Married At First Sight groom Adrian Araouzou has finally addressed the swirling rumors surrounding his alleged "cheating scandal" with fellow bride Sierah Swepstone. The controversy began during Wednesday’s dinner party, where cameras captured Adrian and Sierah appearing to play "footsie" under the table while their respective partners, Awhina Rutene and Billy Belcher, sat nearby. The flirty exchange, which included Sierah puckering up her lips and making kissing gestures toward Adrian, sparked outrage among fans and is expected to cause tension at the upcoming commitment ceremony on Sunday night.
Speaking to the Daily Mail Australia, Adrian, 37, vehemently denied claims that he cheated on his bride Awhina. He dismissed the idea that playing footsie constituted infidelity, calling the accusation "ridiculous." Adrian explained, "If bumping feet under a crowded dinner table is cheating, then half the cast must be guilty. It’s ridiculous. If that is cheating, then I also cheated with Jeff [Gobbles], Rhi [Disljenkovic], and everyone else at the dinner party because we were all sitting close together." He emphasized that there was never anything romantic between him and Sierah, despite their playful interaction.
Adrian did acknowledge that he had spent time with Sierah outside of the dinner party, but he clarified that it was part of a group outing that also included grooms Tony and Billy. He admitted that he should have invited Awhina to join them, but he claimed the two were fighting at the time. "I completely understand why she was upset. In hindsight, I should have invited her as well," he said. Adrian also opened up about the challenges he and Awhina faced in their relationship, suggesting that she often put up "roadblocks" that made it difficult for them to move forward. He expressed frustration, stating, "I was open to trying, but every time I said that, she’d throw in another reason why we wouldn’t work."
Adrian also addressed criticism he received for being realistic about the challenges of becoming a stepfather to Awhina’s child. He argued that he was being unfairly judged for acknowledging the difficulties of stepping into such a role after knowing someone for only two weeks. "People have called me a red flag, but I’ve dissected this more than anyone. It would be immature to say, ‘I’m ready to be a stepdad’ after knowing someone for two weeks," he said. Despite the drama unfolding in the experiment, Adrian expressed confidence that viewers would eventually see past the manufactured chaos and recognize his co-stars’ true colors.
The MAFS groom also took aim at Billy, Sierah’s partner, accusing him of manipulating situations to make himself appear as the victim. "Billy has been acting like a snake this whole time, and now the truth is finally coming out," Adrian said. He slammed Billy for disrespecting Sierah throughout the experiment, calling his treatment of her "disgusting" and "toxic." Adrian claimed that Billy’s behavior included gaslighting Sierah and making her second-guess herself, which he described as one of the worst dynamics in the experiment. "Sierah deserved way better," he added.
Looking ahead, Adrian predicted that the upcoming reunion would be "explosive" as all the secrets and tensions came to light. He hinted that the truth about Billy’s behavior and the manipulating dynamics within the group would finally be exposed. With the commitment ceremony on the horizon, fans are bracing themselves for more drama as the experiment continues to unravel. Adrian’s comments have only added fuel to the fire, leaving viewers eagerly awaiting the next twist in the MAFS saga.
