If you thought MAFS was chaotic before, you haven’t seen anything yet.
Insiders tell me this year’s homestays will be one of the most explosive in the series’ history – with two brides storming out after realising their husbands’ lifestyles weren’t up to scratch.
One groom’s ‘house of horrors’ left his bride running for the hills, while another wife’s disdain for dogs may have just sealed her fate.
But in a surprising twist, one of the most emotional moments of the season also unfolds…
Ryan’s ‘horror house’ traumatises Jacqui
From day one, Ryan Donnelly and Jacqui Burfoot were a questionable match, but homestays was the final nail in the coffin.
From day one, Ryan Donnelly (left) and Jacqui Burfoot (right) were a questionable match, but homestays was the final nail in the coffin
Insiders tell me Ryan had his doubts before ‘bridezilla’ Jacqui ventured into his suburb of Campbelltown, in Sydney’s west. He warned her that if she was going to come, she needed to check her ‘elitist attitude’ at the door.
‘He told her, “Look, if you come here, maybe think about what you’re going to say and try not to be too judgmental, because my house is clean,”‘ an insider says.
But it didn’t take long for Jacqui to find things to criticise. She even wrote a list of things Ryan needed to change on a whiteboard.
‘She literally walked through his house, pointing out everything she didn’t like and demanding he “fix it”. She even wrote a list – like a teacher scolding a student.’
That wasn’t the only thing that set Ryan off.
Jacqui made a huge deal over the two eggs left in his fridge, mocked his artwork and even insulted his souvenir collection, comparing his home to ‘an old person’s house’.
And the biggest insult?
‘She ripped into him for having just one pillow on his bed. Ryan had actually bought her a brand-new pillow before she arrived, but it still wasn’t good enough.
Ryan warned Jacqui that if she was going to come to Campbelltown, she needed to check her ‘elitist attitude’ at the door
Tensions went nuclear when Jacqui met Ryan’s beloved dog, Freya
‘She made him feel like an absolute joke,’ the insider adds.
The explosive fight over Ryan’s dog
If tensions weren’t already high, things went nuclear when Jacqui met Ryan’s beloved dog, Freya.
‘Ryan was so excited to introduce her to Freya, but it went downhill fast,’ says my source.
‘Production wanted them to walk the dog in a particular location, but Jacqui insisted on doing things her way – even though Ryan warned her it wasn’t how Freya was trained.
‘She let the leash out fully, and Freya was running all over the place, nearly tripping them over. Ryan asked her to just walk the dog the way he does, and she flat-out refused.
‘He snapped. He was like, “Can you just do this one thing? It’s my dog!” And Jacqui still wouldn’t listen. Eventually, he snatched the leash back and that was that.’
After that, Ryan was done.
‘He brought up everything Jacqui had done wrong in their relationship – how she insulted him, mocked his beard, cried non-stop and acted like she was too good for the experiment.’
Jacqui stormed out after a confrontation with Ryan’s best friends, who asked her why the hell she was still with him because she clearly couldn’t stand him
Ryan’s mates turn on Jacqui
If Jacqui thought the worst was over, she was dead wrong.
That night, Ryan’s best mates, Adam and Carla, had some serious questions for her.
‘They wanted to know if she actually liked Ryan, because she hadn’t said a single nice thing about him all night,’ says an insider.
But instead of answering, Jacqui just insulted Ryan again.
‘She said, “Ryan is a liar,” and refused to elaborate. That was the moment his mates turned on her,’ adds my source.
‘Adam was fuming. He said, “You’ve done nothing but criticise him. Why are you even here?”‘
Then the real fireworks began.
Jacqui got up, grabbed her friend and walked out, leaving Ryan sitting there, stunned.
‘She couldn’t handle being held accountable. She walked out rather than admitting she’d treated him horribly.’
Jamie Marinos had little patience for Dave Hand after their rocky retreat. However, she did offer him support after visiting his father in hospital where he was receiving cancer treatment
Jamie vs Dave’s dog
If you thought Jamie Marinos and Dave Hand‘s relationship was salvageable, think again.
Following their rocky retreat, Jamie had little patience left for Dave. Homestays ended up being the breaking point.
The issue? Dave’s dog, Willow.
‘Jamie is not a dog person,’ says a production source.
‘She was already iffy about having to live with Dave and his dog, but when she saw the amount of dog hair in his place, she nearly dry-retched.’
At first, Jamie tried to tolerate it, but when Willow jumped on the couch, it was game over.
‘She stood up and said, “I’m not living with this,” and stormed out.’
Dave was completely blindsided, telling producers, ‘It’s me and Willow – if she can’t accept my dog, then we’re done.’
And, by all accounts, they are.
In a case of déjà vu, Jamie didn’t like living with Dave’s dog, Willow
Jamie’s hospital visit with Dave
But in an unexpected twist, Jamie had one of the most emotional moments of the season when she visited Dave’s father, who is undergoing chemotherapy, in hospital.
Insiders tell me it was a deeply touching moment, with Jamie putting aside their issues to support Dave when he needed it most.
‘She saw Dave in a completely different light, sitting next to his dad, holding his hand,’ a source reveals.
For a moment, it seemed like Jamie might see Dave as more than just an annoying housemate with a hairy dog.
But did it fundamentally change things between them? Not really.
My insider tells me: ‘It was a beautiful moment, but at the end of the day, Jamie still can’t stand Dave’s lifestyle. And Dave? He’s realising he deserves someone who actually likes him.’
Adrian’s heads to Perth with Awhina
While some MAFS couples crumbled during homestays, Adrian Araouzou and Awhina Rutene seemed to grow closer – but it wasn’t without its awkward moments.
An insider tells me that Adrian flew to Perth to experience Awhina’s world, getting a glimpse into her home, daily life and local community.
‘He got to see where she grew up and what her day-to-day life is like,’ a source says.
‘She took him to her favourite beach spots, around the city, and even out to dinner.’
While some MAFS couples crumbled during homestays, Adrian Araouzou and Awhina Rutene seemed to grow closer – but it wasn’t without its awkward moments
But the biggest tension came when Adrian was introduced to Awhina’s mum and twin sister Cleo, with whom he had a rocky past.
‘Going into it, Adrian was a bit nervous because his last interaction with Cleo didn’t exactly end well,’ my insider reveals.
‘There was a bit of awkward tension at first, but he handled it well and they eventually agreed to move on.’
Why Adrian refused to meet Awhina’s son
One of the biggest questions surrounding their relationship was whether Adrian would meet Awhina’s son during homestays. It turns out he declined.
By the time they returned to Sydney, they were stronger than ever
‘He had his reasons,’ adds my spy.
‘Before meeting her son, he wanted to meet the father first – just to make sure everyone was on the same page.
‘Awhina actually understood where he was coming from, and they both agreed it was too soon to introduce them, given they were still working through some things.’
Despite that, the trip to Perth strengthened their bond.
‘They spent every minute off-camera together – going for sunrise walks, grabbing coffee and just enjoying normal life away from the experiment.’
By the time they returned to Sydney, they were stronger than ever.
‘Adrian walked away from homestays feeling like he could really fit into Awhina’s world,’ says a source.
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