He’s taken on the mantle of this season’s “villain”, but the way Bryce is portrayed on Married At First Sight is causing deeper concerns.
WATCH BELOW: MAFS’ Bryce tells bride Melissa “you’re not my type”
Undoubtedly, Married At First Sight’s Bryce Ruthven and Melissa Rawson have been one of the most controversial couples on the show this season, where they’ve sparked deep emotions in the hearts of many viewers.
So much so, that fans have created a Change.org petition that calls for Channel Nine to issue an apology for airing “triggering” scenes involving the couple.
With more than 13,000 signatures and counting, the petition also calls for Nine to acknowledge its alleged “failure of duty of care” towards Melissa.
“There is a clear failure of duty of care to Melissa during filming of the show, allowing her to remain in a toxic and dangerous environment with her partner for the “benefit” of the network,” the petition states.
“She is being subject to gaslighting, emotional manipulation, isolation, and countless other textbook signs of a controlling and or abusive relationship,” it continued to claim.
The petition goes on to write that the scenes are “incredibly triggering and stressful to watch” and that airing a “horrible relationship on TV without doing anything to showcase that the relationship is clearly not healthy”.
New Idea has contacted Channel Nine for comment.
Bryce first stunned viewers from early on when he confessed to Melissa that she was “not his type” as she didn’t have “blue eyes”.
The 31-year-old even placed her fourth when asked to rank the women in terms of who he was most attracted to. He has also been involved in drama with other couples on the show almost every week.
In one instance, things got rather heated when Bryce threw his drink at another groom while arguing, leaving fans taken aback by his reaction.
The scenes of the couple have also prompted four official complaints to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, The Wash reported.
The ACMA reportedly told The Wash that they’ve received 14 complaints about the 2021 season of Married At First Sight so far, and that “4 of the complaints referred to concerns over the scenes involving Melissa and Bryce”.
“Under the co-regulatory system, the ACMA will refer complainants to the broadcaster in the first instance,” they said in a statement.
“If the complainant does not receive a response from the broadcaster within 60 days, or is not satisfied with the response, they may refer their complaint to the ACMA who may choose to investigate,” the statement continues.
The latest commitment ceremony saw Bryce write “leave”, but he crossed it out and changed his decision to “stay”, leaving everyone, including his bride, shocked by his response.
Despite the drama surrounding Bryce and Melissa’s relationship on MAFS, the pair are reportedly still going strong and are set to walk down the aisle in the near future.
Want a less rocky path to love? Sign up for eHarmony today!
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
