Married At First Sight’s Eliot Donovan has clapped back at critics following his controversial portrayal on the hit reality show.
The 35-year-old business owner, who was paired with bride Lauren Hall on the show, admitted that ‘it doesn’t make sense’ after finding himself at the centre of backlash after being labelled ‘polarising’ for his high expectations.
‘I mean, people go on about what they want in a partner all the time – whether it’s someone who “looks like they’ve done 20 to life” or has blue eyes and a big bum – but when I’m honest about my non-negotiables, it’s suddenly controversial. That doesn’t make sense to me,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
Eliot, who faced criticism for his so-called ‘1950s dream couple’ ideal, admitted that while some of his comments were blown out of proportion, his intentions were often misunderstood.
‘I looked at it like, there’s lots of upside, not so much downside – why not take a gamble on it? I wanted to meet someone who shared my values, especially when it came to family and starting one of our own,’ he added explained.
‘They really leaned into the whole 1950s thing, which wasn’t the whole story at all.’
Married At First Sight’s Eliot Donovan (pictured) has clapped back at critics following his controversial portrayal on the hit reality show
The 35-year-old, who was paired with Lauren Hall on the show, told Daily Mail Australia that ‘it doesn’t make sense’ after finding himself at the centre of backlash after being labelled ‘polarising’ for his high expectations
The groom hit back at his critics, saying he was baffled by the responses from fans and viewers.
Eliot admitted that while he isn’t someone who thrives on attention, he’s taken the polarising reaction in his stride.
‘I’m pretty apathetic about it. I don’t love the attention or hate it – it just is what it is,’ he said.
‘But I was surprised by the reaction to the whole non-negotiables thing. Most of the things I mentioned weren’t even physical; they were about values and personality.’
Reflecting back on his wedding day, Eliot confessed that ‘the edit’ painted a different picture.
‘There were moments where I thought, “That’s not how it played out”. But for the most part, it was accurate,’ he said, adding that key moments, like heartfelt wedding speeches and intimate conversations, were left on the cutting room floor.
Eliot didn’t hold back when discussing his bride Lauren’s ‘unhinged’ sister Tamara, who was also her bridesmaid in the experiment, and certainly attracted her fair share of attention.
Reflecting on her behaviour, Eliot said, ‘Oh, look, it was a little unusual. I didn’t really understand some of the things she was doing – like, what was she trying to achieve?
‘People go on about what they want in a partner all the time – whether it’s someone who looks like they’ve done 20 to life or has blue eyes and a big bum – but when I’m honest about my non-negotiables, it’s suddenly controversial. That doesn’t make sense to me,’ he explained
Eliot, who faced criticism for his so-called ‘1950s dream couple’ ideal, admitted that while some of his comments were blown out of proportion, his intentions were often misunderstood
‘It felt like there was some real friction in her relationships, especially with her family.’
Elsewhere, Eliot hinted at behind-the-scenes drama, describing moments of friction between cast members and the toll of being filmed at all hours.
‘We got back to the hotel at 2am, and then someone was knocking on the door at 5:30am. You’re sleep-deprived, you’re in this pressure-cooker environment, and it can really mess with people,’ he said.
He went on to elaborate, ‘When you put cameras in people’s faces, they react differently. I could sense tension between her and her sister, and it just didn’t feel like a healthy sibling relationship.
‘It’s not something I could relate to because I’ve got two sisters, and we’re super close.’
When asked if he had a message for his detractors, Eliot kept it cool.
Eliot also didn’t hold back when discussing his bride Lauren’s ‘unhinged’ sister Tamara (pictured), who has also attracted her fair share of attention
‘Look, if people want to get so invested in a reality TV show, that’s fine. But I went on MAFS to find love, not to fight for three months just to milk the opportunity,’ he said.
‘If I didn’t see a future with Lauren, I wasn’t going to force it and I stand by that decision.’
Eliot is keeping tight-lipped about what happens next with him and bride Lauren, but he says he’s open to finding love outside of the reality TV bubble.
‘Now, I’m at an age where I’m ready to settle down and start a family. I just haven’t met the right person yet,’ he admitted.
Married At First Sight continues Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine and 9Now
