The cast of Married at First Sight (MAFS) has joined forces to defend co-star Alyssa Barmonde following her controversial edit on the hit reality show.
Two months on from the finale airing, the 35-year-old has continued to face heavy criticism from viewers in Australia and abroad, as fans flock to social media to condemn the bride’s behaviour on the show.
Much to viewers’ surprise however, the moment MAFS cast members received back access to their personal Instagram accounts, they also spoke out in defence of Alyssa.
WATCH NOW: Duncan prepares to marry Alyssa. Article continues after video.
Lyndall Grace was the first to share her support for the mother of one, revealing in a video to her Instagram stories that “every single person” in the cast “absolutely loved” her.
“I probably couldn’t name one person that didn’t,” she remarked.
Lyndall then added a collage of sweet snaps of the pair together from their time on the show and went on to describe her as one of her “best friends” from her time on the show.
“She’d go to war for me, and I’d do the same for her,” she wrote.
“She’s not perfect, but she has a heart of gold. She deserved better, we ALL agree.”
Lyndall’s estranged on-screen husband, Cam Wood also showed his support of Alyssa, sharing a video of Alyssa getting her groove on in a pub with the caption: “She might have a child but she is awesome!”
Soon after fan favourite Tahnee Cook also defended the Sydney-based bride, Tahnee writing that Alyssa was “one of the most beautiful people” she has ever met.
“She is that friend that will always be there for you no matter what,” she wrote.
“I know this show can really bring out the worst in people and highlight more negative aspects but I really wish you got to see more of how warm and kind she is. It’s a shame.”
“She would always bake us treats and leave [them] at our door in Skye Suites, let me borrow her shoes, bring me period pain medication when I needed. At the end of the day, you only see such a small snippet of who we are (for better or for worse) BUT we are human. We make mistakes and we can only grow from our experiences.”
On the same day, Tahne’s real-life boyfriend Ollie, alongside fellow MAFS groom Rupert Budgen said that Alyssa had been “massively blindsided” by her bad edit.
“She’s a sweetheart, I don’t know how they did that to her,” Rupert said.
“I went to the gym with Duncan often and he was saying nothing about that. He was always talking nicely about her.”
Polarising participant Bronte Schofield also hopped on the bandwagon, writing that it broke her heart to see how quickly viewers had taken to “hating on” Alyssa.
“It breaks my heart that people have jumped on the bandwagon to judge a woman who put her heart on the line to find love in the most catastrophic and controversial way despite everything you have going on in your everyday life you never let it stop you from being the big-hearted, beautiful woman that you are.”
Bride Melinda Willis shared in her co-stars’ sentiments and shocked her followers when she revealed that Alyssa’s on-screen husband Duncan (now dating fellow MAFS bride Evelyn) had been screwed over by producers.
“Duncan’s literal words to me the last time I saw him were, ‘Alyssa didn’t deserve that edit.”
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Responding to the outpouring of love from the MAFS cast, Alyssa took to her own social media to share a video of her crying.
“Real tears this morning. Happy ones this time. Thank you to all my cast peeps speaking out. It means so so much you have no idea. I feel so validated.”
