Ryan Donnelly Apologizes for Inappropriate Comment About Jacqui on Married At First Sight
Earlier this week, the Married At First Sight experiment stirred controversy when Ryan Donnelly made insensitive comments about his sex life with Jacqui during a public discussion at the show’s Intimacy Week workshop. Jacqui only learned of the remarks on Wednesday night at the Dinner Party, where she was both shocked and upset by what had been said.
Jacqui’s Emotional Response
Reflecting on the incident ahead of Sunday’s Commitment Ceremony, Jacqui expressed a mix of emotions. “I was told eventually what he did, but it wasn’t explained to me in that way,” she shared, adding, “I had no idea he was making fun of me like that. To watch it back… it was 10 times worse than I ever heard from the group.”
Jacqui emphasized that the comment was more than a simple mistake, feeling that Ryan was deliberately putting her down. “He was intentionally bad mouthing me behind my back. And it’s not just a slip up. It’s actually worse than that, because it’s in the context of him making fun of me.”
Disappointment and Disillusionment
Jacqui was particularly disappointed in how her fellow grooms handled the situation. “It was disappointing to see everyone go home and talk about it like school children,” she stated.
Ryan’s Apology
After the comment became public, Ryan apologized for his behavior in a live interview on Today Extra. “I’d like to take this opportunity to apologise to the viewers, to Jacqui, to anyone who was offended by it, to Alessandra who was present in the room… I’m a firm believer in ownership and accountability and yes, 100 per cent what I said didn’t come across well,” he admitted.
Ryan went on to describe the comment as one of his “biggest regrets,” acknowledging that his words were ungentlemanly and disrespectful when aired on national television. “There’s those intrusive thoughts, you know that scallywag inside of you that wants to stir the pot a bit and I guess the medical diagnosis is foot-in-mouth disease.”
Looking Forward
Despite the unfortunate incident, Jacqui and Ryan chose to move forward from the comments made at the Dinner Party. “Jacqui and Ryan are currently working on their relationship, and we’ll see how they progress at the Commitment Ceremony on Sunday night,” the statement concluded.
In Pictures
Every show-stopping Dinner Party look from MAFS 2025
As fans clock something unusual about Ryan’s jacket.
Understanding the Context
Ryan tried to frame his comment within the context of everyday speech, saying, “To put into context, the average person says like 10 times more explicit things on a regular basis with their mates. Now, that does not excuse my comment. It was both ungentlemanly and disrespectful and on national television.”
Commitment Ceremony
The couple will face the commitment ceremony on Sunday, where their newfound understanding and efforts to mend this rift will be put to the test. “Jacqui acknowledged that Ryan apologised and shared his remorse over what happened, and at the end of Wednesday night’s Dinner Party they agreed to try and move on from the incident,” the statement said.
