"I was held against my will"- Married At First Sight Australia's Morena speaks up on producer's alleged behind-the-scenes manipulation

Morena Farina, a participant in Married At First Sight Australia 2025, has revealed details about her experience on the show, alleging that producers controlled aspects of her participation and prevented her from leaving.

During a podcast interview with Joshua Fox on February 16, 2025, the creator of MAFS Funny, Morena stated:

"I was held against my will."

The Married At First Sight star described various incidents where she was allegedly pressured by production staff, faced alleged threats, and witnessed staged interactions involving the show's experts.

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Morena Farina claims she was prevented from leaving

Married At First Sight Australia

Morena shared that her attempts to leave the show were repeatedly blocked by production. The Married At First Sight star stated:

"Because there's always a guard at the lift. When I opened the door one night, I just peeped out, I thought, one of them was sleeping on the cradle."

Morena also mentioned that when she directly confronted the situation, she was met with warnings about the potential financial consequences of breaking her contract.

Joshua Fox referenced a clause that allegedly holds contestants liable for $50,000 in damages if they leave without approval. Morena recalled telling production:

"I said to them, this stops, this stops today, four weeks of torture."

She also alleged that producers attempted to intimidate her by implying that speaking out could negatively impact her ability to work in Australia. She described feeling pressured and fearful as a result of these warnings.

She emphasized that despite the pressure, she felt compelled to expose the behind-the-scenes reality of the show.

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Claims of staged and manipulated content

Morena alleged that several elements of the show were staged or manipulated to fit a specific narrative. She recounted a moment when she observed the show’s experts recording generic one-liners that could be edited into different segments.

The Married At First Sight star said:

"I was sneaking about like a ninja to see what's happening, what is this setup? And I peeked through a door...And then the three experts were in there. They were sat on the sofa. There was no one else there."

She claimed that these pre-recorded reactions were later inserted into episodes to shape the audience’s perception of events. Additionally, Morena Farina stated that post-production edits altered the meaning of her words.

She claimed that post-production edits altered her words by merging two separate comments to create a statement about Tony that she never actually made.

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Concerns for contestants' well-being

Beyond her own experience, Morena voiced concerns about the mental health of other participants on the show. She mentioned that she had spoken to two contestants who she believed were at risk of self-harm.

"Besides myself, there were another two people in there that they came close in hurting themselves...I said to the both of them, cut it out. This is not real," she said.

Joshua Fox echoed concerns about the show’s impact, stating:

"My fear with this show, as much as I love it, is that one day it is gonna go that step too far with somebody who is maybe too fragile or vulnerable."

The Married At First Sight star responded:

"Sweetheart, they will."

She concluded that the production environment contributed to heightened stress and aggression among participants. Morena claimed that contestants were made to wait in enclosed spaces for extended periods and given high-sugar food and drinks, which she suggested influenced their behavior.

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Married At First Sight Australia returns on Monday, March 3, 2025, at 9 pm on E4.