MAFS groom Simon Blackburn 'removed' from 2022 season: 'Unacceptable'

A contestant on the 2022 season of Married At First Sight has been 'removed' from the program after their 'unacceptable' social media posts came to light.

Simon Blackburn appeared in a teaser promo for the ninth season of the controversial 'social experiment' that was released back in September at the Nine Network Upfront presentation.

The promo shows a bearded Blackburn walking down a hallway toward the camera while wearing a white t-shirt and a black bomber jacket.

While none of the brides and grooms featured in the clip were identified, Daily Mail named Blackburn as the Melbourne-based groom on Monday.

Various offensive and explicit TikTok and Instagram videos allegedly featuring Blackburn making homophobic and misogynistic remarks have since come to light.

In one video, Blackburn allegedly refers to gay men as 'filth' and in another, he says he wouldn't date any woman 'over 60 f**king kilos'.

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'Removed from program'

When Channel Nine was made aware of Blackburn's online activity, he was ousted from the show.

A spokesperson told Yahoo Lifestyle: "When unacceptable social media content was discovered in relation to Simon Blackburn we immediately took steps to remove him from the program. We won’t be making further comment."

According to The Wash, Blackburn only appeared on MAFS for two weeks at the most and execs are now considering "deleting all footage from his wedding and editing him out completely".

Blackburn appears to have since addressed the controversy via a post on his Instagram account on Tuesday in which he claims the sentiment in the resurfaced videos does not reflect his 'current thoughts'. He also says that he is suffering Covid-19.

"To clarify, I haven't posted on TikTok in six months and all videos of me are reposts or screenshots of lives from last year! Not my current thoughts or mindset!

"No further comment will be given! I've got Covid, let me rest!"

Blackburn has been contacted for comment.

Nine drops MAFS 2022 teaser

Channel Nine released the first teaser for the upcoming ninth season of Married At First Sight on September 15 during the network's Upfronts presentation.

The trailer showed the first few contestants who are participating in the social experiment and promised that the reality TV show will be “bigger than ever”.

“Nine’s real love phenomenon is bigger than ever,” the video announced.

“Now, television’s biggest show turns up the love in a new season that’s guaranteed to be on everyone’s lips.

“Get ready for the most handsome new grooms and breathtaking new brides we’ve ever hitched”

Three men are shown rocking up to their bachelor party, including two wearing blazers and one wearing a stylish button-up shirt.

Four women are also featured in the teaser heading to their bachelorette party, with one dressed in a very sparkly outfit.

According to Daily Mail, one of the grooms is influencer Brent Vitiello who boasts 51k followers and recently moved back to Australia from Dubai.

The publication claims that Brent is “well-known in the Sydney party scene” and used to work in photography and hospitality.

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