MAFS UK's Ashley and Grace's shocking "compliment" row leaves viewers divided

30 October 2025, 11:49

Married at First Sight UK fans are divided over Ashley and Grace's latest argument after his "compliment" fell flat.

The viewers are fighting! Married at First Sight UK couple Ashley and Grace seemed to hit breaking point during the latest dinner party which came after Partner Swap week.

Grace admitted that she and Ashley had entered Partner Swap on bad terms after a "compliment" Ashley gave her fell flat. She revealed to Abi that she had a problem with her intimate area and Ashley had been all over her trying to initiate sex.

When she expressed she didn't want to be intimate, she asked why Ashley was being like "a dog with a bone". She said he then said: "There's a half naked woman with a good body in front of me, what do you expect?" Grace said it felt like he was saying that if any woman was in front of him he'd feel the same way.

However, when Ashley relayed what he'd said to others he had described it differently, specifically saying "my wife is in front of me".

• Read more: Everything we know about MAFS UK's Steven's 'secret' so far

Relationship expert Mel Schilling aligned with Grace in the situation, saying that no matter how he'd phrased it, the intended compliment "didn't land well".

"Essentially what he's saying here is, 'I'm not responsible for what comes out of my mouth'. Well guess what? You're an adult, you are," she remarked.

While most of the people Grace spoke to around the dinner table agreed that it wasn't an "uplifting compliment", viewers are completely divided.

On Reddit, one MAFS viewer called Grace "narcissistic" and "toxic", writing: "She told Ash that he needs to “reflect on his behaviour” (like some kind of child who did something naughty) because she gets offended at literally everything, including compliments on her appearance, but never doing anything at all to meet in him the middle."

However, another viewer responded: "i'm trying really f----- hard to be understanding with people's diatribe about grace, but it's getting ridiculous now. did we watch the same episode? i just saw someone accusing her of being narcissistic and toxic. again, did we watch the same episode??"

In agreement, one viewer said: "Honestly, I think people are stripping this of all nuance and going “but it was a compliment!” If Ash really did say, “What do you expect?” it reinforces the idea that men are helpless around female bodies and that women should find it flattering."

Another Reddit user wrote: "Grace comes across to me as a woman who has experienced being treated poorly and is using boundary setting to try and protect herself from repeating that experience - which is a healthy approach to an adult relationship."

Again, there have been lots of viewers on Ashley's side, with one post on X saying: "#MAFSUK Grace, you did it, you broke Ash. You broke the nicest, kindest, funniest, most gracious guy in this years MAFS. Go straight to jail, do not pass GO and do not collect £200."

Another said: "MEL BLAMING ASH YET AGAIN. HOW IS THIS ALLOWED #MAFSUK"

Grace hasn't spoken out since the episode aired. And while Ashley hadn't directly addressed it either, he has shared a statement written by his co-star Steven.

Steven wrote: "You know what...Having to relive watching this guy mentally break has f***ed me!

"From what you can all see is one of the most genuine and sincere blokes you'll ever come across. An amazing Dad, and amazing family man and I tell you what, an absolute catch of a guy!

"I spent a lot of time in the experiment with you, we had our walks, we had our breakfasts/ lunches together and spent a good amount of money behind the bars around the place."

He signed off with: "You're my brother, I love ya & you my man deserve the world."

Read more MAFS UK news here:

• MAFS UK's Julia-Ruth teases return to the show to continue 'villain' journey
• Who is MAFS UK's Steven's ex-girlfriend? Cheating scandal explained
• Which MAFS UK 2025 couples are still together? Who split revealed
• MAFS UK’s Julia-Ruth accuses Divarni of wanting a 'free holiday' after final dinner party showdown
• MAFS UK groom breaks major show rule after his dating profile gets exposed
• What days is MAFS UK on TV? Schedule and times revealed

Listen live to Capital, and catch up on any shows you missed, on Global Player.