Reality TV

Inside MAFS bride Samantha’s controversial romantic history

She was just 17 when she married her 33-year-old partner.
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Every new Married At First Sight season, there are always a few stand out brides and grooms that immediately catch our eye. And season eight is no exception. During last night’s premiere, it was bride Sam who completely caught the public off guard with her wild story. 

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WATCH: MAFS’ Sam confronts Coco about her “disrespectful” comments

Last night, 31-year-old property developer Sam was the first to enter the hens party. And, right off the bat, she made quite the impression.

Describing herself as a “little bit of an Aussie bogan”, Sam explained she knows exactly what she wants and isn’t going to waste time on men who don’t tick all the boxes. She’s seeking honesty and loyalty. And, perhaps most importantly, a “country boy”.

Prior to joining the social experiment, Sam revealed she was in a ten-year relationship with a man sixteen years her senior – much to the alarm of her fellow brides. 

Sam MAFS
Sam’s controversial dating history turned a few heads on last night’s episode of MAFS. (Credit: Channel Nine)

While the other contestants seemed to bite their tongues at Sam’s confession, outspoken Coco Stedman was not so reserved and immediately jumped into the firing line.

“How old were you when you got with him?” Coco asked Sam.

“I was seventeen,” Sam replied.

The response elicited quite a stunned reaction from Coco, who proclaimed “17 and 33? Mate, call the judge! I’m sorry, that’s a bit red hot, isn’t it?

“Can we get a check on that?”

Coco’s verbal concerns were not taken well by Sam who deemed the bride a “disrespectful person”. 

The pair eventually mended things, though Sam assured the audience that, while she accepted Coco’s apology, she will never forget what has been said.  

Sam MAFS
Single mother Sam is looking for a dad for her two boys. (Credit: Instagram)

Sam and her partner were together for ten years. The now 31-year-old got married at 21 and her parents, not approving of the union, didn’t attend the big day.

The couple had two boys together, a seven-year-old and a six-year-old. 

She eventually called it quits after learning that her husband had been cheating on her for five years.  

Speaking to TV Week, Sam opened up about how “crushed” she felt after learning about the infidelity.

“That betrayal crushed me and I hit rock bottom,” Sam said. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to pull out of that.”

But, the 31-year-old managed to turn over a new leaf. She packed her bags and grabbed her boys and moved out into the only living area she could afford, a dilapidated rental.

The family were so poor that Sam couldn’t afford to pay tradesman to fix the ever-breaking house and so, ever the problem solver, Sam decided she would just learn how to do it all herself. 

Sam MAFS
Sam called fellow bride Coco “disrespectful” after the 30-year-old took issue with the age gap involved in Sam’s ex-relationship. (Credit: Channel Nine)

“When the kids went to sleep at night, I would get on YouTube, learn how to tile, learn what tools I would need,” Sam told the publication. “All I had was my credit credit, so I went to Bunnings (to buy the supplies) and did the labour myself.”

As she continued to grow her renovation skills, Sam’s passion for developing properties grew and she is now dominating a predominately-male industry. 

And now that her career is sorted and she’s moving on from her traumatic romantic past, Sam is ready to open herself back up to love and finally find the one. She has left her kids with her parents back at Canberra, ACT while she embarks upon her MAFS journey. Hopefully the experts match her with her one true love!

To find your one true love, sign up for eharmony. 

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