Last year, Married At First Sight caused massive controversy when a "boys night" episode aired, which depicted some pretty gross behaviour by the grooms on the show.
The episode and aftermath left many viewers upset.
Yes it's 'just a stupid TV show' but it publicly shows how horribly some men treat women. I actually felt sick and close to tears #9married
WE ARE SERIOUSLY WITNESSING RAPE CULTURE IN PLAY. MEN DISCREDITING WOMEN AS EMOTIONAL AND LIARS. DISGUSTING. #9Married
Despite the controversy of the year before, last night the show aired another episode depicting a "boys night". Once again it highlighted some disgusting behaviour amongst the grooms as they talked about wife-swapping, who's wife was the "hottest", and if any of the wives had "hot mums".
Dean leading the group in talking about: swapping women, who wants ‘his’ woman, which women are hottest, if any mums were hot... it just shows what a sad, small man he is. This is toxic masculinity in action, on national television. It’s important for people to see. #mafs
Needless to say, viewers were not impressed.
Didn't these guys learn anything from the boys night from last year?? 🙄🤐#mafs #9Married
The lack of respect at the Boys Night was so worrying. #mafs #mafsau
On the other hand, boys’ night is disgusting! This kind of “locker room” talk happens IRL because people have allowed for that behaviour to continue! It IS disrespectful & inappropriate. It is NEVER okay & can’t just be dismissed as “this is just how guys talk” #MAFS #MAFSAU https://t.co/fnvgkXR9TX
Australian writer and comedian Rosie Waterland also called out the show, stating women “are not objects to be commodified and traded”.
WOMEN ARE NOT OBJECTS TO BE COMMODIFIED AND TRADED. WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS. That a group of grown men are talking this way, knowing they are being filmed for national tv, means they are proud of their behaviour. This is why we need #MeToo #mafs
And people were angry at Channel Nine for airing the footage.
The last few minutes of #mafs “boys night” is so awful I need to now question the editorial decisions of Channel 9. Really? After everything women have just been through with #metoo #itstime #barnabyjoyce #timworner - this is what you choose to broadcast? Very, very disappointed.
Notably, one of the grooms, Patrick Miller, slammed the other men on their behaviour, saying it was "disrespectful".
The groom at the centre of the controversy, Dean Wells, later uploaded (then deleted) an Instagram post, shifting blame onto producers for the behaviour depicted. He also said footage of Patrick participating was cut from the episode.
To dean, you should've said no. #mafs
"They did show me asking the question about the other wives' mums, which the producers forced me to say because the night was too boring. No disrespect was ever meant to any wives or women in general," he said.
The show is now promoting tonight's episode, where the women "find out" what was said about them.
One massive bomb is about to be dropped TONIGHT 7.30pm at our must-see #MAFS Dinner Party! 💣😱