Recap | Married at First Sight Season 12 Episode 20 – the latest episode recap on TV Central from Channel 9. Watch the show on 9Now.
It’s the day of the fourth Dinner Party but while most of the matches get ready, one of the experiment’s strongest couples are facing a shocking crisis.
Carina and Paul are waking up in separate apartments, and Carina recounts why.
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The night before, she and Paul were in a car with Rhi and Jeff on their way home and she chose to play a song from a rapper she’d slept with in the past.
She told the group this, and because she and Paul had been open about their pasts previously, she didn’t think much of it.
However, Paul felt upset and disrespected by this, so upon returning to the apartments Carina apologised and gave him a cuddle.
He then requested space so she says she took herself off to bed.
“And that’s when, yeah, he punched the wall,” Carina explains.Play Video
Carina explains what happened overnight between her and Paul
Paul has woken up ashamed and full of remorse, wondering if he’s completely destroyed his relationship.
Carina doesn’t think it’s acceptable behaviour and has a lot she wants to hash out, but says she isn’t scared by him and wants to hear him out.
He arrives in tears and apologises.
Carina wants to find out what exactly caused the reaction, and Paul says he couldn’t take her apology for the comment sincerely.
They disagree about the events that led to Paul’s overreaction, but can agree it definitely was one.
She doesn’t want to throw their relationship away, so Carina says it’s up to Paul to put in the work and make things up to her so they can move forward.Play Video
Paul apologises to Carina
The rest of the couples are completely unaware as they get Dinner Party ready.
In fact, Jacqui’s stuck on something that happened at the end of last week – Rhi’s explanation to the experts at the last Commitment Ceremony of what happened when Jacqui texted Jeff.
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“She thinks I broke girl code, I think she broke the rules of humanity,” she says, gearing up to confront Rhi over dinner.
Awhina and Adrian are getting ready separately for the second week in a row, after what was supposed to be Adrian’s redemption week crashed and burned over an explosive family lunch.
Veronica and Eliot are also having issues after she did not think hearing about his darkest childhood memory told her enough about him.
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He wants to patch things up, so goes to see if she’d like to walk into the Dinner Party together despite it all.
…and she does not.
”If you don’t believe you have a reason to apologise to me, I’m not your mother, I wasn’t brought here to fix you,” she says, asking him to leave.
Cocktail Hour
Jacqui and Ryan are the first to arrive and the experts are positively shook by how happy they look together.
“I haven’t cried in four days, which is a new record!” Jacqui laughs.
Her good mood soon dissipates when Rhi and Jeff arrive. She’s planned three things to say to Rhi tonight, about respect, truth and one other thing she can’t remember right now.
Adrian arrives solo and recounts his disastrous family and friends lunch, blaming Cleo for being so reactive and expressing disappointment that Awhina is defensive of her.
But when Awhina arrives, after eaves-dropping a little from the other side of the door, he pulls her aside and says he doesn’t want to work through the lunch in front of the group.
She’s confused. Was he not just telling all the grooms about it?Play Video
Awhina catches Adrian talking about her family
”Adrian has one set of rules for himself and a different set for Awhina,” Mel reacts, as the experts watch on.
They’re impressed by Awhina pushing back on him and she clearly feels the same, telling the camera that she feels like she’s found her voice more now.
Veronica enters and barely acknowledges Eliot’s existence.
He then watches on nervously – yes, while running a hand through his hair – as she and Lauren hug and gush over each other’s looks.
Carina and Paul arrive just in the nick of time, as dinner is served.
Dinner Party
There is no easing into it tonight, as Paul immediately clinks his glass to tell the group about what happened.
“I did something that I absolutely regret, something that is absolutely unacceptable,” he begins, before explaining their “massive argument”.
“I lost control and I punched a hole in the bedroom door… it’s disgusting and I’m still hating myself for doing this.”
He again apologises, says it’s never happened before and it will never happen again.
Watching on, the experts explain how serious this is.
”Paul has behaved in a totally unacceptable way,” John reacts.
“And he needs to be able to control his behaviour, period,” Alessandra agrees.
They notice the quiet atmosphere in the room, as the group don’t quite know how to handle this admission.
Dave expresses his disappointment in Paul, while Jamie asks how Carina is.
She says she accepts him taking accountability and isn’t willing to throw in the towel.
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But the experts are not content with just letting it go.
“There’s nothing normal about that behaviour, there’s nothing acceptable about that behaviour,” John says.
They’re shocked by such a serious development and know they “absolutely” have to call it out at the Commitment Ceremony.
Some of the grooms share their perspective in a piece-to-camera, with Eliot saying: “He did take accountability for it, but that’s something that should be called out, that behaviour.
“Even if you’re able to acknowledge it, it’s still despicable behaviour. That’s something I want to have a chat to him about and hold him to account, from one man to another.”Play Video
Paul makes a shocking admission to the group
After Paul’s admission, the conversation turns to Awhina as she fills the group in on her disastrous family catch-up.
She doesn’t think Adrian has ‘shown up’ for her at all this week, but he says he asked her to go for a walk, if she wanted to watch a movie and if she wanted to go for dinner.
They did not watch a movie nor go for dinner, by the way!
”Have you guys gone out for a nice dinner?” Carina asks.
“Yeah course,” Adrian replies, as Awhina shakes her head.
“We went to Nando’s,” he says as the group erupts into laughter.
Look, I love Peri Peri Chicken as much as the next gal but would we classify Nando’s as ‘a nice dinner’?
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Rhi is completely fed up by his excuses and confronts his lack of effort.
As Adrian struggles to defend himself, he claims that no one cares about his feelings and eventually storms away from the table.Play Video
The group question Adrian over the effort he’s put into his relationship with Awhina
Things might be frosty between Morena and Tony following Tony’s baby bombshell, but they’re still absolutely rocking matching salmon pink outfits.
Tony tells the group he’s been struggling this week, but Morena claims this isn’t a new development.
“We found out why Tony doesn’t want a 57 [year-old]… he would like to have a baby!”
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Tony says he has a problem with how she acts when she’s angry.
“You know how beautiful and pretty you are, but your personality gives me the s–ts, man,” he reacts. Oof, that’s harsh!Play Video
The group learns that Tony wants to have a baby
The new couples give their updates. Beth and Teejay are great, Lauren and Clint are great friends, and Veronica and Eliot are… uh oh.
Veronica is crying.
She tells the group she got “nothing” from Eliot’s letter about his sister, while he is hurt that opening up about his pain wasn’t good enough for her.
“What was your pain though?” she asks.
Jamie doesn’t understand how Veronica can’t see that Eliot’s baby sister being put into a coma was a traumatising moment in his life.
She encourages Veronica to be more patient and after each admit they do want to try and move forward, Eliot is feeling much more hopeful for their future.Play Video
Eliot explains why he and wife Veronica entered the Dinner Party separately
Okay, now there is one last elephant in the room! No one but Jacqui can see it, but it’s time to show the whole group.
She’s looking for justice.
“I’ve been crying a lot this week just based on what you did, Rhi,” she begins.
The group offer a lovely chorus of “what did she do?”
Jacqui says Rhi used her time on the Commitment Ceremony couch to “throw shade, and humiliate, ridicule and say mean things about another bride”.
As others butt in, Ryan has his wife’s back and demands they let her speak.
“I feel like the whole texting Jeff situation, I feel like you took it too far… I apologised for that and I felt like I actually didn’t owe you an apology,” she continues.
Cue gasps!
Now Jacqui wants an apology from Rhi.
Rhi is completely bewildered by this and says she wants to be completely done with it.
So… she apologises.
Jacqui is thrilled that things worked out how she wanted, and she didn’t even have to get out her lecture notes.
It’s been a big night, but at least she’s leaving with a smile on her face.Play Video
Jacqui confronts Rhi over the texting saga
On Sunday night, the Commitment Ceremony brings plenty of love and a surprise bombshell.
The experts will also face Paul, and hear both his and Carina’s perspective on what happened.
A statement from Channel 9 and Endemol Shine on the topics covered in this episode: “Nine and Endemol Shine Australia have treated this matter extremely seriously.
“Our first priority at all times has been the wellbeing and safety of the participants and after extensive consultation with Carina, she wanted to remain in the experiment with Paul. We continue to provide support for Carina and Paul.
“Nine and Endemol Shine take their obligations in respect to the health and wellbeing of the participants of this program extremely seriously. All participants have access to the show psychologist and welfare resources during filming, during broadcast and once the program has ended.
“Nine also have an additional service for participants should they like or need further individual and confidential psychological support. This service gives participants access to clinicians to support those involved in the program in relation to their experiences. This service is available to all participants for as long as they need it, it does not end.”
If you or someone you know were triggered by anything in this episode, visit www.healthdirect.gov.au.
Married At First Sight airs Sunday at 7pm and Monday to Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Stream every episode of Married At First Sight for free on 9Now
CREDIT: By Chelsea McLaughlin at Nine Entertainment
Please note: This recap first appeared on 9Now located HERE
Please note: This recap was written by Chelsea McLaughlin and made available on TV Central with permission by Nine
TV Central Nine content HERE
Recap | Married at First Sight Season 12 Episode 20
