MAFS Australia’s Luke says Mel relationship 'left him with PTSD'

23 March 2026, 12:44

Married At First Sight Australia’s Luke Fourniotis has opened up about the mental health struggles he has faced following his split from Mel Akbay.

Having made it clear he didn't want to watch the show back, Married At First Sight Australia’s Luke Fourniotis has now claimed he was left with "a bit of PTSD" following his marriage to Mel Akbay.

Luke entered the experiment hoping the experts would match him with "an optimistic, energetic, bubbly girl" who he can spend his life with. He was matched with Mel, who has received a lot of backlash for her behaviour on the show.

Their wedding day started on a bad note when Luke forgot the rings and arrived late, leaving Mel alone at the altar. Although the pair tried to make things work, they struggled to form a romantic connection and left at the third commitment ceremony.

Now that the show is airing and UK viewers are watching their relationship unfold, Luke has shared the struggles he’s faced while the show airs.

• Read more: MAFS Australia bride 'fired' from her job after "awful" dinner party behaviour

In an interview with Daily Mail Australia, Luke shared that he'd been given "so much support" throughout the show. However, in the first few weeks he wasn't enjoying the experience and looking back he said he has "a bit of PTSD".

He said: "I've been given so much support like throughout the show, and for some reason like the first week, second week, I wasn't enjoying it at all... And I realised I feel like I actually had a bit like of PTSD."

Luke also shared how he felt "alone and isolated" during the honeymoon, saying he felt Mel never opened up to him throughout the experiment, not even on a friendship level. He said: "[It was] like endless effort on my end to try and be friends with her."

After he split from Mel and left the show, Luke shared that he "suppressed" his emotions about the experience. So when he did watch it back, it was "tough to watch" and made him feel "upset".

In final reflection, Luke shared that he doesn't regret appearing on the show, as he's now in a better headspace and has "come to terms" with everything.

Mel has also spoken about her time on the show, apologising for the way she came across in an Instagram statement.

She wrote: "Over the past few weeks l've watched parts of myself on TV that have been difficult to see. There were moments where I didn't communicate well and came across insensitive.

"For that, I'm truly sorry to anyone who felt hurt or offended."

She even apologised for not forming a romantic connection with Luke, writing: "Lastly, I'm sorry for not developing romantic feelings for Luke and that the experiment didn't go the way we both would've hoped.

"Luke is a good person and I genuinely wish him the best. At the end of the day, I'm still learning like everyone else."

Read more about MAFS news here:

• Who is MAFS Expert Mel Schilling? Age, net worth, health battle and husband revealed
• MAFS Australia's Chris' shocking unseen footage has viewers saying Sam 'dodged a bullet'
• Are MAFS Australia's Sam and Chris still together?
• MAFS expert John Aiken praises "incredible" Mel Schilling after terminal cancer diagnosis
• MAFS Australia's Luke's age, job, dad and everything we know

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