Women’s Aid issues statement about Brad’s ‘controlling behaviour’ on Married At First Sight

Women’s Aid have issued a statement about Brad’s “controlling behaviour” on the show.

Last night’s MAFS UK commitment ceremony was hard to sit through. Fans were shocked after watching Brad tell his wife to “shut up” during Tuesday’s dinner party, as well as hear him label her as “emotionally immature” for her disappointment over the other cast members’ opinions of them. Many have since taken to social media to express their concern for Shona.

Unfortunately, things only got worse last night, with viewers fuming at Brad for his comments during the commitment ceremony, where he spoke of “allowing” Shona to be upset.

On the sofa last night where he sat with his wife, and opposite Experts Paul C Brunson, Mel Schilling and Charlene Douglas, Brad said about Shona: “Not that I’m in a position of authority or to teach her, but if I allow her to get angry, is she ever going to learn?”.

via Channel 4

Viewers have since shared their unease about the situation and their worry for Shona. And after the uproar of “controlling” and “manipulative” comments made about MAFS Brad, Women’s Aid provided The Tab with a comment on his behaviour and explained the importance of Experts on the show calling this out.

Teresa Parker, head of media at Women’s Aid, said: “It is really important that the Experts on the show called this out as controlling behaviour and challenged Brad’s view that it was acceptable to say that he had the right to “allow” Shona to be angry.

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“TV programmes like these, which are based on the formation of relationships, need to be aware of the dynamics of controlling and coercive behaviour, and always send a clear message that it is wholly unacceptable.”

After last night’s episode, Brad has since posted a video to Instagram Stories explaining the situation from his point of view. He said he isn’t a controlling person and that most people commenting on the altercation haven’t actually been in the situation themselves. He explained that those who have been in the same situation himself can understand how “things can become a pressure cooker”.

He said: “I am not a controlling person at all. Going back to anyone who knows me personally knows that I don’t have one controlling bone in my body.

“So within the show when I’ve said to Shona ‘You’re allowed to feel’, that’s not me giving permission. That’s just my terminology saying you’re a human being. You’re allowed to feel every emotion.

“So I can see how that’s come across. There’s just a lot of crossed wires that can be portrayed.”

The Tab has contacted Brad for comment.

MAFS UK 2023 continues tonight on E4. For more like this on MAFS Brad and Women’s Aid, like The Holy Church of MAFS on Facebook.

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Featured image via Channel 4 before edits.