Couple from unaired season of Married At First Sight UK speak out as show cancelled

It was confirmed last week that Married At First Sight UK (MAFS UK) was being axed by Channel 4.

And this cancellation also means the series that was in production when the external review was commissioned will not be broadcast.

Following this news, the cast who claim to be a part of this unaired season have began sharing statements on Instagram, including grooms Tom Byatt and Aaron Latini.

Each of the men express ‘respect’ for the decision made around MAFS UK’s future and ‘recognise that not everyone’s journey will have been the same’.

Channel 4 commissioned the external review of contributor welfare on the show after a BBC Panorama episode was released earlier this year, with serious allegations made about different seasons.

As the results were published on 5 November, Chief Executive Priya Dogra confirmed MAFS UK will not return to Channel 4 and that the show’s budget will be ‘reinvested in distinctive new programming’.

Tom Byatt’s statement

Byatt claims to be one of the participants involved in the series that had been in production when the review was commissioned.

He says that earlier this year he ‘took the biggest leap of faith of my life’ and became a groom on the show, sharing images from his time ‘married’ to Latini.

“Before anything else, I want to acknowledge those who have come forward with allegations and shared their experiences,” he wrote on Instagram. “My heart goes out to anyone who has experienced distress or hurt, and I sincerely hope they are receiving the support, care and understanding they deserve. It takes courage to speak openly about difficult experiences, and I believe everyone deserves to be listened to with compassion and respect.

“Whilst I can only speak from my own personal experience, I recognise that not everyone's journey will have been the same, and I would never want my positive experience to diminish or invalidate somebody else's.”

He said the experiment was one of the ‘most phenomenal experiences’ of his life as he said he also went in to share his ‘journey of living with HIV’.

“I wanted to show people that a diagnosis doesn't define you, that you are still worthy of love, and that there is absolutely no shame in being HIV positive,” Byatt explained.

“Being positive about being positive! And squashing the stigma!”

Byatt said he learned a lot about himself during the experience, thanked the production and welfare team and said he’s ‘so sad that the world’ won’t get to see the people he shared the time with.

“Would it have made brilliant television? ABSOLUTELY!” he wrote. “But some experiences are about so much more than what makes it onto a television screen.

“No regrets. Just memories, lessons and a whole lot of personal growth.”

Byatt added that whilst ‘things might not have worked out quite how I’d imagined’, he wouldn’t change his experience.

“But one thing’s for sure… I’m still very much single and still on the lookout for love!”

Aaron Latini’s statement

Latini commented on Byatt’s post to say: “The laughter we shared will sustain me into the next life. Thank you for the ride of our lives.”

He then shared his own statement as the ‘biggest adventure has become a simple Instagram post’.

“I know not everyone's experience was positive. I respect those who have spoken up and respect the decision that has been taken with the show. My own experience in no way detracts from others,” he wrote.

“For me, alongside the tough moments, there was so much laughter, joy and kindness. My journey felt like a celebration of LGBTQ+ JOY and I'll carry that with me forever.”

While Latini says he ‘didn’t walk away in love’ he did ‘walk away with so much of it’, as he thanked his family, friends, production and fellow participants.

“And for Tom: thank you for the adventure, the ridiculous, never-ending laughter and the best story never told,” he added. “A story that will always belong to us.”

The LADbible Group has contacted Channel 4 for comment.