Why some MAFS UK stars were snubbed from the 2025 reunion
Married at First Sight UK's 2025 reunion is missing some of the 2024 cast.
Instead there are a mix of 2023 and 2024 stars returning to our screens for the MAFS UK reunion episode. The Married At First Sight UK 2025 reunion line-up in full includes: Adam Nightingale, Amy Kenyon, Hannah Norburn, Holly Ditchfield, Kieran Chapman, Kristina Goodsell, Lacey Martin, Nathan Campbell, Orson Nurse, Sionnain Carmichael and Sacha Jones from the 2024 series.
Ella Morgan, Erica Roberts, Matt Pilmoor, Shona Maderson, Paul Liba and Tasha Jay from the 2023 show are also featuring in the 2025 reunion.
The Married At First Sight UK couples were reunited for the first time in seven months to film the 2025 reunion in November last year.
Big names from the 2024 series who made the final vows episode are missing from the 2025 MAFS UK reunion include Polly Selman, Luke Debono and Ross McCarthy. Others missing from the show include Richelle Cade, Emma Barnes, Eve Reid, Alex Henry, Ryan Livesey and Stephen Nolson.
While some stars have reportedly turned down the opportunity to make a comeback, others have claimed they weren't invited back to the reunion.
Emma Barnes told Yahoo that she was uninvited and claimed she was replaced just one day before she was due to start filming with the rest of the MAFS crew.
Speaking about being uninvited for the first time, she told us: "They didn't need me anymore. I still don't know why I was cut. There were some storylines that they wanted to follow, the producers, and yeah, someone must have taken my seat, right, so someone got called up to get back on there. But yeah, not me!"
She added: "There was certainly an uproar from a lot of my friends that I wasn't gonna be there — I don't know whether that's just my friends though! I know I'm a big personality and I definitely could have brought some laughs to the table... It's a shame."
Ross McCarthy wasn't there simply because he was unavailable for the filming date. His representative told Yahoo UK: "Ross was unable to attend as he had a prior commitment at another charity event."
Also asked about why he is missing from the 2025 reunion, Luke Debono revealed he was not asked to take part in the filmed catch up. He told Yahoo UK: "I don't know why, some of us were not required."
In January, Married At First Sight star Charlie Curtis said she "wasn't invited" to film the reunion that airs in February 2025. The TV bride, whose marriage with Eve Reid soon ended after the second commitment ceremony, was "upset" and "frustrated" she didn't get asked back, especially as she felt she's now friends with the female cast.
She told The Daily Mail: "It really upset me, I was so upset when they told me I wasn't going though. I felt so disheartened, I want my last... To go back with the girls when I'm friends with them now, no one saw any of us being friends on screen.
"And loads of people bought into that, why do the girls not like me... So many apologies have been said and I have just never been able to talk about that ever. It is frustrating, as I keep saying, everything happens for a reason."
Curtis said she had only found out she had been snubbed because of the MAFS UK group chat where everyone was talking about the reunion and it dawned on her that her invite hadn't arrived. She said she was later told that her "story was over".
During an Instagram Q&A in December, TV groom Caspar Todd — who was partnered with Emma Barnes and made a friend in Curtis on the show — revealed on Instagram why he thought he was missed off the invite list.
He said at the time: "No, I wasn't approached about the reunion that will be out in February."
He added: "I'm a bit guarded about my opinions. I just don't think I would have created enough good content. So they probably said no to me for that reason. When I say good content, I mean entertaining content. Shouting, screaming and glasses being thrown."
With some of the fan favourites missing out on the 2025 reunion, it begs the question, where are they now?
Ross McCarthy has continued to be a devoted dad to his daughter Bleu, whom he was determined to stay living close to in Manchester. The parent has continued to share sweet snaps of his daughter on social media.
Meanwhile, it's been two months since Polly Selman made the move back to Sydney in Australia. The TV bride has been sharing her sun-soaked snaps with her Instagram following of 160,000. Valentine's Day was a big day for her too as she moved into her new home.
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A post shared by Polly Sellman 🍒 (@polly_sellman)
She wrote of the milestone: "The overwhelming feelings I've had today of being so proud of myself, being so giddy and in and out of being teary. Now I've got my apartment, got a solid groups of girls, and working with brands I could've only dreamed of a few months ago.
"For me to get myself where I have in the last 3 weeks from where I was in Perth, I can't even put into words. If if anyone that's gonna do something, no matter how difficult. It'll be me, and only me."
Richelle Cade has also made some big changes to her life as she quit her job post-MAFS UK. "To eliminate one of a few stressors, I've left my job," she wrote on Instagram in February. "Post MAFS stress, life and low tolerance for bs took over."
Elsewhere, MAFS UK groom Luke Debono has got some new work as he stripped off for a project with Dominos — a pepperoni-inspired eau de toilette that came out on Valentine's Day. He said: "What could be more attractive to a partner than a smoky, spicy scent that sparks passion?"
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A post shared by Domino's Pizza (@dominos_uk)
Emma Barnes returned to TV in February, although it wasn't for the MAFS UK reunion! Instead, she was featuring in Channel 5 documentary We Love Bridget Jones: All The Laughter And More about the fourth movie in cinemas now.
She said: "Buzzing to be back in front of the camera sharing my love for my favourite character, some might say we hold some similarities."
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A post shared by Emma Barnes (@emmaebarnes)
Her TV husband Caspar Todd has gone onto find love in real life. The Head Gardener in the New Forest made his relationship public while seeing in the New Year. On social media he wrote: "Who knew that 2024 would find me the love of my life? So happy to have you in my life and moving in to live with me next month. Happy New Year, 2025 is looking amazing."
Todd may not have found his love on MAFS UK but he has found a new partner in co-star Stephen Nolson. In February, the duo have teased their plans to host a new podcast Fitness & Flowers which combines their two very different passions.
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A post shared by Stephen Nolson (@stephen_nolson)
Groom Alex Henry has been moving on with his life too since MAFS UK cameras stopped rolling. In January, he shared he no longer speaks to his TV bride Holly Norburn from the experiment.
He wrote on Instagram: "Me and Holly are no longer in contact, but we aren't on bad terms either! I hope that what ever she is up to she is happy, I wish her, her kids and her family nothing but health and happiness. We went through a mad experiment together."
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A post shared by Alexander Henry (@alexander.henry_)
Meanwhile, Ryan Livesey has announced his plans to return to his love of football for a charity match. The Married At First Sight UK star used to be a semi-professional footballer and in recent days revealed he would be putting his boots back on for a charity match.
Working with Redditch United, he would be playing in the celebrity football match in memory of The Lucie Southall Leukaemia Fund raising funds for Birmingham Childrens Hospital.
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A post shared by Sellebrity Soccer (@sellebrity_uk)
Unlike many of the other Married At First Sight UK contestants, Eve Reid has gone under the radar as she appears to have deleted her Instagram account.
Married At First Sight UK returns with a new reunion show on E4 at 9pm on Monday, 24 February.
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