Married at First Sight fans are in uproar today after it was revealed the Nine Network have reportedly axed the popular Talking Married spin-off program – but former host Shelly Horton is taking a more philosophical approach.
The shock news, which was broken by industry website TV Blackbox, is reportedly due to concerns that the show’s live format is a potential minefield for the network, which is already under pressure over the exploitative and sensationalistic nature of Married at First Sight – and allegations it could be harming contestants’ mental health.
WATCH: MAFS’ Jess and Dan split on live TV
Host Shelly took to Twitter to confirm the news, writing that the decision was ‘sad’.
‘I’m sad to see Talking Married axed but so glad I got to co-host two seasons,’ she wrote. ‘Live TV can be brutal for all involved.
‘Oh well, you don’t go into the media for stability. Not my first rodeo.’
Shelly seemed to be referencing concerns over the live nature of the show, amid claims that Nine was concerned the format was too dangerous.
Alarm bells first sounded at the network when Dan Webb and Jessika Power seemingly broke up during broadcast of Talking Married, as they were probed by Shelly and her co-hosts Jayne Azzopardi and Ben Fordham.
The inflammatory and unscripted incident led to the couple pulling out of further media engagements planned for the following morning.
A source alleged to TV Blackbox that the situation caused alarm bells to ring, and the axing was ‘out of concern for the mental health of those involved’.
While MAFS has been a major success for Nine, it has come at a cost. According to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, Nine CEO Hugh Marks allegedly expressed concerns about some of the lowbrow antics on the show potentially damaging the network’s image.
‘All reality TV pushes limits but I am concerned they are going one step too far and it is going to all collapse and that’s not good for the industry,’ the paper quoted an unnamed TV executive as saying.
‘We have never seen conduct like this on Australian television before.’
The axing of Talking Married appears to represent a further attempt to manage any potential damage from the franchise, which has already been the subject of complaints by ex-contestants who allege they were exploited and exposed to abuse and ridicule from the public due to the show’s notoriously produced narratives.
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