Married At First Sight has had many cast members who viewers feel negatively about, but some are far more controversial than others during their time on the series. Throughout MAFS history, there have been some cast members who find themselves embroiled in drama whether they meant to be or not. Regardless of their intentions when joining the cast of Married At First Sight, some have a penchant for conflict that goes beyond the traditional sense of reality TV drama.

With so many cast members working to come into the Married At First Sight experience without preconceptions about what they’re going to be a part of, the disruptors are more obvious as they make their way through the series. Though some cast members are genuinely looking for the experience, others are obviously searching for fame, reality TV fortune, and more during their time on Married At First Sight. These cast members have become more prevalent in recent years as reality TV has become more lucrative.

The casting behind Married At First Sight has made it clear that they producers of the show aren’t just looking for people who want to be in a relationship but are looking for captivating stories, even if they’re detrimental to the relationships at hand. While the casting isn’t always easy, the participants aren’t just put through one round before getting on the show. They also have to meet with the Married At First Sight experts, who are meant to evaluate the participants psychologically.

Though the Married At First Sight experts, which currently include Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Dr. Pia Holec, and Pastor Cal Roberson, aren’t always able to identify who’s being genuine and who isn’t during their time with the cast members prior to the weddings, they’ve had to try harder to do so in their evaluations. Between the casting team on MAFS and the experts, the participants should be thoroughly screened before they meet their MAFS spouse. Unfortunately, many of the hopeful participants understand what they need to say to make it onto the show without actually having genuine intentions.

While some of the more controversial Married At First Sight cast members have been proven to have ill intentions coming onto the show, like fame, money, or gaining a social media following, others have simply been proven to have troubling personalities. Whether the controversial cast members came to MAFS for the right reasons and fell flat, or came to the show in order to find fame, they’ve left a mark on the series. Some of the most controversial stars have become the people viewers love to hate, and made Married At First Sight that much more entertaining.

10

Chris Williams

Married At First Sight Season 12

Although Chris Williams came into Married At First Sight season 12 hopeful that he’d be able to find a match, it was clear that there was something off in his marriage to Paige Banks quickly. Chris, who grew to become the season’s villain, ultimately struggled to build a connection with Paige because the relationships he’d left behind to be on Married At First Sight weren’t quite finished. Early on in his marriage to Paige, Chris found out that his ex-fiance was pregnant with his child, but he chose to stay in his marriage to Paige and work things out offscreen with his ex.

Despite trusting Chris regarding his relationship with his ex, Paige rightfully had her guard up a bit after finding out that Chris has been so recently engaged. Rather than being understanding about why Paige may find it difficult to open up, Chris went on the defensive. He consistently shared how unattracted he was to Paige, who is objectively gorgeous, and tore her down before saying he was trying to keep their relationship afloat.

9

Olajuwon Dickerson

Married At First Sight Season 14

Olajuwon Dickerson was hoping to find a genuine partnership with his Married At First Sight season 14 partner Katina Goode, and though both chose to stay married on Decision day, their choice was panned by viewers who had observed their relationship. While Katina had faults of her own, many were wary for Olajuwon from early on in the season. Though he seemed to be showing genuine interest in his bride, the way he spoke to and about her was a red flag, making it clear he felt a sense of ownership over his MAFS bride.

Olajuwon would speak about Katina to others by calling her “my wife” rather than using her name, speaking in a tone that made it clear he was exerting control. He also did his best throughout Married At First Sight season 14 to isolate Katina and make her world outside of him very small. Overall, Olajuwon’s behavior was concerning, leaving many Married At First Sight viewers concerned about his marriage to Katina being safe.

8

Emily Balch

Married At First Sight Season 17

Throughout Married At First Sight season 17, Emily Balch was one of the more controversial stars in an all-around controversial season. Early in the season, Emily had the right attitude about her marriage to Brennan Shoykhet, trying to keep an open mind about their connection despite feeling it was slow to grow. After some time together, Emily struggled to get Brennan to open up, and her desperation to connect with her MAFS husband rubbed viewers the wrong way.

After finding out that Brennan was potentially looking to cheat on her through MAFS co-star Clare Kerr, Emily’s personality changed entirely. Emily quickly went from someone who was interested in improving her relationship to someone who was struggling to remain open to even talking to her MAFS spouse. By the time the Married At First Sight season 17 reunion rolled around, Emily’s behavior was difficult for viewers to watch, as she became combative, irritating, and refused to hear anyone else out.

7

Ryan DeNino

Married At First Sight Season 2

Ryan DeNino was an early participant in the experiment, having joined Married At First Sight season 2 where he was matched with his MAFS bride, Jessica Castro. Ryan’s behavior early in the season didn’t appear to be problematic, and while he and Jessica did have a few fights in the first stretch of their time together, things didn’t seem tremendously rocky. As their Married At First Sight season 2 journey continued, however, the couple often found themselves at odds.

After realizing that their relationship was going to take more work than expected, it became clear that Ryan struggled with his anger toward Jessica. Ryan would often threaten his Married At First Sight bride, though nothing ever seemed to get physical on camera. Ryan’s threats were harsh and made it clear that their marriage needed some severe intervention. Though they both chose yes on Decision day, the couple’s relationship ended after the MAFS cameras stopped rolling.

6

David Norton

Married At First Sight Season 3

Although David Norton’s journey on Married At First Sight season 3 may not have been the most memorable, the revelations his MAFS bride Ashley Doherty had about him after their marriage dissolved were shocking. David and Ashley appeared to be working things out in their marriage throughout the first stretch of MAFS season 3, but something felt off with the couple as they tried to connect with one another. David and Ashley’s ideals didn’t line up, and they clashed over even small issues.

Although their marriage wasn’t great, their choices on Decision day were surprising for both. While David said he still wanted to stay married, Ashley wasn’t interested in sticking around with her Married At First Sight groom anymore because of his erratic behavior. After the couple was divorced, Ashley discovered that David had a series of misdemeanors under his belt that he’d kept from her throughout their relationship, confirming her reservations surrounding him.

5

Katie Conrad

Married At First Sight Season 10

As a member of Married At First Sight season 10’s cast, Katie Conrad was prepared to marry Derek Sherman sight unseen, but it became clear throughout the season that she had some unfinished business with an ex that could keep her from committing fully. Katie and Derek’s relationship wasn’t the most controversial, but they did have their struggles throughout the season. Katie spoke often about one of her exes, which Derek found strange, but decided to brush off.

While Katie’s behavior wasn’t always the best, her relationship with Derek was something both of them wanted to commit to working on. Despite the fact that she spoke down to Derek at times, both Katie and Derek chose to stay married on Decision day. Shortly thereafter, Derek claims that Katie slept with an ex that she mentioned frequently on Married At First Sight. While Katie denies the allegations, it seems likely something happened, as the pair has since divorced.

4

Luke Cuccurullo

Married At First Sight Season 8

While Married At First Sight season 8’s Luke Cuccurullo was hopeful that he’d find his match in his MAFS bride Kate Sisk, their relationship was rocky from the very beginning. While most Married At First Sight participants give their spouse a chance, Luke quickly came to the decision that he wasn’t interested in Kate. Though he played the part on their wedding day and in the days after, Luke promptly flipped a switch and couldn’t stand to deal with his MAFS relationship at all.

Though Luke swore that he was open-minded and would do his best to make his marriage work, he shared that he didn’t feel any attraction Kate and, in fact, felt physically sick when he kissed her on their wedding day. Lobbing insults at his Married At Frist Sight bride frequently, Luke was ruthless about the way he felt about his marriage and didn’t care if he came off brash in saying so. Sharing that his relationship with Kate made him feel dead inside, it wasn’t surprising to see Luke decide to divorce on Decision day.

3

Brandon Reid

Married At First Sight Season 10

While Brandon Reid began his journey on Married At First Sight season 10 hopeful that his relationship with Taylor Dunklin would succeed, it quickly became clear that the pair weren’t well-matched. Brandon, who was only a few years older than Taylor, seemed to believe that his Married At First Sight bride’s behavior was immature and out of control. He shared often that he didn’t like how much Taylor partied, drank, or pulled him into drama. In reality, Brandon’s habits were similar to his MAFS wife’s, but he wasn’t able to see himself clearly.

Throughout the season, it was clear that Brandon and Taylor weren’t going to make things work long-term. Though there were faults on both sides of the marriage, Brandon’s attitude was difficult for Taylor to deal with, and his behavior appeared to be somewhat narcissistic in nature. After the couple decided not to stay married on Decision day, Brandon petitioned to have their marriage annulled rather than traditionally divorced, explaining that he felt his MAFS wife was only in it for fame.

2

Alyssa Ellman

Married At First Sight Season 14

One of the most controversial stars of Married At First Sight in recent years, Alyssa Ellman joined the series and married Chris Collette with seemingly good intentions. While she appeared to be looking for something serious, Alyssa’s relationship with Chris was a consistent struggle because of her behavior. While Chris was trying to build a relationship with his Married At First Sight bride, Alyssa was more concerned that she’d come off on camera looking like the “good person” she knew she was at heart.

Though Alyssa shared that she was a great, kind spouse, her behavior toward Chris was consistently showing Married At First Sight viewers the opposite. Alyssa appeared to be a gaslighter, constantly trying to convince Chris and others of half-truths that made her look good. While she explained she felt threatened at times by Chris due to some of his behavior, it was clear that Alyssa was the problem in her marriage.

1

Molly Duff

Married At First Sight Season 6

While there have been instances of verbal and emotional abuse on Married At First Sight, Molly Duff’s treatment of her MAFS husband Jon Francetic was some of the worst the show’s ever seen. Though Molly and Jon appeared to be happy during their Married At First Sight season 6 wedding, things quickly took a turn when they moved in together and began to try to make their marriage work. Molly and Jon weren’t a great match, but her behavior toward him was entirely uncalled for.

During their marriage, Molly was caught on camera belittling her husband, calling him names, shouting at him, and generally being erratic. Though some instances of her behavior were caught by the Married At First Sight cameras, Jon caught some more difficult moments on cameras of his own after the show had stopped filming. Jon even caught Molly flirting with another man at a bar on camera, which pushed him to come forward about her behavior to the experts and try to work through it.