Fans are divided about the possibility of Lucinda Light returning to MAFS next year as an expert.
Speculation has been rife about who’s going to replace expert Mel Schilling on the next season of MAFS, since the 54-year-old announced she would not be returning next year.
One of the names that has been thrown into the ring is 2024 season fan favourite Lucinda Light.
However, as much as the 44-year-old would be delighted to be handing out feedback and guidance to a whole new group of newlyweds on the couch, she says she’s already committed to filming another reality TV show next year.
“Since the news dropped, I’ve had a wave of gorgeous messages asking if I’d consider stepping into [Mel’s] role,” she told Pedestrian TV recently.
“I’m deeply touched and truly mean that — the faith people have in me is not lost on me.”
However, Lucinda, who was matched with Timothy Smith on the 2024 season, has already committed to filming a show called Celebs Go Dating in London.
[I’m] very much in student mode. I’m learning, unlearning, stretching, laughing at myself and soaking up wisdom,” she explained.
Lucinda’s other commitments haven’t stopped the deluge of messages of support for her that have been flooding our social media accounts since we first reported on this story earlier this week.
“Oh, she would do an amazing job!” one person commented on Facebook.
“She would be brilliant… she tolerated that crusty old fart she was paired with…” added someone else.
“I absolutely love Lucinda! I love her Koala couch ad. It’s so funny and just so her,” chimed in a third.
However, others are more skeptical about Lucinda’s ability to fill Mel’s shoes.
“I do hope not,” one person commented on our post. “I love her, but I don’t think that previous participants should be allowed as experts just because they have been through it themselves.”
“They are supposed to be ‘experts’ who can give advice,” added someone else.
“When did she become a relationship expert?” asked a third person.
Insiders have also told New Idea that MAFS UK’s sex and relationship therapist Charlene Douglas is a top contender for the role.
“Charlene ticks a lot of boxes for Nine,” an industry insider exclusively told us.
“She’s already part of the MAFS family, she understands how the experiment works and most importantly, she… knows how to deliver advice that translates well on television.”
The insider explained that her dynamic with sexologist and expert Alessandra Rampolla would be “interesting to watch”.
“Intimacy has become one of the biggest story drivers on MAFS,” the source continued.
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