"They're not of interest to me." Martha on her relationship with the rest of the MAFS cast.

Despite the whole premise of the show, Married At First Sight is not known for creating lasting relationships.

So Martha Kalifatidis and her partner Michael Brunelli are a bit of an anomaly.

Former reality TV star, influencer and NIP+FAB brand partner, Martha, told Mamamia that more than a year on from their ‘wedding’ and nine months after it played out on screen during MAFS, she and Michael are still going strong.

Martha shared with Mamamia the advice she’d give her five-year-old self. Post continues below video.

“You could say it’s down to fate, maybe it’s just meant to be,” she explained. “We really compliment each other. We are opposites, but the perfect opposites. We really balance each other out. Where I’m weak, he’s strong, where he’s weak, I’m strong.”

And after surviving the roller coaster that is MAFS, she reckons they could make it through anything.

“Our relationship was tested and was put under so many pressure points so early on,” she said.

“Most relationships would not probably encounter half the things that we did in such a short period of time, so we learned real quickly what each other’s boundaries were and how the other person deals with stress, things like that.

“What we went through would probably break so many relationships, we were put under so much pressure and stress, but instead of breaking up or breaking down or fighting it actually brought us together and we leaned on each other. I feel like that’s where many relationships may fail, they don’t let that other person in to relieve some pressure. I think that’s what saved us and I think that’s what helped us to become so strong. We are such a united unit now.”

 

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Though she came away with a strong relationship, the same can’t be said for friendships with other cast members. Following the show, it seemed each month there was a new reported ‘feud’ between cast mates along with subtle (or not subtle) social media shade.

So… don’t expect the cast to get together for a reunion anytime soon.

Martha admitted she doesn’t really speak to anyone from the show, except for the occasional DM or if she bumps into them while out and about.

Does she know what they’re all up to?

“Mel’s still single, she still hasn’t seen a penis,” she laughed.

“Tam, I think, she’s got a romance that she met in Bali. Apparently Lizzie’s going to be on the next season. Cam and Jules are getting married, or not, Cyrell is having a baby with Eden which is… interesting.”

As for series ‘villains’ Ines and Jessika? Well, “I don’t keep tabs on them, they’re not of interest to me,” she said. Fair enough.

One of the biggest struggles of her year has been the negative attention and hate she received from viewers, with many saying she was being disingenuous.

“I feel like there was so much bad press on me after, like ‘Oh she’s just doing it because she wants to be famous, she’s just doing it for Instagram fame’,” Martha said.

We’re months on from the show, but the MAFS cast still make regular headlines.

Despite what the trolls believe, Martha said that in comparison to some of her cast mates, she’s been keeping it pretty low key since the show.

“I’m still the one in my humble little relationship that isn’t putting on a big wedding, I’m not having a baby with the contestant of last year’s Love Island. I’m just chilling, just doing my thing, staying in my lane. If any of that sh*t that people said about me was true, then wouldn’t I be doing all those other things?”

Well… we can’t argue with that.

She’s been enjoying all the opportunities the reality show has created – and relishing the chance to show her online following the ‘real’ Martha.

“I feel like I got a really bad rap [on MAFS], I hate saying that, but I just feel like no one got to see the real me on the show,” she said, admitting the pressure of the show brought out “a really ugly side” in her.

"I want people to get to know the real me, because that's who I like. I like the real Martha, not the Martha that's portrayed on TV. The wine pour, the face mask, the fighting. That is not me, that is not my life.

"It's the people that you're put in the ring with essentially. Hindsight is such a beautiful thing. Everyone can see everyone's true colours."