Brad and Shona’s MAFS UK marriage is proof that too much, too soon never works

Brad and Shona from MAFS UK took a grilling this week, mostly from Luke, who challenged the couple’s connection with each other. It seems like the whole cast are over their incessant love bombing and seem to see right through it.

With that in mind, Heart Bingo’s relationship expert and co-founder of So Syncd, Louella Alderson, spoke to The Tab to discuss Brad and Shona’s relationship on this series of MAFS.

Their relationship has been intense right from the start; not only did Shona confess at the hen do that she loved her husband even before meeting him, but the couple went one further and dropped the L-bomb incredibly early into their marriage, with Brad confessing he was falling in love with Shona on the honeymoon. Like, come on.

Viewers were immediately concerned for Shona, understandably, with people taking to X (formerly Twitter) to say that Brad’s behaviour was seriously worrying and compared the relationship to a “cult of one”, with Brad being almost worshipped by his wife. And already Brad has broken Shona’s trust by telling the rest of the cast intimate details about their sex life.

We asked Louella Alderson whether Brad and Shona are proof that too much too soon in a relationship never works. She said: ”

“Brad is showing signs of being controlling and manipulative, talking about how he “allows” Shona to feel and do things. This is a major red flag in any relationship and highlights the importance of taking things slow in a real-life scenario. It’s important to remember that it takes time to develop a true connection.”

“Rushing into a relationship without properly getting to know each other can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and, ultimately, heartbreak.

Most Read

On and off: The relationship status of each MAFS UK 2024 cast member and who’s dating now

Adam told us what happened to the disappearing red wine stains on his jacket during MAFS

Inside the raunchy MAFS UK watch party that hints there’s been yet another couple swap

“If Brad and Shona had taken the time to really get to know each other and establish a strong foundation before declaring their love for each other and before Shona gave herself completely to Brad, they might have avoided some of the challenges they are facing now.”

Their marriage is all the proof we need that going too fast in a relationship never works. They’ve both jumped head first into their relationship and have relied on sexual chemistry alone, without really getting to know each other. They both spoke of their relationship having layers, but failed to back this up with anything solid.

Shona’s dating history has been much the same, and she previously told The Tab: “I’ve had a lot of two year relationships like loads and loads and loads”. So surely she must know this isn’t the way to go about a new relationship.

Louella also said: “Shona has put Brad on a pedestal and has allowed herself to be swept up in the fast-paced romance. This is a common mistake in relationships. It’s important for individuals to maintain their own identities and boundaries within a relationship rather than lose themselves completely in their partner.

“While rushing into things and declaring your love early on in a relationship may feel exciting in the moment, it isn’t a sustainable way to build a lasting, healthy partnership. Building a strong foundation and truly getting to know each other on a deeper level is crucial for a relationship to thrive.”

In Tuesday’s episode, the elephant in the room was finally addressed. Speaking to Brad at the start of the dinner party, Luke asked him directly what connection the couple actually has, other than their sexual chemistry of course. I have to admire his boldness – despite being called out by Laura for calling her a gold digger, he hasn’t shied away at speaking his truth so far. But as we saw, Brad deflected, leaving some viewers under the impression that he’s not being as genuine as he says he is.

And things only got worse from there after Luke and Jay ranked the couples by how genuine they are. It sent Shona into a tailspin and where Brad could have consoled her, he instead reacted with hostility and almost ridiculed her for being upset. I agree with Brad in that she shouldn’t need outside validation of her relationship, but there are nicer ways of speaking to your spouse. And the face Brad pulled was so embarrassing from him.

MAFS Brad and Shona prove that marriage requires so much more than lust alone. There is no way they can continue this momentum and expect things to work out. They’ve already discussed kids – not only is that wildly premature but can you imagine being the child exposed to the PDA in that house? No thank you.

MAFS UK 2023 continues tonight on E4. For more like this on MAFS Brad and Shona and their marriage, like The Holy Church of MAFS on Facebook.

Related articles recommended by this author:

• How the MAFS UK Experts pick out the fame hungry from those genuinely looking for love

• Luke calls fellow MAFS groom a ‘pr*ck’ and ‘f*cking kn*bhead’ in wild Instagram rant

• Luke reveals three huge MAFS UK rules that brides and grooms have to follow after filming