Ben, aged 39, didn’t mince words this week as he shared his unfiltered thoughts on Ellie and Jonathan’s relationship, accusing them of orchestrating a scheme for life after Married At First Sight.
Ben was paired with Ellie, aged 32, on the eleventh season of the popular reality TV show, while 39-year-old Jonathan tied the knot with Lauren, aged 32, both hoping to find their soulmates. However, their relationships didn’t endure, and post-show, Jono and Ellie formed a connection.
Though Ben has moved forward, reportedly finding romance with someone new, he’s not holding back on his opinions about his ex, Ellie, whom he alleges always harboured a “vindictive side.”
Speaking candidly on episode 379 of the So Dramatic! podcast, Ben questioned the authenticity of Ellie and Jono’s relationship, suggesting it’s driven by “publicity” rather than genuine affection.
“I don’t buy what they’re up to and what they’re trying to do, I think they’re onto something,” Ben asserted, “They’ve got feelings for each other… But I’m not buying the smugness. I think they got together and hatched up a scheme to be Duncan and Evelyn and live happily ever after, but it backfired.”
Ben referenced the reunion dinner party where Ellie and Jono’s demeanour attracted criticism, drawing parallels to Duncan and Evelyn from the previous season who found love outside their marriages on the show.
Reflecting on his own relationship with Ellie, Ben acknowledged a lack of trust, citing a moment during a run in Centennial Park where he sensed a connection between Ellie and Jono.
“Ellie and I were going for a run around Centennial Park. We bumped into Jono, they started chatting, and it was like I wasn’t even there,” Ben recalled.
While he owned up to his mistakes in their relationship, Ben questioned Ellie’s motives, especially when she brought up their fallout at the dinner party, suspecting she was stirring drama for personal gain.
“She wanted me to get more involved in drama, [but] I don’t do drama, I felt like she wanted drama to get more airtime,” Ben remarked, “That was a turning point for me where I [wondered] if she was after our best interests or her best interests. I felt like she was hatching up a rather sinister plan. And lo and behold, that bloody backfired.”
