Not only is it one of the most-watched television shows in Australia, but the drama of Married At First Sight reaches international audiences these days thanks to social media around the world, and broadcast rights in the UK.
So, it’s no surprise that well-known global celebs have caught onto the MAFS phenomenon, with the latest being Saoirse Ronan. While she may have turned heads at the BAFTA Awards this week (she was nominated for Best Actress for her role in The Outrun), it seems TikTok is more abuzz with her confession that Married At First Sight is her favourite reality TV show.
“Aussies are like extra. Aussies will say it themselves, they’re like hectic,” the Little Women star told W Magazine in a new interview. “They are so hectic. Like, they take it somewhere else.”
Saoirse said that despite a version filmed in the UK, she prefers the Australian version which is currently airing on Channel 9 in Australia with a 12th season.
“So I skipped… I don’t know if America has Married At First Sight,” she said. “They have one in the UK as well but I’ve just skipped all that and I’ve gone straight to Australia.”
When asked if she watches the entire season to see if cast members “stay together” after tying the knot at first sight, she laughed, “Yeah, none of them do. Shocker”.
Despite her own star power – we’re talking about a four-time Oscar nominee here – Saoirse said she’d actually be beside herself if she came face-to-face with any Aussie MAFS cast member.
“If I met someone from Married At First Sight, I would die,” she chuckled.
“I hope they watch this,” said the interviewer, to which she replied, “I don’t think they will.”
@wmag Stay hectic, #MarriedatFirstSight Australia. #SaoirseRonan ♬ original sound – W Magazine
Despite Married At First Sight’s popularity, it’s known for some storylines over the years that involve cheating, mental health concerns and the problematic treatment of women. We explored the latter in a recent article about misogyny on MAFS.
However, it seems celebrities and media personalities like Saoirse are more so indulging in the show for a lighthearted watch and sense of escapism.
In 2021, Promising Young Woman director Emerald Fennell shared that she watched MAFS as a way to cope with nerves while waiting to see if received an Oscar nomination.
“I think I did what any sensible person would do: I watched about six hours of Married at First Sight Australia to take my mind off it,” Emerald told The New York Times back then.
Speaking of the show’s international appeal, Nine’s head of content, production and development, Adrian Swift told The Sydney Morning Herald at the time: “I worked in London for 12 years and I’ve had probably 30 friends ring me going, ‘That bloody show of yours is amazing!’ It’s extraordinary. I’m very proud it’s done so well.”
Married At First Sight Australia airs on Sunday at 7pm and Monday to Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Top photo source: TikTok/W Magazine
