Married At First Sight UK star slams 'sham' show and says he was 'pressured' to wed trans bride
23.09.2023 - 21:21
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Married At First Sight UK groom Nathanial Valentino has spoken out against the reality show branding bosses "goblins" who created conflict.
Nathanial, 36, who previously appeared on Geordie Shore, became a fan-favourite after his sweet wedding to transgender bride Ella Morgan. The couple initially hit it off on their wedding day, before things turned sour shortly into their honeymoon.
The reality star said that Ella, 29, was turned into a "monster" by producers on the show and admits he was pressured into the wedding. Nathanial identifies as being pansexual which means he can feel attraction towards another person, regardless of their gender identity.
Speaking to The Mirror about his time on the reality show, Nathanial said: “The way some were treated on the show became very dark. Pretty much from the start it was a complete sham. I told producers that I wanted to marry a man, or a woman with a very masculine energy, because that’s normally who I go for.
"Then I was told they matched me with a lovely girl who was transgender. My first reaction was ‘no’ because I felt that just wasn’t me, and I told them so. But they encouraged me to think about it, saying if I didn’t take part it would ruin this girl’s story.
"And by that point, I had also turned down a work contract because I thought I’d be going on the show. So I agreed. My only deal-breakers were that she didn’t smoke and didn’t work in the sex industry."
Viewers were left confused during Ella and Nathanial's honeymoon when he blurted out that she used to work as a stripper during a heated row on the beach. Explaining the situation, Nathanial said: "That’s why I was angry when I learned, before we went on honeymoon, Ella worked as a stripper. But when I asked to speak