Married At First Sight 2022: Everything you need to know about the show

It's only a couple of weeks before the latest season of Married At First Sight launches and frankly, we can't wait.

By now we were supposed to be living with Covid in the rearview mirror but given the daily updates, numbers and generally depressing news, the timing of our favourite reality drama couldn't be better.

Contestants on MAFS 2022
MAFS is starting on January 31st. Photo: Channel Nine

If you're anything like me, you will be trawling the internet to get all the inside gossip on everything to do with the show so that you're ready when the show launches. So to save you some time on Google, we've put together a bit of a cheat sheet on just who will be on Married At First Sight 2022 and how it will work...

The contestants

As is usual before the airing of Married at First Sight, all of the contestants have turned their social media profiles to private so we don't find out too much before the big reveal but we can tell you a little bit...

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Instagram profile pictures of the Married At First Sight 2022 male contestants Andrew Davis, Cody Bromley, Jack Lonie, Daniel Holmes, Anthony Cincotta, Al Perkins, Matthew Ridley.
Married At First Sight 2022 male contestants from top left: Andrew Davis, Cody Bromley, Jack Lonie. Daniel Holmes (Main). Anthony Cincotta, Al Perkins, Matthew Ridley. Photo: Instagram

The guys that we've been able to unveil so far include:

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Sydney-based grooms events promoter and influencer Brent Vitiello, Syndey DJ Jack Millar, model Mitchell Eynaud (see pic below!!), wrestler Anthony Cincotta aka Tommy Hellfire, swim coach Cody Bromley, Bondi tradie Al Perkins, American-born personal trainer Andrew Davis, who goes by 'Tex', Brisbane-based PT Daniel Holmes; 31-year-old Jack Lonie from Melbourne; and Brisbane-based law clerk Matthew Ridley.

The ladies who are looking for love in this year's MAFS include:

Melbourne-based beautician Ella May Ding; Sydney-based makeup artist Domenica Calarco; hairdresser Selina Chhaur, who has already appeared on Channel 7's 2019 reality dating show The Proposal; actress Holly Greenstein, real estate agent Tamara Djordjevic, retail assistant Samantha Moitzi; Melbourne florist Jessica Seracino; Olivia Frazer, who not much is known about; Model, executive and single mum Selin Mengu and Brazilian-born businesswoman Carolina Santos who owns a designer handbag rental company.

Married At First Sight 2022 female contestants profile pictures from Instagram – Ella May Ding, Domenica Calarco, Tamara Djordjevic, Holly Greenstein, Jessica Seracino, Carolina Santos (main), Sam Moitzi, Selina Chhaur and Selin Mengu.
Married At First Sight 2022 female contestants from top left: Ella May Ding, Domenica Calarco, Tamara Djordjevic, Holly Greenstein, Jessica Seracino. Carolina Santos (main). Sam Moitzi, Selina Chhaur and Selin Mengu. Photo: Instagram

When and where can we watch it?

This season of MAFS was filmed from August to November last year and will start airing on Channel 9 and 9Now on Monday January 31, 2022 at 9.30pm.

How did Covid affect filming?

We are now almost two years into living with Covid so production company Endemol Shine has had some practice at producing TV shows in these conditions and with strict rules and regulations.

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According to the Daily Mail, a set source, to ensure the cast "follow the rules, and don't put the entire production at risk", all the contestants had minders with them when they were not filming.

It is believed that all contestants and crew had to be fully vaccinated to participate in the show, the crew wore full PPE and contestants wore masks when not filming. Covid tests were also required every 48 hours.

2022  Married At First Sight bride holding wedding flowers walking away from limousine
One of the Married At First Sight 2022 brides. Photo: Nine Network
MAFS 2022
This season looks like it's more drama-filled than ever. Photo: Channel Nine

The weddings themselves needed to follow government guidelines at the time of filming so most were small with only immediate family or in some cases, just 'witnesses'.

Honeymoons were also curtailed and international locations were dropped in favour of local state-based honeymoons in the Hunter Valley, Richmond and even hotel honeymoons in Sydney.

Contestants were designated chauffeur-driven cars for the duration of the filming rather than the usual taxis to ensure people didn't mingle unnecessarily.

Married at First Sight experts Mel Schilling, Alessandra Rampolla and John Aiken posing.
Married At First Sight experts Mel Schilling, Alessandra Rampolla and John Aiken. Photo: Nine Network

It's even believed that some of the meet-ups with the experts – Mel Schilling, Alessandra Rampolla and John Aiken – were done via video conferencing!

Do they legally get married?

In short, No!

A man putting a wedding ring onto a woman's finger from Married At First Sight 2022
A wedding ceremony in this year's Married At First Sight. Photo: Nine Network

"In order to comply with the Australian Marriage Act (1961) which requires one month and one day notification, a marriage in law was not conducted," a Nine spokesman told the Sydney Morning Herald when the show first launched in 2015.

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"Each participant embarked on a commitment ceremony with a wedding celebrant with all due intention to commit fully to this union for the duration of the experiment."

Married At First Sight returns on Monday January 31, 2022 at 9.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.

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