Married At First Sight UK just wouldn't be the same without its crack team of knowledgeable experts, who are always on hand with advice for each batch of newlyweds. As the hit E4 show returns with its ninth season, find out more about Mel Schilling, Paul Brunson and Charlene Douglas below…
© Photographer,Channel 4Mel Schilling
When she's not busy matchmaking on MAFS, Mel can be found at home in London with her husband Gareth and their nine-year-old daughter, Maddie.
While Mel and Gareth have been married since 2018, they've been together for over a decade after meeting on a dating website.
The couple went through IVF to welcome their daughter. Mel told Women's Day in 2022: "I feel like I worked really hard to bring her into this world and now that we have her, and we’re only having one, she’s just so incredibly important to us."
As for her career, Mel, 52, was a practising psychologist for 20 years before becoming a relationship guru and now works with women to build their courage and confidence.
She's appeared on MAFS since 2015 and also appears on the Australian version of the show.
© Channel 4Paul Brunson
Professional matchmaker and certified life coach has been a MAFS expert since 2020 – and viewers may also recognise him from E4's Celebs Go Dating.
The TV star, who hails from the US, worked as an investment banker and business executive before changing careers. As well as appearing on reality dating shows, Paul works as a Global Relationship Science Expert at Tinder and also hosts the dating and relationships podcast, We Need To Talk.
As for his own love life, Paul has been married to his wife Jill for the last 23 years. They share two children, Kingston and Liam.
Like his co-star, Paul and his wife underwent IVF to welcome their two sons.
In a post on Instagram, he penned: "We tried unsuccessfully for 8 years to have a baby, so we turned to IVF for help. Initially, the process was unsuccessful, devastating actually, because Jill became pregnant, and then we lost our child. We still consider him our first baby. Then, after a break and another cycle, we got Kingston! We continued for another cycle, and Liam was born!"
© REXCharlene Douglas
Charlene is a sex and relationship expert who has been a regular face on MAFS since 2021. When she's not on our screens, Charlene works as a corporate speaker and motivational coach. She's also a published author having released her book, Come Closer Book, earlier this summer.
The intimacy coach, who is based in London, likes to keep her personal life private, so her current relationship status is unknown.
She did, however, previously open up about her decision not to have children while reflecting on her experience of sex education at school.
"I think sex education has definitely got much better at school. In my day, I remember the girls and boys were separated," she told Express.co.uk last year.
"I found out about childbirth, which put me off for life. And it's the secret that you weren't really supposed to tell the boys about."
© @chloeburrows/InstagramMAFS's new podcast host
Former Love Island star Chloe Burrows has joined the MAFS UK family as the new host of the returning podcast, Married at First Sight UK: It's Official!.
Each week, Chloe will give her take on the couples while also welcoming a celebrity guest, who'll bring out the honesty box and give their views on some of the biggest moments. Brides and grooms will also feature on the show, as well as the MAFS UK relationship experts.
Chloe said of her new gig: "I am SO excited to be joining the MAFS UK family. I absolutely love the show, and get so invested in all the couples so this quite literally is the perfect job for me. I cannot wait to delve into the drama and be able to grill the couples on the things we all really want to know about. It is really exciting and I cannot wait to get into the studio and for the new season to start!"
