Welcome to the Windy City. Married at First Sight is back for season 18, which will follow five expert-matched Chicago couples as they navigate life after getting married to someone they’ve never met.
The latest iteration of the reality series got underway on Oct. 8 with the MAFS matchmaking and kickoff specials. The official season premiere is set for Oct. 15. So, who are this season’s brave singles? Let’s meet the Married at First Sight Season 18 cast.
Juan and Karla
Juan, 36, is a hard-working, extroverted sales executive who is deeply connected to his Colombian heritage. He worries that his good looks put him at a disadvantage when it comes to relationships because women view him as a piece of meat rather than a serious potential partner.
“I feel like I’m ready to be a husband,” he said. “Finding a partner and making a commitment is important to me.”
Karla, 33, is a free-spirited, fun-loving hairstylist who has worked hard to heal unhealthy relationship patterns. She wants a partner with whom she can build a loving family. She’s the daughter of Mexican immigrants, and the experts think that her background will blend well with Juan’s.
Whoever the experts match her with, Karla is ready for a change.
“I’m ready for my husband … it’s just the last missing piece of the puzzle,” she said.
Camille and Thomas
Camille, 32, spent her 20s focused on her career as a start-up production manager. Now, she’s ready to concentrate on getting her personal life in order. She wants to find a man she can build a future with, and she trusts the show’s trio of experts to find the right guy for her.
“I’m just at that point in my life where I feel like I’ve tried everything else,” she says.
Thomas, 42, is a banker and one of the oldest cast members in MAFS history. He’s a twin, and it was his brother’s happy marriage that inspired him to pursue getting married at first sight. But is he ready to tie the knot? His previous nine-year relationship ended because he was unwilling to commit. But Thomas says now is the time. He has “a lot to give” and that he “knows he can make someone happy.”
The experts are confident in Thomas and Camille’s odds of success. They have similar interests and both are eager to start a family.
Madison and Allen
Allen, 32, is a global financial systems manager. He’s an open and vulnerable guy who is ready to go “all in” to make his relationship work. The experts think that makes him the perfect candidate for Married at First Sight.
Madison, 29, is a software consultant who has been single for the past few years. Now, she’s ready to jump headfirst into a new relationship. She’s over the dating scene and isn’t willing to waste any more time, which drew her to Married at First Sight.
Allen and Madison each had a troubled upbringing. She has a complicated relationship with her mother, while he was the subject of a bitter custody dispute. They are both looking for stability in a relationship, and the experts think they’ll complement each other well.
“My biggest hope is that this is my person,” Madison said after Dr. Pepper told her she’d been matched.
David and Michelle
David, 35, wants to emulate his parents’ successful marriage. “Their genuine love for each other is out of this world,” he says. “That’s what I want and that’s what I need.” David has learned from his past relationships and is ready to embrace the MAFS experiment with open arms.
Michelle, 38, has been single for most of her 30s. Now, she’s ready to settle down. “I want to start sharing my life with someone else,” she says. While Michelle wants a committed and loving partner, kids aren’t a must for her. However, she’s open to fostering or adopting a child.
Emen and Ikechi
Ikechi, 41, isn’t new to the MAFS process. The college counselor actually met the experts in Houston in 2020, but he wasn’t matched. This time around, they found him a wife, and he’s ready for an amazing connection and lasting marriage. He’s more reserved than Emen, but the experts think she will draw him out of his shell. They also have a similar outlook on life and strong spiritual beliefs.
“It is a fear that I’d never meet my person,” he said. “Marriage has been a desire of mine for many years. I would love to prove that love is possible and I can be successful in marriage.”
Emen, 34, has built a thriving career for herself as a nurse practitioner. Now, she wants a guy to share her life with. She’s not interested in dating around and thinks the Married at First Sight experience could be just what she needs to find the perfect guy.
“I’ve never been more ready,” she said. “I am so committed to this.”
Married at First Sight Season 18 airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime.
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