Ouch! Eliot says his most controversial MAFS Australia moment was ‘taken way out of context’

Married At First Sight Australia kicked off to a great start as the first groom Eliot Donovan rubbed people the wrong way with his comments about wanting a woman under 30.

In the first episode of season 12, Eliot proved that pretty people can be ugly on the inside as he shared his non-negotiable list and refused to compromise his “values.” He was the most controversial groom of the season until Tim Gromie popped up in the following episode.

In one particularly cringeworthy moment, he told producers he was disappointed to not be matched with a woman under 30. The moment caused quite a stir on Twitter, but Eliot has since claimed it was taken “way” out of context.

Here’s what Eliot Donovan actually said on MAFS Australia

Everyone is allowed to have a type but if reality TV has taught us anything over the years it’s that your type can’t be based on completely shallow characteristics. Even hair colour is a little strange because what do you mean you’re only into blonde girls?

Reacting to Eliot’s questionable comment about wanting a woman “under 30”, one person penned on Twitter: “Eliot… you’re not talking about values, you’re talking about your superficial, shallow checklist… grow up or go home.”

“Eliot wanted an under-30 ‘librarian type’?? Is he for real? He would never be attracted to that type of woman. His ego needs arm candy!!” another said.

But now it seems that animosity might have been premature because Eliot’s “under 30” comment was part of a larger discussion around what didn’t work between him and Lauren Hall.

Eliot: ‘I’m not into superficial things.’

Also Eliot: ‘I wanted a 25 year old blonde who will pop out them kids quick!’ 😑 #MAFS #MAFSAU pic.twitter.com/l33ImK4w9D

— petty cragdale 💮 (@artpunkamor) January 29, 2025

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“The thing was, [the producers] asked me, ‘Why did you leave?’ and I was like, ‘Look, we didn’t click, I don’t see a future’. And then they just pushed the question again and again and again until they got whatever answers they wanted, and that was an answer but it wasn’t the whole answer,” he told Yahoo.

“It was more just like, if they phrase the question like, ‘So Eliot, what on your non-negotiables didn’t line up?’ and then they put it on me and I go, ‘Oh well she’s 37’ and they don’t show them asking the question, they show me volunteering information and it comes across very different.”

Eliot also noted how he would look past the age factor if he “met the girl of my dreams and she happened to be 37.”

There’s a lesson to be learned here though: If you don’t say it, producers can’t make it worse in editing.

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