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Shock as Married at First Sight is cancelled in NZ

Married at First Sight New Zealand has reportedly been cancelled. Photo: Three
Married at First Sight New Zealand has reportedly been cancelled. Photo: Three

Married at First Sight New Zealand has reportedly been cancelled after just three seasons on air.

The shock news comes days after prominent Kiwi press company Media Works, announced it was selling Three, which airs the program, while keeping its advertising assets.

Through this, several of the channel’s most popular local programs have been axed, and the relationship show is on the chopping block after the parent company refused to confirm it would be returning to screens next year.

The claim was made by The Spinoff, whose source called the program’s demise ‘inevitable’ after ratings slumped from 170,000 in 2018 to almost 120,000 this year.

In Australia, MAFS was brining in much larger audiences around the one million mark.

Common controversies

“This year’s version faced challenges before it even began, with revelations one of the grooms had been accused of domestic violence in the United States, eventually leading to his entire storyline being cut,” the Kiwi publication concluded.

“[Ratings plunge] is part of a broader trend of declining linear free-to-air ratings, but was more pronounced for Married at First Sight than for television as a whole.”

Additionally, the series was also hit with a lighter scandal when it came to light onscreen bride Rosemary Cruickshank was actually already married when she went on the show.

MAFS
MAFS Australia has been a runaway hit this year. Photo: Channel Nine

Although she split from her celebrity psychic husband Kelvin in June 2018, 17 months after tying of the knot, they never divorced, despite Rosemary’s very public attempt to move on.

"[Appearing on MAFS using his surname] has disappointed me no end,” Kelvin told the NZ Herald at the time.

“I'm a public figure and Rosemary appears to be riding my name to get status for herself.”

But despite the series’ axing across the ditch, MAFS has been one of the year’s biggest blockbusters in Australia, with filming for next season getting underway last month.

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