Married at First Sight Australia's Ryan breaks silence on "horrifying moment" with Jacqui that led him to call a lawyer

Married at First Sight Australia season 12 cast member, Ryan Donnelly recently opened up about a scene that was intentionally left out of the final edit after he threatened legal action against his wife, Jacqui Burfoot.

In an exclusive interview with Daily Mail, the cast member opened up about a scandal that briefly halted filming after his wife took a joke too far. Ryan told the publication that while on their honeymoon, he had made a joke about the size of his biceps and how they could impregnate a woman.

Ryan said that Jacqui's mood shifted after the comment and she started to "interrogate" him. She also brought it up with the rest of the cast and equated it to a "r*pe joke." As a response, Ryan called his friend who was a lawyer, who assured him that he was protected.

"I nearly ripped off my mic and ran out that sliding door. It was the most surreal, horrifying moment of my life," he said.

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"It's dangerous for the network"— Ryan recalls Married at First Sight Australia producers' take on Jacqui's comments

As part of the conversation, the Married at First Sight Australia season 12 cast member opened up about a controversy that wasn't featured in the final edit. Ryan told Daily Mail that the issue started during the honeymoon phase of the experiment when he and Jacqui were hanging out and sipping champagne in their room.

The reality star noted that Jacqui had commented on not needing a pillow since she could sleep on his bicep. In response, Ryan made a joke about his biceps. The Married at First Sight Australia star recalled that his wife "sat up in bed," "recoiled" from him, and started speaking to him like he was a criminal.

"She was grilling me — asking if I had ever gotten someone pregnant if I had a criminal record. It was insane," he added.

Ryan said he felt "trapped" and said he knew he had to be honest since they were filming the show but could "feel the walls closing in." He was assured by the show's production team that the conversation would not make it to the final edit, however, Ryan's nightmare was far from over,

At the Married at First Sight Australia season 12's first commitment ceremony, Jacqui brought up the earlier conversation in front of the cast and the experts. She told him to tell the others the joke he made. Chiming in on Jacqui's behavior, Ryan said he couldn't believe she was trying to "use" that against him.

When Ryan repeated the bicep joke, a majority of the MAFS Australia cast laughed, which angered Jacqui. She allegedly screamed at the cast and asked how they could find the joke funny and said she would "stand up for women's rights" especially when it was about "r*pe."

Ryan, who was taken aback by the insinuation, while productions halted filming. Ryan noted that he almost "ripped" his mic off and ran out of the room. However, he was not the only one who was against Jacqui's statements. He said one of the production heads told him it was a "horrific" moment and advised him to seek legal counsel.

"Not only is it bad for you, but it's dangerous for the network," he recalled.

The Married at First Sight Australia season 12 cast member said he immediately called up his friend who was a lawyer and informed him of what had happened. He noted that his friend took note of what happened and assured Ryan.

He further said that production briefed the channel about the situation but that the male participant was assured that the segment would not be aired and that nobody was allowed to discuss the matter further.

"But I was traumatized. I couldn't sleep for two to three nights," he said.

Tune in on Sunday, March 23, 2025, to watch the latest episode of Married at First Sight Australia season 12 on Channel 9.