MAFS in crisis: Channel Nine calls 'emergency meeting' as stars go rogue

Channel Nine has gone into meltdown after two upcoming Married At First Sight participants went rogue and made a public appearance at Burleigh Pavilion on the Gold Coast last month.

An insider tells Yahoo Lifestyle that network executives are “furious” that the couple threatened to “ruin the whole show” by hard launching their relationship before the season premieres on January 29.

According to our source at Nine, new plans are being rolled out to “silence” the two cast members after their “bold move”.

“They must know they are breaking their signed agreement with the Nine Network,” the source shares. “No one's more happy for contestants to actually find love but they are going to need to be more secretive for now and keep their time on the show hidden from the public.

“These 2024 contestants have all completed filming for the eleventh series and while some may have walked away with a loving relationship, others have been left to lick their wounds. Either way, they have signed contracts forbidding them from ruining storylines.”

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The insider went on to explain that a big reason why certain 2024 participants will find it “hard to stay quiet” over the next few months is because they are influencers who are used to sharing their lives online.

“We all know this show attracts a breeding ground of influencers who want to launch lucrative social media deals. It’s not a secret pathway to fame and fortune,” the source continues.

“The casting producers know that and they often find singles that have a certain look, which goes hand in hand with the influencer world. Someone willing to put their personal life on Instagram is probably not going to mind sharing their love lives on TV.

“The issue is finding these sorts of Aussies that will do all of that but then keep their mouths shut for a few months. That’s the tricky part. They are all so excited to see how they will go with their fifteen minutes of fame and they know over a million people are about to join their lives. It’s pretty exciting stuff.”

It’s no shock that Channel Nine would want the show to be a surprise for viewers, especially because one of the biggest storylines reportedly involves a bride swapping their groom mid-season.

Our source at the network says the latest series is the “juiciest season yet” filled with plenty of “secrets and surprises”.

“Australia has their best series of MAFS upon them, so it is imperative we keep the twists and turns under wraps,” they add.

Nine reportedly held an “emergency meeting” last month after several contestants met up for a “secret party”, and are trying to find new ways to keep them quiet until their storylines evolve on the reality show.

“The producers' threats to put a stop to their blue ticks, access to professional photos and TV and radio interviews haven’t worked with these couples, and Nine will look at coming up with a new plan in the coming weeks,” the insider shares.

“No one wants to get sued and no one has been sued yet [for breaching their contract], but as control is getting harder to manage maybe all it will take is one person to be made an example out of.”

Yahoo Lifestyle has contacted Channel Nine for comment.

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