MAFS Australia's Ben takes brutal swipe at Jono and Ellie's 'fake' relationship

24 April 2024, 13:04

So, this is what Ben really thinks of Jono and Ellie's relationship then. Picture: Channel Nine / Instagram

By Alice Dear

Married At First Sight groom Ben has revealed what he really thinks of Jonathan and Ellie's relationship after the scandalous cheating scandal saw the pair partner swap.

Loading audio...

MAFS Australia's Ben, 39, didn't hold back this week when he shared his candid opinions on Ellie and Jonathan's romance, claiming the pair "hatched up a scheme" for post-Married At First Sight life.

Ben was matched up with Ellie, 32, on season 11 of the hit reality TV show by experts John, Alessandra and Mel while 39-year-old Jonathan wed Lauren, 32, with the same ambition to meet the 'the one'. Of course, these relationships didn't work out and ended with Jono and Ellie striking up a relationship after getting to know one another during the experiment.

While Ben has also moved on, reportedly finding love with a new woman, the groom is nowhere near done when it comes to spilling his true feelings about ex Ellie, who he claims always had a “little vindictive side.”

Listen on Global Player, the official Heart App: Spencer & Vogue

Speaking on episode 379 of the So Dramatic! podcast, Ben even went as far as to say Ellie and Jono's relationship is for "publicity" and that he "didn't buy" it.

Ben has claimed that Ellie and Jono 'hatched a plan' for their lives outside of MAFS. Picture: Channel Nine

“I don’t buy what they’re up to and what they’re trying to do, I think they’re onto something," Ben told the host: "They’ve got feelings for each other… But I’m not buying the smugness. I think they got together and hatched up a scheme to be Duncan and Evelyn and live happily ever after, but it backfired.”

READ MORE: Inside MAFS Australia's Jonathan and Ellie's relationship
READ MORE: MAFS Australia's Lauren defends Ellie against trolls following their dramatic reunion
READ MORE: MAFS Australia's Ellie reveals what she really said to Lauren at the explosive reunion

Ben is of course referring to the "smugness" the pair displayed at the reunion dinner party, which caused the couple to receive a lot of criticism online. The MAFS groom also references Duncan and Evelyn from season 10 who, despite being married to other people on the show, found love with one another after the experiment ended.

Jono and Ellie went public with their relationship at the Married At First Sight reunion . Picture: Channel Nine

And while the revelation that Jono was secretly texting Ellie while working on his relationship with Lauren shocked a lot of the cast when it was exposed at the commitment ceremony, it turns out Ben always had a gut feeling they liked one another.

The groom reflected on the moment he first had suspicions: “Ellie and I were going for a run around Centennial Park. We bumped into Jono, they started chatting, and it was like I wasn’t even there.”

Ellie and Jono are still going strong today after leaving their MAFS journey together. Picture: Channel Nine

Ben went on to share his opinion on his failed relationship with Ellie, saying: “Trust is earned, and I never trusted Ellie because it takes time. I f*cked up, I owned it and regretted it, and we talked it out. She accepted my apology, and we were in a fantastic space.”

However, he added that when Ellie bought up the fallout at the dinner party, he became suspicious that she was causing drama in a bid to get more airtime.

“She wanted me to get more involved in drama, [but] I don’t do drama, I felt like she wanted drama to get more airtime," Ben said: "That was a turning point for me where I [wondered] if she was after our best interests or her best interests. I felt like she was hatching up a rather sinister plan. And lo and behold, that bloody backfired.”