Married At First Sight's Chris Nield has finally spoken out after it was confirmed his TV bride Brook Crompton is back with her ex-boyfriend – just days after Daily Mail broke the bombshell story.
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The 31–year–old Australian footballer and construction supervisor, who was paired with Brook during filming, sat down for an unfiltered chat as he attempted to make sense of the twist that has left viewers stunned and cast members vindicated.
And while Chris insists he has 'no ill wishes' towards Brook, he admits the signs were there from the very beginning.
The relationship scandal erupted last week when Daily Mail revealed Brook had quietly reconnected with her ex, Harry, with footage obtained by Daily Mail showing the pair kissing and cuddling while decorating a Christmas tree in October, just weeks after her on-screen marriage to Chris imploded off-camera.
It was the moment that confirmed what many on set had allegedly been whispering all along – and now Chris is making it clear he believes Brook was never fully available.
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'I just don't think she was in the right place for a new relationship to form,' Chris said back in November.
Married At First Sight's Chris Nield has finally spoken out after it was confirmed his TV bride Brook Crompton is back with her ex – just days after Daily Mail broke the bombshell story
The 31-year-old Australian footballer and construction supervisor, who was paired with Brook during filming, sat down for unfiltered chat as he attempted to make sense of the twist that has left viewers stunned and cast members vindicated
The relationship scandal erupted last week when Daily Mail revealed Brook had quietly reconnected with her ex, Harry, with footage obtained by Daily Mail showing the pair kissing and cuddling while decorating a Christmas tree in October, just weeks after her on-screen marriage to Chris imploded off-camera
'Obviously finding out during the show that she'd slept with her ex two days before we actually got married… looking at it now, I'm just feeling like if she was doing that, she wasn't ready.'
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Chris said the fallout made more sense once he saw Brook had moved back into her old life soon after filming wrapped.
'She posted some sort of TikTok… three, four weeks after we finished, she's back with him living in his apartment,' he claimed.
Chris also addressed the uncomfortable reality that their connection, while strong at times, was constantly under pressure – and repeatedly threatened by Brook's desire to leave.
The groom claimed Brook 'packed her bags and threatened to walk out multiple times' during filming, saying the intense production environment pushed them both to the brink.
'We were both very particular people. And I think the environment just got to us multiple times,' he said.
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'If one of us felt sh*t, the other one would jump on board and feel sh*t as well. So like she obviously left the first weekend… little things, but everything just compiled and made her sort of just wanna get outta there and get back home.'
Chris, who admitted he is 'too controlling' and struggled without his phone, said the show was 'more stressful and more frustrating' than he ever expected.
'I just don't think she was in the right place for a new relationship to form,' Chris said back in November. (Both pictured in August)
In footage obtained by Daily Mail, Brook is seen kissing her ex–boyfriend Harry as the pair decorate a Christmas tree together in October, just weeks after her on–screen marriage to Chris Nield came crumbling down off camera
'Obviously finding out during the show that she'd slept with her ex two days before we actually got married… looking at it now, I'm just feeling like if she was doing that, she wasn't ready'
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'My personality doesn't suit it at all,' he said.
'I got frustrated all the time… being kept in my room without a phone… I was just spiralling the whole time.'
Still, he insisted he didn't join the series chasing fame or followers – and claimed he never even applied.
'It wasn't my idea. No. I got a phone call,' he said, explaining he'd previously applied for Big Brother and later Survivor.
'I really didn't want to initially because I just thought the whole concept was a bit bizarre and strange. Then it was literally just perfect timing… I was working a job in the city, just bored outta my mind… so I thought, "F**k it, why not?"'
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Chris described the wedding as 'awesome' and said he was initially attracted to Brook – but the mood shifted almost immediately after a mate allegedly made a comment about her height as she walked down the aisle.
He claimed Brook was 'taken back' by the 'footy dynamics', and said he didn't realise how much it had affected her until later.
'She told me it wasn't until… day two or three [of the honeymoon] that she changed her opinion and realised that we actually connected really well on a personality level,' he said.
By the time they reached the apartments, Chris believed they were one of the strongest matches. 'Compared to everyone else I felt we had more of a connection based on similarities and personality,' he said
By the time they reached the apartments, Chris believed they were one of the strongest matches.
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'Compared to everyone else I felt we had more of a connection based on similarities and personality,' he said.
But he now believes Brook's unresolved feelings – and her pull toward the familiar – doomed them from the start.
'She was going back to something familiar because she was worried about this new experience,' he claimed.
Chris also lifted the lid on their dramatic final week, revealing he and Brook had both booked flights to leave before their last commitment ceremony because they knew it wasn't working.
That week's dinner party, he claimed, was fuelled by chaos and alcohol – including Brook arriving 'blind' after downing champagne in the car.
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'She'd been in a car drinking three bottles of champagne,' he alleged, claiming the night spiralled when Brook clashed with Stella and he took aim at other cast members.
He admitted he regretted certain comments, particularly 'targeting Alissa based on her personal life'.
Chris also lifted the lid on their dramatic final week, revealing he and Brook had both booked flights to leave before their last commitment ceremony because they knew it wasn't working
'It's something that I wouldn't do normally,' he said. 'Emotions pushed things… probably should have gone [another way].'
In one of the most confronting claims, Chris alleged Brook was pushed to breaking point by the experts and production crew, saying cameras followed her even as she tried to escape.
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'They were trying to make the narrative of her deserting me,' he claimed.
'That's not what she was doing. She was just protecting herself.'
Chris said he left the couch to find Brook and claimed there were 'no boundaries'.
'They were following her into the toilet, trying to film her with a camera,' he alleged.
In the end, he said they refused to let producers split them up for footage.
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'We said, no – you're not doing that. We're leaving together. That's our decisions,' he said.
Chris also revealed he has not spoken to Brook since a final Channel Nine media day, claiming she made the decision to cut ties afterwards.
'I knew she'd already made a decision not to speak to me after that,' he said.
It comes after Daily Mail revealed last week that Brook is pregnant, after she was spotted in Brisbane appearing visibly expecting
Now that Brook is back with her ex, Chris believes her new relationship has made any contact impossible.
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'I think it's more pushed on for the respect out of her relationship that she's in now,' he said.
'It'd be strange to let that relationship or friendship be there.'
Chris also claimed Brook's boyfriend may not want her to have 'anything to do with it' – referring to the show and the media circus still unfolding around the cast.
It comes after Daily Mail revealed last week that Brook is pregnant, after she was spotted in Brisbane appearing visibly expecting.
Channel Nine has declined to comment.
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