The tricky thing about being ‘s No. 1 MAFS reporter is sometimes you just have too many stories to tell, and not enough space to tell them.
With so much backstabbing, secrecy and scandal, sometimes it feels as though what’s happened off camera is even juicier than what airs on TV.
As we head towards the end of the season, I asked around my sources in the cast and crew for their best bits of unpublished gossip – and they did not disappoint.
So strap yourself in, because I’m dropping forty-five bombshells for the price of one. And if you’re new to Mail+, read until the end to see even more of my exclusives from this season
1. Carina storms out
We know Carina Mirabile was upset when she learned Paul Antoine had taken part in the final task… but we didn’t see her storm out of their apartment in tears. She walked out ranting about his ‘childish mentality’, ‘immaturity’ and ‘selfishness‘. Ouch!
They may have been getting along swimmingly when I caught them on this beach date, but I can reveal Carina Mirabile and Paul Antoine had some almighty blow-ups near the end of MAFS
2. ‘He disrespected my family’
Just days before ‘the Grass is Greener’ challenge, Paul had stayed at Carina’s family home and was welcomed by them with open arms.
‘He was accepted into the family, and my parents treated him like their own,’ Carina says. ‘I thought it was super disrespectful.’
3. Teejay’s sneaky second date
While Beth Kelly was still picking up the pieces, Teejay Halkias had already moved on… with ‘back-up bride’ Tara-lee Preston!
‘He went on a second date with her just days after things ended with Beth,’ a source confirms.
4. Byron Bay blow-up
At the couples’ retreat in Byron Bay, Lauren Hall refused to get on a return flight with her husband Clint Rice.
At the couples’ retreat in Byron, Lauren refused to get on a return flight with her husband Clint
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EXCLUSIVE
'Couple swap' rocks MAFS: Billy and Carina are caught out – as his plan to humiliate Paul is exposed
‘She stayed with a friend for two days instead, then flew back just in time for the final commitment ceremony,’ an insider spills.
5. ‘We wanted out’ – Clint’s chopper confession
Things got so bad at the retreat that Clint and Lauren considered fleeing the set – by helicopter.
‘We were done,’ Clint admits. ‘We even looked into getting a helicopter to take us out of there.’
6. Veronica’s vanishing act
While she was supposed to be living with Eliot Donovan, intruder bride Veronica Cloherty spent most of her time at home.
‘She was barely at the apartment,’ one castmate says. ‘She preferred her place in the eastern suburbs.’
7. Clint’s maxi pad shocker
Lauren got the surprise of her life when she noticed something strange in Clint’s luggage.
‘He apparently wears women’s maxi pads under his arms to stop his sweating,’ a source says.
‘She thought maybe he was secretly married!’
Tensions boiled over between Jacqui (left) and Rhi Disljenkovic (right), with whispers Jacqui had been ‘bad-mouthing’ her co-star behind the scenes
8. Carina’s cue cards?
Carina came under fire for possibly planning her dramatic scenes.
‘She was seen using a notebook during conversations,’ a cast member claims.
‘People reckon she was rehearsing lines and even googling responses mid-filming.’
9. Teejay’s Big Brother bombshell
Carina called out Teejay’s past TV stint… where he allegedly bragged about sleeping with 200 women.
But some felt bringing up his history as a Big Brother housemate was ‘calculated’.
‘She wanted drama, and this was her way in,’ spills one cast member.
Carina was accused of using a notebook during conversations and her co-stars suspected she was ‘rehearsing lines’ to maximise dramatic effect
10. Pot, kettle, Carina?
While calling out Teejay, Carina forgot one thing – her own husband had done reality TV too!
‘Some people said she was being hypocritical and warned it would blow up in her face,’ a source reveals.
11. Jacqui and Rhi’s war of words
Tensions boiled over between Jacqui and Rhi Disljenkovic, with whispers Jacqui had been ‘bad-mouthing’ her co-star behind the scenes.
‘She called her a liar and said she wasn’t a girl’s girl,’ a cast member dished.
12. Homestay sabotage?
Jacqui reportedly tried to destroy Rhi’s reputation during the homestays.
‘She made false claims about Rhi’s behaviour to media,’ says an insider. ‘It had to do with the Eliot Donovan situation.’
13. ‘I’ve got the receipts!’
One cast member is said to be ready to expose Jacqui after final vows.
‘They’ve got screenshots and voice notes – they’re just waiting for the right moment.’
14. Teejay’s edit panic
He came in hot – but fizzled out fast.
Sources say Teejay was panicking over his lack of airtime.
‘Despite being in group scenes, his presence wasn’t strong enough to make the final cut,’ says one insider.
Sources say Teejay Halkias (pictured) was panicking over his lack of airtime
15. ‘She’s vile’ – Sierah slammed
Multiple cast members have spoken out against Sierah Swepstone, calling her ‘not a nice human’.
‘She’s allegedly the only person several participants refused to interact with off-camera,’ a source reveals.
16. Adrian vs Paul!
On-screen, Adrian Araouzou and Paul seemed like best mates – but insiders say Paul felt totally abandoned.
‘He expected Adrian to defend him at the dinner parties, but he didn’t,’ a cast member tells us.
‘The only one who did was Awhina [Rutene].’
17. Awhina and Adrian = producers’ faves
Behind the scenes, production were calling Adrian and Awhina this season’s ‘fan favourites’.
‘They delivered fire and drama,’ one source confirms. ‘The producers loved them.’
18. Reunion fallout incoming
Expect fireworks. We hear several couples were already on the rocks soon after filming wrapped.
‘Jacqui and Clint’s relationship may not survive what’s coming,’ teases a show insider.
19. Jamie’s media warning
Jamie Marinos was warned she could lose press-access privileges if her husband Dave Hand was spotted with someone else too soon.
Sounds a bit unfair, especially if she’s playing by the rules.
‘It’s what happened to Jonathan McCullough and Ellie Dix and Sara Mesa and Tim Calwell last year,’ a production source tells me.
Jamie Marinos was told she could lose press-access privileges if her husband Dave Hand was spotted with someone else too soon
20. Grooms gone wild?
Dave Hand, Billy Belcher and Ryan Donnelly were all considering launching OnlyFans accounts at one stage, a source reveals.
‘Conversations definitely happened behind the scenes.’ It remains to be seen whether any of them go through with it…
21. Sierah’s reunion exemption
Sierah was reportedly excused from the first night of the reunion due to ’emotional stress’.
‘She didn’t want to come back,’ says a producer. ‘But she eventually agreed, because she didn’t want Billy to have the last word.’
22. Gaslighting claims explode
Sierah accused Billy of gaslighting her – claims that were backed by fellow bride Ash.
23. ‘Have you said anything to Awhina?’
In a bizarre twist, Sierah messaged Billy out of the blue with a blunt question:
‘Have you said anything to Awhina about me?’
Billy’s response? ‘No one’s even spoken about you since you left.’
24. ‘You’re a voice for women’
Sierah claimed that MAFS’ executive producer Alex Spurway told her she was ‘a voice for women’ as she exited the commitment ceremony.
‘She took that seriously coming from Alex – and it changed how she approached the reunion,’ says an insider.
25. Flip-flop accusations
Billy wasn’t buying Sierah’s ’empowerment arc’, on the other hand.
‘She went from “I don’t care about MAFS” to being obsessed with her public image,’ he apparently told a friend.
26. Who exposes Jacqui and Clint first?
Billy reportedly planned to drop a major bombshell at the reunion by announcing: ‘Jacqui and Clint are dating.’
‘But he was waiting for solid proof before going public,’ a source says. Well, it’s an open secret now…
27. Billy’s flirt-fest
During filming, Billy was caught flirting with both production staff and the lead actress from the promo shoot!
‘He wasn’t exactly subtle,’ laughs one insider. ‘He thought he was the star of the show.’
This previously unseen cast photo proves it wasn’t just warfare on set
28. Jacqui’s pep talk for Clint
As their relationship blossomed, Jacqui texted Clint a full-on motivational speech, urging him to ‘shape up’ and become a role model for Aussie men.
It was apparently in response to scenes showing his wife Lauren emasculating him for doing household chores.
‘She told him to post his growth journey on Instagram to help end toxic masculinity,’ a friend says.
29. ‘Be a rock for women’
In that same pep talk, Jacqui told Clint she hoped he’d be a ‘rock for women in toxic relationships’.
But pals say it all came off as a bit… intense.
‘She meant well, but it felt condescending,’ said one source.
30. Non-stop messages
Jacqui didn’t stop there. She started messaging Clint daily, asking deeply personal questions like what he watched at night and what books he read.
‘She was obsessed,’ says a castmate. ‘It was a lot.’
31. Ryan revenge plan
Jacqui reportedly vented non-stop about Ryan. She would apologise one minute and plot revenge the next.
‘She kept saying she wanted to ruin him,’ dishes an insider.
Jacqui reportedly vented non-stop about husband Ryan Donnelly
32. Rushing to Tasmania
In a bold move, Jacqui told Clint she had requested her final vows be filmed early so she could fly to Tasmania to see him.
‘She couldn’t wait,’ says one producer. ‘She was smitten.’
33. Clint’s misgivings
At the start of their relationship, Clint suspected Jacqui was putting on a performance.
‘She would act like a feminist hero on camera, but off-camera she would be crying every day,’ a friend of Clint’s reveals.
Rhi Disljenkovic and husband Jeff Gobbels were one of the strongest couples on the show
34. OnlyFans feud erupts
Things got messy when a bride claimed at a dinner party that Jacqui planned to launch an OnlyFans account.
Jacqui denied it – insisting such a move would be out of character for a qualified lawyer – and vowed revenge.
‘She then, of course, tried to blame Rhi for the rumour,’ says a source.
35. Producer push
Behind the scenes, producers were pushing hard to keep Jacqui in the experiment.
‘They wanted her to make it to final vows for the ratings,’ one crew member spills.
‘She was born to be on TV, but she was spiralling and needed to go.’
When Clint (pictured) first hooked up with Jacqui, he wasn’t sure what to believe, so he began saving every voice note and message from her… just in case
36. Clint keeps the receipts
When Clint and Jacqui first hooked up, he wasn’t sure what to believe, so he began saving every voice note and message from her… just in case.
‘He’s covering his bases,’ says a castmate. ‘Smart move.’
37. Billy’s goodbye snubbed
Following his exit, Billy sent Paul a heartfelt ‘miss you’ message – but got no reply.
‘Despite supporting Paul during his lowest moments, he was ghosted,’ says a source.
38. Bombshell bride lived with ex
Guess who, don’t sue time! One bride still lived with her ex throughout filming – an explosive detail that was uncovered during her honeymoon.
But producers swept it under the rug, and her husband later had to stay elsewhere during homestays.
39. Adrian’s secret messages to Bronte
Adrian was allegedly caught red-handed texting former MAFS bride Bronte Schofield during filming – and producers were fuming.
Insiders suspect he was either trying to ‘rekindle an old spark’ or leak gossip.
His late-night texts caused serious tension with his on-screen partner, who had no clue until the scandal blew up off-camera.
‘It was a total betrayal of the experiment,’ one castmate says. ‘Adrian wasn’t here for the right reasons.’
Adrian Araouzou was allegedly caught red-handed texting former bride Bronte Schofield during filming – and producers were fuming
40. Billy’s tattoo fails
Billy caused much second-hand embarrassment when he revealed his ‘Bali 2017’ tattoo with wonky font and even worse placement.
But that’s not all. He reportedly got a MAFS-themed tattoo during filming to ‘commemorate the experience’.
Fellow contestants didn’t hold back, with one calling it ‘the ultimate thirst move’.
‘It’s giving mid-life crisis,’ a bride whispered at the retreat pool party.
41. Sierah branded a ‘producer’s pet’
The participants were furious over what they described as ‘blatant favouritism’ towards Sierah.
‘She was always tipped off and protected,’ one groom fumes. ‘She’s getting away with murder while we’re being crucified!’
A bride adds, ‘If Sierah got any closer to the producers, she’d be on the crew payroll.’
42. Bride quits over ‘bullying’
The fifth dinner party ended in chaos when one bride broke down, saying she’d been ‘bullied and isolated’ by another participant.
‘It was days of whispering, gaslighting and exclusion tactics,’ says one insider.
The bride stormed off and declared, ‘I didn’t sign up to be tormented on national TV.’
She’s now reportedly exploring her legal options, and plans to speak out publicly.
I hear MAFS producers, such as the one seen here on the left, definitely had their ‘favourites’. Adrian, Awhina and Sierah were singled out as favoured cast members
43. Coming soon… MAFS Exposed?
One bride is secretly plotting a tell-all docuseries revealing what really happens behind the scenes of MAFS.
‘She’s saved footage, audio and diary entries,’ a source reveals.
‘You’re not a person, you’re a storyline,’ she reportedly told a castmate while building her dossier. ‘The only thing real is the pain.’
She’s also been in contact with contestants from past seasons to compare notes.
44. Jacqui targets Adrian AND Teejay
At the final dinner party, Jacqui made a bold move: openly flirting with both Adrian and Teejay.
‘She was laughing and touching both of them during toasts,’ a guest tells me.
Her own husband felt awkward and sidelined.
Later that night, Jacqui returned to the hotel solo, with a pep in her step. ‘She was on cloud nine – like she’d won the show without needing a husband,’ one spy says.
45. Paul in tears after Carina’s savage roast
Things turned brutal when Carina roasted Paul during the final dinner party.
She reportedly tore into his personality, appearance and emotional walls, leaving him stunned and embarrassed.
‘I feel like s***,’ Paul was overheard saying backstage. (Well, if the shoe fits…)
‘It was the most savage thing I’ve seen all season,’ one groom tells me. ‘And that’s saying something!’
NEW TO MAIL+? READ MORE MAFS EXCLUSIVES FROM ALI DAHER:
- Eleventh-hour ‘couple swap’ rocks MAFS: ALI DAHER catches Billy and Carina in the act, exposes his plan to humiliate Paul… and reveals what they got up to inside an Airbnb
- Exposed: The ‘back-up brides’ set to rock MAFS in ‘the most f***ed challenge in the show’s history’. Insiders tell ALI DAHER who gives in to temptation… and which groom has the date from hell
- Inside the MAFS scandal that shut down filming: Nine destroyed the footage… now Ryan reveals Jacqui’s shock outburst that made him call in the lawyers – and exposes her ‘3am confession’ about Clint
- As MAFS’ worst-kept secret leaks… how Ryan REALLY found out Clint was sleeping with his wife Jacqui – as we expose the producers’ most shocking act yet in the rogue tell-all interview Channel Nine tried to bury