MAFS UK Changed The Rules After Matt & Whitney Cheated On Their Partners

Viewers of dating experiment TV show Married At First Sight UK were left in shock when Matt Murray and Whitney Hughes revealed their feelings for each other, even though they had exchanged vows elsewhere. Whitney was initially coupled up with Duka Cavolli, and Matt with Gemma Rose. But truth bombs were dropped during a dinner party, with Matt admitting that he and Whitney wanted to “explore things” together. The pair then proceeded to officially break up with their respective spouses during a tense commitment ceremony.

But rather than leave the series, Matt and Whitney appealed to stay on as a newly-established pairing of their own. The panel of dating experts — Paul C. Brunson, Charlene Douglas, and Mel Schilling — were not too happy about the infidelity, but finally ended up relenting and allowing the pair to stay on MAFS UK.

Checking Matt and Whitney’s “scientific” compatibility, the panel decided that they are a good match on paper. “We can see that there is something real here, the science backs it up, and we are willing to let you back into the experiment as a new couple,” said Schilling. However, they will be allowed back as “a dating couple” instead of “a married couple.” This has previously happened on the Australia-based version of MAFS, much to viewers’ annoyance.

Douglas also told the couple, “We love love, but there is a lot of conflict around this relationship... We just ask that you are respectful of the other couples and their feelings and emotions.” While we won’t know for sure how long this pair will last in the show until new episodes air, it’s likely they’ll be met with displeasure from at least some of their co-stars. In a recent episode, Zoe Clifton said to Matt, “You’ve disrespected Duka, you’ve disrespected Gemma, and you’ve disrespected the process.”

Matt has since spoken up on his Instagram Stories, saying he regrets not coming clean to Gemma before the dinner party. “If I’ve got any regrets from last night’s episode, which I knew it would come, it was that production asked me not to speak to Gemma until the dinner party and stupidly, out of frustration, I listened,” he said, per Digital Spy.

In the meantime, it looks like the series’ new relationship is still going strong, as Whitney has shown hints of her dating life on Instagram. A recent photo showed her enjoying drinks with a man, and though only their arms were shown, Matt’s tattoos were recognisable. Another snap showed Whitney resting her legs across a man’s lap in a car. Again, only his hand is visible, but fans have deduced that it is Matt from the chunky silver ring that he often wears. As for when these pictures were captured, that remains unknown.

Suffice it to say, we’ll be at the edge of our seats for the new episodes, where we’ll inevitably find out just what happens to Matt and Whitney, and if they stayed together after the cameras stopped rolling.

Married at First Sight UK airs every Monday to Thursday at 9 p.m. on E4.