MAFS UK couple missing from show after hundreds of viewers complain to Ofcom about bride’s ‘cruel’ treatment of groom

Ofcom has received a total of 166 complaints by fans who have alleged that Grace has been “cruel” to her on-screen husband Ashley.

Tensions have been high between the couple frequently since the experiment started as they repeatedly clashed.

As a self-described feminist, Grace didn’t appreciate many of Ashley’s comments - most noteably when he suggested that she wear a dress for one of their date nights. More recently, the TV groom caused further offence to his new wife when he said he was actually trying to compliment her on her body and initiate intimacy between them.

The pair have apparently stopped being Instagram friends last month after Grace posted a statement about consent following the airing of a recent commitment ceremony, where the topic became an issue for the couple. In her statment, she said: “I especially do not owe it to a stranger I met on a reality TV show”. Shortly afterwards she then hit out at the show’s edit and claimed producers had “made her out to look like a crazy little b****”.

During the last dinner party, the arguments between himself and Grace became too much for Ashley and he told her their relationship wasn’t working as he felt like he was walking on eggshells. This led to the pair going back to their own homes separately during homestays, and once in Wales Ashley told his family he was exhausted and couldn’t watch every word he said for the rest of his life.

Watching this all unfold has led to 166 Ofcom complaints being sent, by people who thought Grace wasn’t treating Ashley very well. Viewers also complained that experts Mel Schilling, Paul C Brunson and Charlene Douglas had supported Grace’s behaviour.

A spokesperson for Ofcom said: “Complaints related to the experts allegedly enabling Grace’s treatment of Ashley.”

Grace threw shade at her TV ex in an Instagram post earlier this week. She wrote: “There’s a half-naked woman in front of me with a good body, what do you expect?’,” referring to what Ashley apparently said to her when he was trying to initiate intimacy with her which sparked a row.

She went on: “I expect you to accept no for an answer. I expect you to prioritise my discomfort over your desire for sex. I expect you to act like a grown man capable of self-control.”

At the commitment ceremony that followed, which aired earlier this week, the pair were absent from proceedings with the experts explaining to their co-stars that due to their difficulties they felt they needed more time.

They subsequently left the experiment after going on homestays separately. During last night’s episode, (Wednesday November 5), the experts said down with the pair separately to discuss what had gone wrong in their relationship.

But, Grace was left unhappy with the edit and returned to Instagram to issue another statement with her thoughts. “@cplproductions - this isn’t good enough. You brought me out of my safe place, three weeks after leaving the experiment, so I could ‘tell my story’. Then you sanitised it. How could you?

“You have to raise your daughters in the same society that protects men at all costs. May they never come close to what you put me through,” she said.

Channel 4 have not commented on any of Grace’s statements.

* Married at First Sight UK series 10 continues on Sunday (November 9) at 9pm on E4. Previous episodes can be watched now on Channel 4 On Demand.