Major change coming to Aussie reality shows after MAFS star's shock death

The growing conversation about the mental health of reality TV participants in Australia has been underlined this week following the death of Married At First Sight NZ groom Andrew Jury at the age of 33. Andrew’s passing was announced on Sunday in a joint statement from his season one co-stars, who wrote: “It’s with the heaviest hearts we've come together to acknowledge the passing of Andrew Jury.

“We had the absolute pleasure of filming and participating in a show which leaves us intricately linked for a lifetime. Despite his struggles, Andrew was always friendly and the life of the party during our shared experience and he really valued his time on the show.”

A TV insider tells Yahoo Lifestyle that Australian free-to-air networks and streaming services are now re-examining their procedures around mental health to be more like they are in the UK.

“The entire TV industry in the UK changed after the death of Love Island participant Mike Thalassitis, who sadly lost his battle with mental health in 2019,” the source details. “Networks started sharing how to protect their contributors and it was a game changer. ITV UK went above and beyond and was very reactive.”

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Meanwhile, a former reality star tells Yahoo Lifestyle that regardless of the show’s format, networks must follow an industry standard when putting an individual on TV.

"It doesn't matter what the show is, the mental health of the participants is the responsibility of the network and how audiences can now interact with social media needs to evolve as the access to the people on television continues to grow,” they share.

What's going to change?

According to a production insider, TV networks are planning a “yearly summit” to discuss procedures that will hopefully strengthen the Australian industry.

“Some networks have been doing things better than others and what is happening this week is sharing processes. There will always need to be more work done in this space,” the source shares.

“The ongoing conversations with each network has always been a priority and Channel Nine’s Head of Content Adrian Swift confirms that every year Nine does more and more to protect the health and wellbeing of their participants. Nine has an open door for participants to come back and share their concerns and if they’re struggling, the network does offer mental health plans which they have been covering the costs.”

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Our insider claims that Network 10’s procedures are among the best in the industry, as demonstrated in the recent season of MasterChef.

“This year MasterChef had five incidents where they put their contestants first and allowed them to take a break from their filming obligations to work out personal issues,” the source details.

“Network 10 did not feel the need to explain their absence to viewers. Of course, they were and are allowed to share their story, but executives did leave that up to the individual. Those decisions are being held up as an example of how each network should be prioritising the health and wellbeing of their cast.”

Mental health support for yourself or a loved one can be found by calling Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978, or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800. Online support is available via Beyond Blue.

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