Married At First Sight UK star Ella Morgan has hit back at Nathanial Valentine after he said he was forced to marry her.
Nathanial, a 36-year-old events manager who identifies as pansexual, was coupled up with Ella, a 29-year-old nurse and MAFS' first ever transgender participant on the hit Channel 4 reality dating show.
He later quit the show and claimed that the production actively tried to create conflict between partners, as well as ignoring their preferences when choosing a partner.
Nathanial claimed in an interview with The Mirror: "The way some were treated on the show became very dark. Pretty much from the start it was a complete sham."
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He added: "I don’t want to upset the good, kind people who work on the show, but what happened to me can’t happen to another person.
"This show needs to have a 'For Entertainment Purposes' all over it. If you go on, you will have a devil whispering in your ear the entire time."
This was in reference to a part of the production team who were called 'The Story', and who Nathanial claims were responsible for pushing participants in a certain direction to fit the story.
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Nathanial explained: "My only deal-breakers were that she didn’t smoke and didn’t work in the sex industry. That’s why I was angry when I learned, before we went on honeymoon, Ella worked as a stripper."
He continued: "But when I asked to speak to my welfare person, I was told it wasn’t a good time. Another occasion, a producer told me I wouldn’t be asked about my family. Not long after, Ella asked me why she was being encouraged to ask me about my family.
"That was the kind of manipulation that went on. The Story were like goblins whispering in people’s ears. I’d be having a great conversation with Ella, she would be pulled away and, five minutes later, we’d have an argument about the exact same thing."
Since then, Ella has opened up about the whole situation on a recent episode of the Saving Grace podcast hosted by Grace Keeling.
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"When did you see that he released that interview?" Grace asked to which Ella replied: "The day that it came out I got sent it."
Grace followed up: "What did you think about the stuff he said in it?"
Ella revealed Nathanial's comments 'feels like a personal attack'.
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She continued: "When someone's like, 'I didn't want someone trans', especially when it comes from someone in the queer community.
"That's what I think it's different with me."
The reality TV star went on: "I get we all have personal preferences. My preference is, usually, a straight guy.
"But I was open minded and that was my decision and I say that with my chest."
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She explained: "If I was put with someone that wasn't a straight cisgender guy, would I complain? No, because I was open-minded from the get-go.
"But to then turn that around and be like, 'they manipulated me into doing that' - no babe.
"You signed it. You ticked it. You're 36-year-old man who's had a lot of life experience. You can say no at any point."
A Channel 4 spokesperson previously told Tyla: "Nathanial entered this process voluntarily with full and informed consent, and in this instance was actually provided with more information than we would ordinarily share with cast members, to make him aware that his bride was trans.
"The matching process entails a detailed interrogation of every participant’s preferences and none of these would be overlooked when deciding who to pair them with.
"The welfare of all contributors on Married at First Sight UK is our top priority and we ensure that appropriate support is available to contributors at all times before, during and after filming – including 24/7 access to a member of the welfare team or psych support."
"The show is an unscripted reality series which follows real events as they naturally unfold, and is in no way scripted."
Married At First Sight UK airs nightly on E4 at 9pm.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT Foundation on 0345 3 30 30 30, 10am–6pm Monday to Friday, or email [email protected]
Topics: Celebrity, Channel 4, Married At First Sight, TV And Film, LGBTQ+
Rhiannon Ingle