Alyssa Says She “Coincidentally” Lost Her Job After ‘MAFS’ Aired
In what feels like a very strong case of deja vu, another Married at First Sight bride has lost her job just weeks after the reality show finished airing.
Alyssa Barmonde told the Daily Telegraph that she was “coincidentally” made redundant from her executive assistant job of seven years after being portrayed as a villain on MAFS. The news draws parallels with 2022 MAFS bride Olivia Frazer, who last year told 2Day FM’s Hughesy, Ed & Erin that she lost her teaching job as a “direct result of this show”.
Alyssa was paired with Duncan James on the popular reality program, and while the couple started off strong, shit really started to hit the fan between them at the couple’s retreat when Alyssa demanded more attention from the cyber security salesman.
Things just got worse in subsequent episodes when the bride stormed out when Duncan tried to talk about their relationship, and stipulated that in the outside world, because of her child she could only see him every other weekend. It all ended with Duncan dumping Alyssa at final vows.
The fan response to Alyssa’s frosty treatment of Duncan was not pretty, to say the least. She started trending on Twitter for all the wrong reasons, with MAFS Facebook groups littered with criticism of her behaviour and she was dubbed the unofficial villain of the season, along with Harrison Boon.
Alyssa doesn’t disagree that she got a “villain” edit, and she told Daily Telegraph that the vitriol aimed at her online took its toll. “It was really dark for a couple of months,” she said.
“It’s unreal, some of the messages people sent to me on my personal phone number and business accounts. You can chat about your opinion of me in this highly edited show in person and on social media, but if you find my number, and write up the most vile message I’ve ever seen and hit send, that’s intent to hurt. It’s not on.”
The MAFS bride told the publication that she asked Channel 9 for her social media accounts back so she could clarify her actions but said producers wouldn’t budge because the show is still airing in the UK.
“They’re protecting the show and the narrative they’ve created, rather than letting me have my own voice,” she said.
Alyssa said that she spent time with Channel 9’s psychologist during filming, but added: “Something could’ve been done better about mitigating bullying.” She now sees her therapist of over two decades three times a week to help deal with the fallout and revealed that she’s upped her anti-anxiety medication three times.
The reality star said that she doesn’t regret going on the show, but she’s concerned for future contestants who may enter the show without considering the mental impact that a negative portrayal can have.
“What terrifies me is that somebody might go on who doesn’t have the support and years of therapy to fall back on.”