Married At First Sight UK couple Sarah and Dean called time on their troubled marriage in an emotional commitment ceremony after weeks of tension, criticism, and viewer backlash over their rocky relationship
A dramatic exit rocked Married At First Sight UK as Sarah and Dean became the latest couple to quit the experiment following a tense and emotional commitment ceremony.
The pair’s relationship had been hanging by a thread for weeks, marked by awkward exchanges, lack of affection, and mounting viewer complaints over Sarah’s remarks about Dean’s weight.
During the ceremony, Sarah insisted she wanted to give their marriage “one more week,” telling the experts: “For me things have been moving positively… I want to see if romance develops. I think we’re at that point now. If I take a step back, I worry I’ll regret not trying.”
But her plea was met with firm opposition from the panel. Relationship expert Mel Schilling cut in, saying: “Sarah, I think you know how you feel. You’re clutching at straws here. We’re halfway through this experiment.”
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Sex and relationships expert Charlene Douglas agreed, adding: “I think perhaps you’re making excuses. There isn’t any desire here at all. At what point do you call it quits? You’ve said the affection is too much. You’re both in denial.”
Paul C Brunson then chimed in on the whole situation, telling clashing Sarah and Dean: “We all see it.”
After a series of brutally honest interventions, Mel told the couple: “You two know what the smart thing to do is. You’re just not ready to say it.”
Initially, both Sarah and Dean wrote “stay” on their commitment cards, but changed their decisions after the confrontation.
Through tears, Sarah admitted: “I don’t want to hurt you anymore. I just don’t think we’re right for each other romantically.” Dean quietly replied: “Thank you for being honest,” adding that he “just wanted to be loved.”
Their relationship had been strained since the wedding day, when Sarah admitted she wasn’t physically attracted to Dean.
In one uncomfortable exchange, Dean asked if she had ever dated someone “overweight,” to which she bluntly replied: “No, never.” When asked what he could do to change that, she said: “Get some tattoos and lose some weight.”
Dean handled the comment with grace, later revealing he had “never been the boyfriend, always the best friend.”
However, Sarah’s behaviour drew much criticism from viewers, who accused her of fat-shaming and unforgivable disrespect.
Despite brief attempts to show a lighter side of their relationship, including honeymoon photos captioned “TV gave you the drama but here’s the real Maldives… fun, drinks & a lot of laughs”, tensions only deepened between Sarah and Dean.
Sarah later told the cameras: “I don’t think I can do this anymore,” before confirming their split at the ceremony.
Their departure brings an end to one of the show’s most turbulent marriages the show has ever seen, with both Sarah and Dean leaving the experiment in tears.
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