Married At First Sight participants spend their time on the show living their own lives while trying to make their MAFS marriages work, but are they paid of the their experience on the show? Throughout Married At First Sight history, there have been participants who share their lives on screen as they go through the experiment of getting married sight unseen. The MAFS cast members who are selected to join in the series don’t always have the luxury of leaving their lives behind to participate in the series. As they’re sorting out their marriages, they are still living their lives.

Throughout the most recent season of Married At First Sight, the couples had to move through their normal lives as best possible while working on their marriages in some of the most dramatic circumstances the show has ever seen. The MAFS season 17 cast, who admitted to openly deceiving the producers, experts, and audience throughout the season by pre-planning what they would discuss on camera, had to keep up with their relationships while also dealing with their day-to-day lives. Though it can be tricky to balance everything, many wonder if there’s monetary incentive for the participants to appear on MAFS.

Show Producer Chris Coelen Revealed If Cast Members Get Paid

While Married At First Sight cast members would likely enjoy getting paid monetarily for their time on the series, Kinetic Content CEO Chris Coelen shared with The Wrap that the participants are barely paid for their time on the series. “[They’re paid] almost nothing,” Chris shared. “Honestly, almost nothing.” Chris, who created Netflix’s Love Is Blind under Kinetic Content’s umbrella as well, has been with Married At First Sight for its duration and made it clear that though money would sweeten the deal for the cast members, the production company doesn’t pay the cast much for their time on MAFS.

While Chris shared they’re paid almost nothing for their time on Married At First Sight, the cast members are at least given a nominal amount of money for their time and participation. Though it’s not clear how much they’re paid, the payment is likely to cover days that the cast members have to take off from work to participate in the show, as well as other things they may need to cover for their time on MAFS. All in all, the series doesn’t offer a heavy paycheck that can replace what cast members were likely making at a standard job.

Paying MAFS Cast Members Would Give An Incentive To Be On The Show

Some may wonder if Married At First Sight cast members are being duped during the process, especially if they aren’t getting paid for their marital highs and lows being used as reality TV fodder. While a payday would be nice for the Married At First Sight cast, the fact that they aren’t paid for their participation on the series lends to its overall authenticity. Members of the Married At First Sight franchise are asked to be open, honest, and vulnerable for the cameras. This means them giving an unfiltered look at their psyche, one that could be skewed with reason.

Married At First Sight participants are asked to give viewers a front-row seat to some of the best and worst moments of their relationship, and offering an incentive with a paycheck could skew the way behave on camera. While there are people who would likely act the same with or without a paycheck attached, the MAFS producers paying their cast members large amounts of money to appear on the show would likely make them feel like they had to act a certain way on camera. Paying the cast could jeopardize providing the unfiltered point of view MAFS is known for.

MAFS Participants Continue With Their Normal Lives During Experience

Although Married At First Sight cast members do have to deal with extenuating circumstances while filming the show, they’re still allowed to step back into their normal daily lives. Some reality TV contestants are unable to continue with their jobs throughout their time on a show, but MAFS is specific in that it brings together a group of people within one city, allowing them to have their normal activities throughout the duration of filming, as long as they continue with their show obligations. While cast members aren’t getting paid to appear on MAFS, they don’t have to stop their lives.

Other Reality TV Shows Pay Its Cast Members

While Married At First Sight may not offer a lucrative payday for its cast members, other reality TV shows do offer some monetary compensation for their time on the series. Typically, reality TV competition shows that are extended, like Big Brother or Survivor, offer a pay structure for their contestants who are sometimes required to leave their jobs entirely to be on the series. Other shows like Married At First Sight, such as The Bachelor, offer nominal amounts to the cast members for their time on the shows. Typically, reality TV cast members are paid small amounts for their appearances.

Sources: The Wrap, Married At First Sight/Instagram