MAFS UK 2025 has been a rollercoaster, not just on screen but behind the scenes, and while viewers have watched arguments, break-ups, and dramatic dinner parties unfold, several cast members admitted they sometimes completely lost themselves along the way.
Marrying a stranger is quite scary. Now, combine that with fame and pressure from an audience, and it can be daunting at times. Four MAFS UK cast members have now confessed about the emotional strain of the experiment and why they felt like they “lost” themselves.
Sarah
via Channel 4
Sarah revealed that the disconnect with her husband Dean and the intense process of the experiment left her struggling emotionally. Like everyone else, she had hoped to find love and had some expectations from the show. But she said the combination of filming, relationship pressures, and personal reflection made the experience harder than she anticipated.
Sarah admitted in an Instagram post that the show took more of a toll on her than she expected. “As many of you will see, I completely lost myself during this experience. It was not an easy time for me.”
Julia-Ruth
via Channel 4
Before leaving the experiment, Julia-Ruth admitted to being in the show because she hoped she would get Steven for the couple swap. Despite having no feelings for Divarni, she continued to stay, and people thought it was all for fame. Somewhat confessing to that, she said that she lost sight of her intentions and herself during the experiment, particularly following the chaotic dinner party with her husband Divarni. She cited emotional exhaustion and the pressures of filming as the main factors.
“I came into this experiment hoping for the best, a lifetime partner,” she wrote on Instagram. “I think I lost myself in this process, over and over.”
She acknowledged that she hurt people in the process and has been making amends.
Joe
via Channel 4
One of the last people to leave the experiment was Joe. He left the show earlier this series after the death of his grandfather and later officially walked away before the retreat dinner party. Maeve and his relationship was all hunky-dory, so everyone was shocked to learn that he was confused about his feelings for her. He admitted that the combination of intense scrutiny on the experiment, lack of communication with family, and personal grief caused him to lose perspective.
Writing on his Instagram, Joe said, “It threw me off completely and I really lost myself and my thoughts.”
He also reflected on feeling torn, conflicted, and at times sorry for himself, while taking steps to regain clarity away from the cameras.
Leah
via Channel 4
Leah calls herself a flirty girl who likes to wind people up. But getting paired with someone who’s been hurt before put a lot of pressure on her. She said the stress of navigating her marriage with Leigh while under constant filming made her feel worn down. The combination of arguments, misunderstandings, and clashing personalities caused her to feel like she was being “chipped away.”
Speaking in an interview, Leah explained, “I got into week three and I really lost myself, I got chipped away at and it was ‘chip, chip, chip’.”
She even considered quitting the show entirely and sought professional support to cope.
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