Married At First Sight UK star Grace calls out "irresponsible editing" and says Ashley was intoxicated during ceremony

Married At First Sight UK bride Grace has spoken out following the broadcast of the latest commitment ceremony, accusing the show of “irresponsible editing” and revealing that her husband, Ashley, was “intoxicated” during filming.

In a post shared on Instagram after the Sunday, October 5 episode aired, Grace said:

“When Ashley put me on the bench, he was intoxicated and I was sober.”

The episode focused on their relationship struggles, including intimacy issues and Grace’s discomfort after a date night that left her feeling pressured. Grace stated that scenes were edited in ways that misrepresented her actions and the nature of their conversation.

The post also addressed misconceptions about consent following a segment in which the couple purchased contraception, saying: “Buying contraceptive is a practicality. It is not a form of consent.”

Grace’s comments have reignited discussions among viewers about the portrayal of participants on reality television and how editing can influence public opinion.

Editing claims and filming context in Married At First Sight UK

Grace explained that much of what audiences saw during her commitment ceremony with Ashley was selectively edited.

She claimed that the hour-long filming session was condensed into a few minutes on screen, which she described as “irresponsible edits.” In her post, she said: “For example, when Ashley put me on the bench, he was intoxicated and I was sober.

This impacted my desire to participate,” Grace added that she hoped viewers would “be alert and vigilant” to how reality shows are edited.

The episode showed the couple discussing their intimacy struggles. Earlier that week, they had gone on a date that started well but left Grace feeling anxious.

She believed that buying contraception together meant she might be expected to be intimate. Although that did not happen, she said she felt pressure to keep Ashley “sweet” and later described the experience as “transactional.”

After the scene aired, Grace addressed viewers directly, clarifying her stance on consent.

“In case this needs saying, and I fear it does: buying contraceptive is a practicality. It is not a form of consent. You can withdraw consent at any time,” she wrote.

She continued,

“You do not owe anyone sex. I especially do not owe it to a stranger I met on a reality TV show.”

Fellow contestant Keye commented in support, writing:

“I am so f*****g proud of you. I stand by you.”

Fans also echoed Grace’s perspective, noting that Married At First Sight UK is heavily edited to create drama. One viewer wrote,

“The key to remember, as you’ve pointed out, is the show is heavily edited and pieced together to get views.”

Reactions from other contestants of Married At First Sight UK

Grace was not the only participant to question how the series was portrayed.

Fellow bride Leigh also spoke out about what she called an “awful” honeymoon edit. Leigh and her partner Leah’s trip had been shown as tense and argumentative, with clashes during a couples’ massage and both calling each other “hard work.”

However, Leigh later said the reality of their experience was different. In an Instagram story, she stated,

“The edit of that honeymoon was f****g awful. I’m still in a little bit of shock myself.”

Leigh expressed that she felt the production had shown her unfairly, saying she was “being done absolutely dirty here” and that their honeymoon “was not as bad as it looked.”

Her comments followed a wave of online criticism about her behaviour during the early episodes of the season.

Meanwhile, Married At First Sight UK continues to attract attention for its dramatic storylines and relationship challenges.

Grace and Ashley’s storyline, particularly the commitment ceremony, has been one of the most talked-about moments of the season.
__________________________________________________________
Stay tuned for more updates.