The country waited in anticipation to meet Cam and Jules Merchant’s baby boy, Oliver Chase, after he was born last October – including their fellow MAFS All Stars.
WATCH: Which MAFS Australia couples are still together?
But while everyone assumed they’d get to meet adorable Ollie at the reunion, they were left high and dry after Cam and Jules pulled out!
“Everyone was told they’d be there for the reunion, but they never showed,” tells one participant.
“A few of us even brought gifts for Oliver and flowers for Jules because producers insisted they’d be in attendance with ‘The MAFS baby’. But they just skipped it.”
As a result, producers were “left scrambling” following their last-minute pull-out.
“They had to get on the phone and convince anyone they could to fly in,” says the source, who reveals Season 5 star Charlene Perera was “a very last-minute filler”.
“She was invited two or three days before filming started,” says the insider.
It’s believed Cam and Jules, who married in real life in November 2019, bailed on the reunion after they failed to reach an agreement over appearance fees.
“There were murmurs on set that they just wanted more cash,” says a source.
According to an insider, the loved-up couple were offered an eye-watering $60,000 to attend the two-part reunion, but insisted they needed more “to involve their baby”.
It’s certainly not the first time the pair have sparked rumours of a cash deal. In 2019, insiders revealed the savvy lovebirds had managed to secure $50,000 out of Nine, who aired their lavish engagement across Today and Nine News.
Sources revealed the payout allowed the network to attend and film the event, which saw the large presence of camera crews, reporters and network publicists.
A year later their wedding was televised on A Current Affair for a TV special event, and proved to be a ratings hit.
For more, pick up the latest issue of New Idea. Out now!
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
