TW: Suicide

This week on the podcast, Em and Alex are joined by Married at First Sight UK contestant Gemma Rose Barnes. Gemma wanted the perfect partner to complete her life, and so she signed up to MAFS in the belief that she was going to find just that, even getting a tattoo in honour of this man who she hadn’t met yet. She ended up becoming a controversial figure on MAFS due to her willingness to make crude jokes and openly talk about sex. She shares that her words were edited and taken out of context, and that her new husband’s keenness was edited out all together. Gemma experienced various mental health and addiction struggles, exacerbated due to the show, and had to make a change. Now sober, Gemma shares the reality behind this “reality” TV show, and how we as viewers need to take a more discerning attitude towards it.

EDIT- A Channel 4 Spokesperson said: "Contributor care and wellbeing is of paramount importance and appropriate support is available to contributors before, during and after broadcast. Any concerns raised by contributors about safety would always be taken extremely seriously and we would take prompt and appropriate action when needed. Any action taken would always be agreed with the cast members involved to ensure they were satisfied with the resolution and outcome. Contributors are able to leave the process at any time. During filming, alcohol consumption is at the discretion of individuals, but it is monitored and limited by the production team and contributor welfare is always prioritised. All broadcast episodes of MAFS U.K. are a fair and accurate reflection of the events that took place."

Follow Gemma on Instagram @reallifeofgemrose

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Edited by Daisy Grant

Music by Alex Andrew

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