“Once a cheater, always a cheater” – that’s Married At First Sight bride Mishel Meshes‘ motto when it comes to philandering partners.
WATCH: Straight from the horse’s mouth – Steve’s cheating confession.
So the 48-year-old was understandably horrified to learn she’d been partnered with someone who’s done the dirty on a girlfriend in the past.
What’s worse, the revelation came on the bride’s wedding day, just hours after she had tied the knot with 52-year-old Steve Burley.
The mum-of-two had made it crystal clear that cheating was a dealbreaker for her.
“Every guy except for one has cheated on me,” she spills, adding that she’s only dated eight men.
“How does this happen? I must be a dud.”
“It’s heartbreaking, because they’re choosing someone else over you.”
And after barber-shop owner Steve candidly told Mishel’s daughter that, yes, he had cheated in the past, all hell broke loose.
“Steve seems nice but he did drop a bombshell saying that he had cheated,” she explained to producers of her decision to tell her mum what her new stepdad had admitted to.
“My mum’s been cheated on; cheating’s definitely a dealbreaker. I’m definitely worried about her getting hurt and mistreated by Steve.”
The news came as a complete shock to the bride, who had already been telling her wedding guests that she felt like she really knew Steve, and was feeling very comfortable around him.
“I just didn’t expect this from him,” she said, clearly taken aback, before going into full meltdown mode.
Shaking and crying as she tried to sip her water, Mishel clearly needed some air.
Or some smoke, as it were.
“I think I need to go have a cigarette,” she said, struggling to control her emotions and collecting her sister and son, and heading outdoors.
“Get me out of here.”
“It’s disgusting… I don’t want anyone with that kind of mindset.”
What Mishel didn’t know, however, was that the incident occurred almost two decades ago.
“I have cheated on somebody before, 19 years, 18 years ago,” he had explained to Mish’s daughter, who hadn’t passed on this part of the chat.
“It was a massive mistake and I wasn’t proud of it, and it’ll never happen again.”
Of course, if Mishel is right – that ‘once a cheater, always a cheater’ – Steve’s attempts to reassure his bride will all have been for nothing.
“This is not something that happens every day for me; this happened 17 years ago. I’m 52 years old now. People make mistakes,” he said before pulling Mishel aside. “I’ve learnt my lesson, I’m not that person anymore.”
“What I did 17 years ago made me a low-life and I have lived with it since. It was a big, big, big massive mistake. I made a stupid error.
“What happened 17 years ago was 17 years ago. It’s a long long way in the past. Today, I’m here with you.”
We hope these two can work this out… and that Steve stays true to his word!
