Married At First Sight UK's Shona has spoken out about her relationship with Brad for the first time, after the experts stepped in to diffuse an argument between the couple.
If you've been watching this series of MAFS UK, you'll know Brad and Shona's relationship got off to a roaring start, with the pair appearing perfectly aligned during their wedding day and also honeymoon.
But cracks began to show during Confessions Week, when Brad admitted he thought they had different levels of maturity, and he was unsure of Shona's goals and values. During Wednesday's episode, MAFS UK's relationship experts intervened in their relationship after he told her to 'shut up', warning that his behaviour could become 'dangerous'.
Now, Shona has broken her silence on the situation, taking to Instagram Stories to share a statement about her experience. She wrote:
"It’s difficult to see what everyone else could see and what you are watching play out now. It’s uncomfortable to see this from the outside perspective and feeling what arises up for me in witnessing what everyone else could see and now you’re watching it play out just as we watch it for the first time. I could honestly write so much as there are so many factors involved with what goes down within our pairing, a lot of things which happen off camera and things that aren’t aired.. the good and the ugly.
"Most importantly I need to remember how far I’ve come since then. I’ve truly learnt so much on this journey, it’s been a huge lesson for me and it actually has been a very, very happy ending."
In a second post, she continued, "I’m choosing to focus on the lessons I’ve learnt from my journey on MAFS and turning this into a positive life lesson. In these sort of conversations which we had where I felt I was being completely patronised and belittled I have learnt and I am always still learning that I am beautiful the way I am, I don’t need to change for anyone and I’ll never let somebody make me feel inadequate to them if it’s intentional or not."
Since the episode aired, Brad reportedly posted a video to his Instagram stories. While he said he took "full responsibility" for his actions, he also defended his behaviour. He said he isn't a controlling person and that people commenting on the situation haven't experienced it themselves, whereas those who have can understand how "things can become a pressure cooker".
"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," said Brad.
"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."
MAFS UK continues on E4 at 9pm.
