The rules of engagement for Married at First Sight couples are quite strict, including guidelines on wearing wedding rings and using designated “production phones” during the show.
Reflecting on his experience on the recent series, 62-year-old groom Richard Sauerman, who was paired with on-screen wife Andrea Thompson, shared his regrets. He revealed that couples were “forbidden” from using personal phones for photos and videos, instead provided with production devices.
“The producers gave us a production phone and said ‘Use this phone to take photographs and videos of your relationship. You can’t do it on your own phone’,” Sauerman explained. However, he later discovered that many of his co-stars had flouted this rule, leaving him “annoyed” he hadn’t done the same.
Sauerman expressed regret over not using his personal phone, seeing others capturing moments that he couldn’t. While others had social media posts showcasing their lives, he was left with only promotional photos.
“If I had known I could have taken my own photos like my co-stars, I would have, so I could have preserved precious memories,” he lamented.
On the show, Sauerman’s openness about his sex life with Andrea caused issues, with Andrea feeling uncomfortable with the level of disclosure. Reflecting on this, Sauerman admitted regret over his choice of words during a commitment ceremony.
“We did intimacy week the week before intimacy week. We gazed, we hugged, we f***ed, we s****ed, we did everything, we did the whole lot,” he had said.
In hindsight, Sauerman acknowledged that he wouldn’t have made such explicit comments, recognising the impact they had on Andrea and their relationship.
