Married At First Sight UK fans were left seething when Ella Morgan and JJ Slater made a bombshell return as a new couple in Wednesday’s episode.
Ella and JJ were both originally matched up with different spouses, but soon formed a connection and cheated on their partners together.
Their original partners Nathaniel Valentino and Bianca Petronzi both quit the series, while JJ also walked out and Ella was told she couldn’t stay as a single person on Monday.
However, just days later, Ella and JJ made a bombshell return to the show as they surprised the other newlyweds at the couple’s retreat, provoking mixed reactions.
While some couples appeared thrilled to see them, others were left fuming, with Erica Roberts making her feelings very clear to Ella.
They’re back! Married At First Sight UK fans were left seething when Ella Morgan and JJ Slater made a bombshell return as a new couple in Wednesday’s episode
Return: Ella and JJ were both originally matched up with different spouses, but soon formed a connection and cheated on their partners together, and have now re-joined as a new couple
And fans also expressed their anger that the couple were allowed to return to the E4 show, claiming it went again the ‘spirit’ of the experiment, which sees couples tie the knot at their first meeting.
Some viewers also fumed that Bianca should have been the one to return with a brand new spouse rather than Ella and JJ re-entering the show as a new couple.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one fumed: ‘NOPE bringing Ella & JJ back just shows it ok to cheat Bianca and Nathaniel are the one who should have come back with new partners chosen for them… do better.’
Another said: ‘The #MAFSUK Judges are a joke when they allow the cheating couples to re-enter, eliminates the experiment part completely!! Basic attempt at viewing figures, but makes the show basic.’
A third wrote: ‘Omg why bring the cheaters Ella and JJ back,’ and a fourth tweeted: ‘Sorry but bringing Ella and JJ back feels silly to me. Do what the nation wants and bring back Bianca with an absolute king.’
Another asked: ‘Why are Ella and JJ back? Absolutely ridiculous becoming more about the drama and less about love.’
One added: ‘Bringing Ella and JJ back is for ratings and drama and goes against the spirit of the ‘experiment’.’
The dramatic moment saw Ella and JJ walk into the couple’s retreat holding hands, before separately surprising the brides and grooms with their arrival.
Drama: Their original partners Nathaniel Valentino and Bianca Petronzi both quit, while JJ also walked out and Ella was told she couldn’t stay as a single person – but they have now returned
Not impressed: Fans expressed their anger that the couple were allowed to return, claiming it went again the ‘spirit’ of the experiment, which sees couples tie the knot at their first meeting
Fan favourite: Some viewers also fumed that Bianca should have been the one to return with a brand new spouse rather than Ella and JJ re-entering the show as a new couple
The couples had been enjoying quality time apart when the pair made their grand arrival, leaving some of the other contestants completely stunned.
Ella said ‘I’m back b*****es!’ as she surprised the group, with everyone rushing to hug her apart from Erica and Adrienne Naylor, who both remained seated.
Taking to camera, Erica fumed: ‘What is she doing here? This is absolute bulls**t.’
‘It’s p***ing me off that Ella’s just come back in here, wife swapping, husband swapping, I’m not into it,’ she added.
The brides did not shy away from making their opinions known, with Ella defending her decision to re-enter the experiment, rather than date in the outside world.
Ella said: ‘We both need the experts’ advice to see if we are a match who should be together. We met up with Charlene and she was like we are compatible.’
‘I want you guys to see that there is something there. I’m so happy I feel like my experiment actually starts now,’ she added.
Laura, who defended Nathaniel amid the cheating drama, told Ella: ‘For me, I just want to put that out there and say, I would never deny someone love ever… I’m sorry if you feel like me standing with Nathanial was against you, it wasn’t.’
Ella said: ‘The heart wants what it wants, and I can’t help how I feel. I was selfish and I know people were hurt along the way and I don’t like that… I have to go with my heart.’
‘It’s such a big risk to do what we’ve done and for me the risk was 100 per cent worth it because I’ve found what I always wanted,’ she insisted.
However, Erica – who Ella previously accused of having ‘bad energy’ in a row at the spa – also made her feelings known as she addressed their infamous argument.
She said: ‘It’s obviously awkward… On a personal level between me and you, we haven’t spoke since the incident at the spa.’
To which Ella said: ‘You want to do it right now?’, with Erica asking: ‘Why are we waiting about for it?’
Tensions: While some couples appeared thrilled, others were left fuming, with Erica Roberts making her feelings very clear to Ella as the pair became embroiled in a tense row
Ella said that she wasn’t waiting but just hadn’t had time to address it, with Erica saying: ‘That’s why I’m doing it now, don’t get angry.’
The pair then got into an argument as Ella voiced her opinion that Erica and her partner Jordan both insert themselves into other people’s relationships.
‘I just feel like I get on with everyone here, I feel like you and Jordan, not just you, you seem to have a lot to say about the couples,’ Ella said.
‘You have quite a lot to say when you don’t know anything about me and Nathanial, you don’t know anything about me.’
Erica then said that she wanted an apology for Ella saying she had a ‘bad vibe’ at the spa, prompting Ella to then say sorry for her comments.
However, Erica quickly hit back and said she didn’t think Ella’s apology was genuine, leaving Ella and some of the other brides baffled.
Apologising again, Ella then said: ‘I’m sorry for my actions, I’m not a nasty person, but all the eye-rolling and that s**t, I’d like that to stop.’
Later, Ella told JJ about how Erica and Adrienne hadn’t got up to hug her, with JJ then telling how Jordan ‘had a face like a slapped arse’ upon his entrance.
JJ said: ‘I don’t feel like I have to prove it to anyone. That p***ed me off a little bit, I’ve got nothing to prove.’
After JJ admitted he has feelings for Ella, she told the camera: ‘I’m absolutely not going to shy away from this connection I’ve got with JJ, I believe this is the real deal with JJ.’
Before JJ and Ella’s return, Jordan had already come under fire by the other grooms for his very strong opinions about others’ relationships.
Opnions: Before JJ and Ella’s return, Jordan had already come under fire by the other grooms for his very strong opinions about others’ relationship
Tense: Georges told him: ‘I’ve said it before, I do feel like sometimes you spit a bit of poison. I’ve learnt you’re so direct it’s actually offensive to a lot of people’
In a tense row, Georges told him: ‘I’ve said it before, I do feel like sometimes you spit a bit of poison. I’ve learnt you’re so direct it’s actually offensive to a lot of people.’
Luke piled on, adding: ‘It just feels like since you got here, every single argument, whether you’re involved in it or not, you get involved.’
But Jordan insisted: ‘My opinion is not poison,’ with Georges arguing: ‘It can be.’
Elsewhere, many of the newlyweds came into conflict as question cards quizzed the contestants about which couples they thought were the least compatible.
Many couples insisted they did not think Peggy and Georges were well-matched, with some of the brides telling Peggy that she didn’t seem happy.
It came after Peggy was slammed by fans for her ‘judgmental’ reaction towards her husband Georges Berthonneau’s infamous squatting livestream video.
They have argued over Georges’ sideline work ever since Peggy discovered during their honeymoon that her husband makes money for doing ‘favours’ on his online gaming channel.
And the pair continued to row about the video in Wednesday’s episode when Peggy claimed the video was a ‘massive red flag’ and described it as ‘weird’ and ‘humiliating’.
She said: ‘I have never dated people in the past who would consider doing something like that, I think it’s weird. It’s not something I’d put up with.’
Peggy then said: ‘I’m not telling you what to do,’ to which Georges added: ‘You are, you are telling me what to do. We’ve gone around in circles way too many times.’
At the couples’ retreat, other couples voiced their opinions and insisted the pair are not compatible.
Jay said: ‘I genuinely believe you’re lying to yourself, fundamentally I don’t think he’s what you want in life.’
Compatible? Georges and Peggy’s romance also came under question from their castmates after her ‘judgmental’ reaction towards his infamous squatting livestream video
Conflict: Elsewhere, Laura also came under fire from the grooms as they told Arthur that they think she ‘disrespects’ him, treats him like a child and belittles him
Peggy appeared to be shaken by their opinions and didn’t understand why Georges didn’t care, saying: ‘I need other people’s perceptions of us to be good.’
Elsewhere, Laura also came under fire from the grooms as they told Arthur that they think she ‘disrespects’ him, treats him like a child and belittles him in dramatic scenes.
Voicing his opinion, Jordan said: ‘Listen to how many people have picked up on this vibe and how she treats you. There’s got to be something there.’
But Arthur insisted: ‘It doesn’t bother me at all cos that’s just who she is.’
Jordan said: ‘I almost feel sorry for you a bit, it seems like she’s trying to put you down and talks a lot about what you do wrong.’
When Arthur told how Laura had called him ‘resilient’, Jordan fumed: ‘It doesn’t mean she can hurl s**t at you just because you’re resilient and you can take it.’
But Arthur said to camera: ‘We’re in a strong place at the moment, so the boys, f**k off.’
Laura appeared unimpressed after learning of the grooms’ comments as she said: ‘Everyone leave us the f**k alone, don’t come for me unless I’ve sent you.’
And things look set to get worse in Thursday’s episode as a teaser saw Laura tearfully confronting the group about the comments and accusing them of attacking her character.
Tensions also look like set to rise between Luke and Jordan after the former was heard telling the other grooms about his row with Jay, where he told her he didn’t think she’d care if he got another girl’s phone number.
Luke said of his wife: ‘If someone gives you an inch, eventually you’re going to take a mile, and I don’t want to be put in that situation.’
But speaking to camera, Jordan said: ‘He should not want to do something in the first place, it’s his wife’s emotions.’
Oh dear: Tensions also look like set to rise as a preview clip showed Erica and Jordan telling Jay about Luke saying: ‘If someone gives you an inch, eventually you’re going to take a mile’
Exit: It comes after it was revealed Luke will be booted off the show after punching Jordan, also marking the end of his on-screen wife Jay time on the E4 series
And tensions look set to rise as Jordan and Erica were heard telling Jay about Luke’s comments in the preview clip, before she walked out of the dinner in tears.
She was later seen confronting Luke about his remarks, prompting him to break down in tears as he accused others of trying to ‘ruin’ his relationship.
It comes after it was revealed Luke will be booted off the show after punching Jordan.
In upcoming scenes, Channel 4 bosses eject the Essex salesman with immediate effect after he shocked both cast and crew with his aggressive behaviour.
The broadcaster, who has a zero tolerance against violence, had no option but to axe Luke, which also marked the end of his on-screen wife Jay time on the E4 series.