UK Viewers Are Calling Out Our ‘MAFS’ Experts For “Gaslighting” Heidi & It’s Déjà-Bloody-Vu
Another week, another controversy for the angry UK viewers still in lockdown and still obsessed with Married at First Sight Australia.
And no, it’s not about Susie’s Splenda. This time, it involved Season 6’s most divisive couple Heidi Latchman and Mike Gunner. On the most recent commitment ceremony to air in the UK, viewers witnessed a now-infamous moment between the experts and Heidi.
Heidi spoke about how Mike uses all the towels in their apartment when he showers, then throws the towels on the floor. This leaves her to clean up after him, while not having any clean towels for herself.
This was a valid concern that demonstrates how Mike can be inconsiderate and selfish, but John Aiken, Mel Schilling, and former expert Trisha Stratford tried to tell Heidi that she was just getting upset about petty issues (not having a towel to dry her body) and this simply was her “self-sabotaging”.
This was a recurring reaction to Heidi on MAFS: she would tell the experts her concerns with Mike, and they would dismiss her or talk over her.
Here’s a refresher on how Heidi was often treated by the experts at commitment ceremonies:
Heidi’s in the hot seat. ? #MAFS pic.twitter.com/x1MhtZuIgk
— Married At First Sight (@MarriedAU) February 24, 2019
It was harsh at the time, but this has aged particularly badly. Instead of listening to what Heidi had to say, John is more interested in telling Heidi how she has a “great guy that’s into her”. Does this mean she shouldn’t voice her concerns? Does this mean she should accept being treated badly?
The scene has led to a bunch of thinkpieces published in the UK, arguing that Heidi was not only gaslit by Mike on the season — but also by the experts.
UK viewers are furious at the MAFS experts for condoning Mike’s actions:
Wtf are the experts saying to Heidi?! She was well within her rights to be mad at Mike! This is basically teaching Mike he can behave how he likes & she just needs to get over it ?
Married at first sight Australia— Lily (@LilyGillie2) January 26, 2021
The "experts" are always on at Heidi for supposedly sabotaging the marriage but never at Mike for being inconsiderate or selfish ? #MarriedatfirstsightAustralia
— Claudia (@ClaudiaNouelle) February 11, 2021
Hate how the ‘experts’ don’t address or call out the gaslighting from Sam, Mike or Jessika to their partners on Married at First Sight Australia. So toxic and damaging! #MAFSAustralia
— Hermana (@XCapriceTH) February 7, 2021
Honestly so pissed off with how Heidi is treated on married at first sight australia. She has done nothing wrong, Mike is a twat and the “experts” are literally gaslighting her FFS!!
— Rhiannon (@homburgs) February 5, 2021
Every fucking week the married at first sight "experts" help Mike gaslight Heidi I'm so tired
— confused gay dragon (@KezLouisee) February 5, 2021
Some people in the UK are even saying they will boycott the rest of the season.
I felt like the 'experts' completely misunderstood the dynamics of Heidi and Mike's relationship as well, missing his gaslighting and blaming it all on her
— Dater Analysis (@DaterAnalysis) February 13, 2021
This is nothing new to Australian MAFS fans. We went through this in 2019, as we watched Heidi week after week have to put up with Mike’s thoughtless actions while manipulating her emotions. Yet, when it came to the weekly commitment ceremonies, Mike was rarely called out by the experts — instead Heidi was labelled “needy” or as someone “self-sabotaging”.
It’s low-key refreshing to see that UK viewers have had a similar reaction. We hope that the experts on this year’s season are better at judging these situations and holding people accountable for their bad behaviour.