MAFS UK's Nelly explains how she found out Julia-Ruth wanted to husband swap

22 October 2025, 11:05

MAFS UK's Nelly has revealed when she found out Julia-Ruth wanted to husband swap. Picture: E4 / Instagram

By Abbie Reynolds

Married at First Sight UK's Nelly has addressed her claim that Julia-Ruth wanted to husband swap and be with Steven.

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The fourth commitment ceremony on this year's Married at First Sight UK was an intense watch, as Julia-ruth came under scrutiny from the entire cast over her feelings towards Divarni.

Not only was Julia-Ruth essentially called fake by most of the cast, and the experts, Nelly let slip that she'd found out Julia-Ruth's feelings for Steven were deeper than we thought.

Julia-Ruth had told half of the group that she'd 'marry' Steven in a game of 'Snog, Marry, Avoid'. She then doubled down on this in front of Divarni, when she was asked if she found anyone in the group physically attractive during a dinner party. She was quick to admit that she was physically attracted to Steven.

Then, during the commitment ceremony, Nelly revealed that she'd heard from others in the cast that Julia-Ruth had actually plotted to stay in the experiment with hopes that during Partner Swap week she'd be partnered with Steven.

Read more: MAFS UK's Steven finally speaks out amid Julia-Ruth affair rumours

Nelly and Rebecca from Married at First Sight Uk — The dinner party was full of shocking moments. Picture: E4

Nelly told the experts: "After last week's commitment ceremony, she'd met some people from the group and said that she'd really fancied Steven and that she needs to stay for two more weeks because she hopes she gets him for Partner Swap."

Julia-Ruth didn't deny the comment but argued that it had been "a group of them", however she didn't explain further.

This was then not brought up again during the commitment ceremony but fans still had questions. In a Q&A on Instagram, one fan asked Nelly: "Where did it come from about Julia??? Why didn't you say at the dinner party?"

MAFS UK - Nelly Patel clears up Julia-Ruth tension

Nelly replied: "It's not like I chose to hide the information about Julia-Ruth and chose to reveal it then. It is just the fact that I only found out about in then.

"Obviously these commitment ceremonies are long days, we have breaks for food, toilet breaks and then just general breaks. Julia-Ruth had had quite a lot of heat at this point of the commitment ceremony and I actually mentioned to one of the girls, I was like, 'I actually feel really bad, I might just go and check in on her'.

"I was with Maeve, it was at that point that she said: 'I know you want to check in on her because that's the type of person you are but you do need to know what she's been saying behind your back.'

She said that Keye confirmed Julia-Ruth's comments, adding: "They have no reason to lie... it had been said at the big day out."

Julia-Ruth and Divarni during the fourth commitment ceremony. Picture: E4

She explained: "And then literally after that break, that was it, it was Steven and I's time on the couch and it had to sort of be addressed. But that's it, I literally found out maybe five minutes before I mentioned it on the sofa with the experts."

Julia-Ruth hasn't spoken about the claim, but said after the episode aired: "2/6 we got a long way to go 💥🥊 … Woohoo another fun night🫠, what did you think about our decision?"

The episode was actually left on a cliffhanger so viewers don't know what their decision was. However the "2/6" suggests there is more to come from Julia-Ruth.

MAFS UK continues tonight on E4 at 8pm.