Married At First Sight Australia star Natasha Spencer has issued a stern warning to upcoming contestants on the show.
And with the UK version steadily approaching, it comes at a pertinent time for the upcoming singletons, who will tie the knot on TV with a partner they’ve never met before.
28-year-old Natasha has opened up to The Daily Telegraph’s Confidential, insisting that Australian broadcaster Channel Nine needs to make mental health a bigger priority after battling anxiety left over from the show.
The Australian version of the show is currently being investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) following a spate of viewer complaints.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Natasha said: “MAFS showed me everything that I didn’t want in life.”
It comes after Natasha was raced to hospital following concerns that she would self-harm, amid an ongoing battle with anxiety.
To help cope, Natasha cut out alcohol and says she is now working with a psychologist.
She added: “I still have episodes of anxiety but I’m doing pretty damn good. I’m working with a psychologist and I probably will for the rest of my life.”
Speaking on her three-month sobriety earlier this week, Natasha posted to Instagram: “Today marks 3 months since I had a drink.
“Whenever I tell people I’ve quit drinking, they assume I had a problem with alcohol or tell me they wish they could do the same.
“I wanted to make a commitment to myself and start building back the trust.”
She added: “Alcohol changes the levels of serotonin in our brains which is why we ‘feel more relaxed’. But when we sober up and our serotonin drops, we can feel anxious.
“Here’s to being on the path to find the best version of myself, to finding better ways to cope with my anxiety and living a life alcohol free.”
It comes after fellow MAFS Australia star Bryce Ruthven claimed the show “ruined” his career in radio, following criticism about how he treated his on-show partner.
Speaking to News Corp, Bryce said: “What came out on screen was not how our relationship played out at all, so to us they have deliberately gone out of their way to manufacture a relationship that reflected domestic violence – which it never did.”
In addition, Bryce told Australian publication the Herald Sun: “For me it has basically ruined my career in radio.
“It basically damaged my potential earnings. If it takes much longer to find a job [exploring legal options] would be something you have to seriously consider, especially with twins on the way.”
Bryce said law firms have already reached out with an interest in representing him.
The star is now engaged to partner Melissa Rawson from the show, and they are expecting twins together.
The new series of Married At First Sight UK starts tomorrow on E4 at 9pm.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
