It’s hard to imagine a time when Married At First Sight didn’t have a clinical sexologist in its panel of experts – and thankfully, Alessandra Rampolla has made sure to bring the heat.
The Puerto Rican-born beauty joined MAFS in 2021 however when she returned for her second season in 2022 she admitted she “didn’t know what to expect” and nervously waited to see how the show she’d heard so much about played out when it went to air.
WATCH: MAFS’ James says he’s in love with expert Alessandra Rampolla
“Seeing the finished product, it was very much what I lived and said – it was a huge relief,” Alessandra admitted in an interview with New Idea in 2022.
She said she was very familiar with how “editing” plays a huge role in the reality juggernaut.
Alessandra boasts over 20 years’ experience as a clinical sexologist and it’s easy to understand why she was scouted for the program… She’s vivacious, approachable, but most importantly she’s not shy when it comes to sex.
While some naysayers have been sceptical about the role Alessandra and her fellow experts, John Aiken and Mel Schilling, play in MAFS, the bubbly brunette has previously revealed she has gone to new heights in a bid to explore the “sexual history” of each participant before they were paired.
“I discovered the participants’ sexual history– what worked and what didn’t for them previously – discovered their sexual boundaries, if any, and really unpacked all of that,” she shared, speaking specifically on the 2022 season of MAFS at the time.
With an expansive career in TV, including roles on School For Husbands, Sex Hospital and Dr. Phil, Alessandra is indeed a familiar face with a fan base of her own. But even with all her career experience, the star – who became divorced in 2011 after four years of marriage – admits dating can, at times, be peculiar.
“Thankfully, I can gauge people who are maybe intimidated by me, or are only into me because of my profession – both those extremes are so totally not a turn on,” she said.
“In my personal life, I need someone who digs me, who connects with me … of course, I want really nice sexual meshing, it’s important, but my professional work is separate.
“I go into dating as Alessandra. I definitely don’t go out there as a sexologist.”
Over the years, Married at First Sight, which enters its 11th season this year, has not been without scandal. Whether it’s gaslighting grooms, sparring brides or drama-fuelled dinner parties, Alessandra has previously shared with New Idea that she is often surprised to see how each participant’s journey plays out.
“We can only take the brides and grooms at face value. We make the matches based on the information the participants give us, but it’s hard when they say something and act another way,” she shared at the time, admitting it can be tough when brides and grooms exhibit “disappointing behaviour”.
Each year MAFS is set to bring lots of drama and scandal… the 2024 season revealed big news of a runaway groom before the series even began!
Alessandra has always been quick to clarify – cheating, or ‘couple swapping’ as it’s known on the series, is not condoned.
“I think [couple swapping] reflects human behaviour, the experiment simply puts a magnifying glass on what people do in the real world – it is not exclusive to this. Inside or outside of the experiment, people who are married and are in committed relationships often cheat. It’s for a variety of reasons … often it’s more to do with them than the actual relationship,” she explained.
“I think it’s important for viewers to see instances of relationship dynamics play out on-screen – that’s the beauty of the show,” she says, insisting the unique format of the series could even help viewers with their own relationships. “There’s nothing quite like this around, you might watch something play out and question your own love life or your own tone, or approach to a situation in dating or your marriage.”
RELATED: Meet the brides and grooms of Married At First Sight 2024
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