‘YOU CAN’T FORCE CHEMISTRY’
Ben Jardine, 37, was matched with Stephanie, 33, on Married At First Sight in 2018. Initially, it seemed the matchmakers had worked their magic, with sparks flying immediately. But after the cameras stopped rolling, the arguments began – as did the headlines. Ben and Stephanie decided to live apart, and after just a few weeks, they split, with Ben describing the marriage as a “chore”.
Since his appearance on the show, Ben has faced a public backlash, with rumours emerging that he had a secret 20-year-old girlfriend, and that he broke up with his Stephanie by announcing it during a radio interview.
Ben went on to appear on the final series of Celebrity Big Brother. During his time in the house, he confessed to housemates that he was expecting his first child with a mystery woman, and their daughter was born in November 2018. But, despite the drama, he says he wouldn’t change a thing.
He explains, “Stephanie was gorgeous and had a heart of gold but, after the honeymoon, it became obvious we weren’t meant to be. She wanted romance and regimented date nights, but I’m more spontaneous and I don’t think you can force love like that. We should have taken more time to understand what the other wanted out of a relationship. Instead, we just argued.
“The biggest piece of advice I can give to this year’s couples is to be honest with yourself, and your partner. I should have told Stephanie straight away that I wasn’t feeling it, but I was scared, and I let it drag on longer than it should have. That wasn’t fair on either of us.
“But if I could go back, I’d do it all again. My wedding will always be one of the best days of my life, and I hope this year’s crop will enjoy every second of it. It’s definitely a story to tell the grandkids!
“Stephanie and I aren’t on speaking terms at the moment – apart from through lawyers to finalise our divorce – which is a real shame. She’s a great girl, and while I know a lot has been said, I never did anything intentionally to hurt her. I’d love to be able to call her for a chat. For now, I’m still looking for love and I wish the couples this year the best of luck. People will say they’re mad, but I’d tell them to ignore the critics. I still have faith in the process. It didn’t work out for me, but hopefully this year MAFS will make two people very happy.”