that and other people watching.”

MAFS Australia bride Tahnee Cook on social media: “In the application stages of MAFS they actually ask you if you’re happy to be matched with same-sex, trans and/or non-binary people. I would hope that her groom wouldn’t have an issue and was open to this. It will be super disappointing if they have intentionally paired her with someone who wasn’t just for drama.”

A UK TV source tells Yahoo Lifestyle: “[Ella’s groom] was asked if he’d be open to marrying a post-op trans woman during the application process, and he said yes. Although he had no idea his bride would be trans, the groom repeatedly said being paired with a transgender woman would not be a problem.”

💬 Conversation starter

Ella will be joined on the reality show by MAFS’ first amputee bride, 31-year-old Jay, who admits she’s nervous her husband will be “disappointed” when he sees her for the first time at their wedding.

Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that the upcoming season of MAFS Australia will feature its first same-sex couple in four years.

❗ It's hard to believe, but…

Fans have expressed their concern that Ella’s casting will be reminiscent of the 2004 British reality show There’s Something About Miriam, which followed a group of six men competing for a woman’s affection before being told in the final episode that she is transgender.

The group of contestants went on to sue the TV network in an attempt to prevent the show from airing and reportedly reached an agreement out of court where they were paid £500,000 in compensation.

🗞️ Read more:

• MAFS 2024: TV reporter crashes hens' night in first official teaser

• MAFS 2024: Same-sex intruder couple spotted filming dinner party

• MAFS 2024 cast former reality star 'to save new season' after BTS chaos

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