Married at First Sight Australia's Paul Antoine issues statement after shock split from Carina Mirabile

The pair were matched as part of this year’s MAFS experiment and quickly became fan favourites as their relationship blossomed.

Their romance was not without issue, however. In a MAFS first, the couple realised they knew each other when they met at the altar as they had dating previously after meeting on a dating app.

Carina originally asked producers for a new husband when she revealed that she had dated her groom months prior to the experiment, but he had ghosted her. She changed her mind, however, when Paul apologised and asked for a second chance.

Their relationship seemed to flourish, but then they got in to an argument mid way through the experiment which led to to the police being called when Paul punched a wall in anger.

They got their romance back on track, but then during Partner Swap week Paul was asked to spend time with Awhina Rutene - after it was revealed that he’d dated her twin sister Cleo prior to entering the experiment. He admitted to Awhina that he thought Carina could be “snob” at times, and when she found out she felt like he’d “thrown her under the bus”.

Finally, Paul decided to meet his new match in Final Test Week when all the brides and grooms were offered the chance to get to know an alternative spouse - something which Carina considered to be emotional cheating.

So, when it came to Final Vows - where the couples decide if they want to be together in the real world - Carina told her groom she didn’t want to continue their relationship - leaving Paul in tears.

Paul attended the Final Vows ceremony full of hope that he would make up his mistakes and win his wife back. In his vows he told her that he had developed feelings for her which were “stronger than [he] ever anticipated”. He also apologised for hurting her and added: “I’m willing to fight for us. All I can do now is ask for your forgivenes.”

But, when it came to Carina’s vows, she made it clear she did not want to give it. She told him her actions had left her questioning his emotional maturity, and she’d been left “devastated for days” by his decision to meet his alternative match.

She went on: “I found myself wondering who the person was that I’d been living with for the past three months . . . I can’t be someone who makes me feel like I’m not enough. Not matter how hard I try, I can’t look at you in the same way. The trust is broken and I can’t come back from that. . . I was yours and you had me. You ruined that and now you’re going to have to live with that for the rest of your life.”

Paul was sobbing by the time his wife finished her vows and begged her for another chance, repeating his apologies, but she refused and walked away.

After the Final Vows episode aired in Australia on Sunday (March 30), Paul wrote a statement to Carina on his Instagram page, where he shared photos from their Final Vows ceremony and said he’ll always “cherish” her.

“Sometimes things don’t go the way you hope, but that doesn’t take away from the beauty of the journey,” he wrote. “Carina, I want to say how much I respect your decision and how grateful I am for the time we shared. I know I made mistakes, and I’m truly sorry for the hurt I caused.

“Despite everything, you showed grace, kindness, and strength, and I’ll always hold deep respect for you. You’ll forever be someone important to me, and I’ll always cherish the memories we made. Wishing you nothing but love and happiness on your journey ahead.”

Over on her Instagram page, Carina also shared images from their Final Vows and wrote in the caption “I choose me”.

The pair have also spoken separately to local news organisation 9Entertainment about their relationship breakdown. Paul told the publication: "I wasn't blindsided at Final Vows because I was semi-anticipating Carina to say no. The reality was she was hurt, questioning my sincerity and the whole relationship.

“Another part of me had high hopes that she was going to be willing to move past that and continue the relationship on the outside. I was heartbroken, I was sad. It was the end of a journey. My wife and the person who I had really strong feelings for didn't want to continue this relationship."

He went on: “It's funny, coming into this experiment I thought I knew most things about myself but it's a very humbling experience.”

Carina, meanwhile, said she had wanted to make a different decision. "At the time I had to trust my gut instinct and my heart obviously wanted to say something else but I had to dive deep into my decision – it was a very emotional moment,” she said.

She went on: “I was torn. I feel like I needed more time to figure out if this relationship [would] work on the outside world. There were a few things in the lead up to Final Vows that made me change my decision, which Paul had a bit of an inkling that he thought I would say no... but he also thought I would say yes.”

Carina also confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that her and Paul are on good terms today - but they’re just friends. “Time has gone by. When you live with someone every day, of course feelings grow stronger – but now, we're just mates,' she said, referring to the fact that MAFS Aus season 12 was actually filmed last July to September.

“Every once in a blue moon, I'll check in to see how he's doing. Mental health is so important, and I would never want him to struggle or go through hardship.”

The TV bride also praised the producers for capturing the Final Vows ceremony exactly as it happened. “There were no retakes. That moment was real, it was pure, and it was meaningful,” she said.

Check out which of the other MAFS Australia season 12 couples are still together.