Tom Byatt, who married another man on Married At First Sight, said that he had hoped to show his journey of living with HIV and that the diagnosis “doesn’t define you”.
A groom on this year’s Married At First Sight has said that he is “gutted” that his time on the show won’t be airing on TV.
Tom Byatt, who married another man on the show, said that he had hoped to show his journey of living with HIV and that the diagnosis “doesn’t define you”.
He didn’t tag his on-screen husband, but admitted that their relationship didn’t work out and that he was “still very much single”.
Last week, Channel 4 confirmed that it had permanently axed MAFS UK after a review into serious allegations of wrongdoing. An external review was prompted by a BBC Panorama investigation, which included allegations of rape on the programme.
Sharing photos on Instagram of his time on the show earlier this year, Tom declared: “WELL… THE SECRET IS FINALLY OUT! Yes, it’s true… I was a groom on Married at First Sight UK! I’m absolutely gutted that our series won’t be aired, but I’m so grateful for an experience that has genuinely changed my life.”
He went on to explain that he is now able to talk about taking part and his journey, but wasn’t able to share specific storyline or details of what happened during filming due to contractual obligations in place.
Addressing the allegations, Tom said: “Before anything else, I want to acknowledge those who have come forward with allegations and shared their experiences.
“My heart goes out to anyone who has experienced distress or hurt, and I sincerely hope they are receiving the support, care and understanding they deserve. It takes courage to speak openly about difficult experiences, and I believe everyone deserves to be listened to with compassion and respect.”
However, Tom described taking part in the experiment as “genuinely one of the most phenomenal experiences of my life”.
“I went into it with an open heart, a big personality (obviously) and a genuine hope of finding love. But I also went in wanting to share something incredibly personal… My journey of living with HIV.
“I wanted to show people that a diagnosis doesn’t define you, that you are still worthy of love, and that there is absolutely no shame in being HIV positive. Being positive about being positive! And squashing the stigma!”
He said that the experience had taught him a lot about himself and helped in gain confidence in what he truly deserves in life.
“I came out of it a stronger, happier and more empowered version of myself,” he wrote. “I’m incredibly grateful to the production team, the welfare team and everyone who supported me throughout the process.
“And I’m so sad that the world won’t get to meet some of the amazing people who shared this once-in-a-lifetime experience with me.”
Tom continued: “Would it have made brilliant television? ABSOLUTELY! But some experiences are about so much more than what makes it onto a television screen.”
He added: “But one thing’s for sure… I’m still very much single and still on the lookout for love!”
Among those commenting on his post was Love Island’s Molly Marsh, who wrote: “A journey you’ll never forget.”
While former MAFS star Polly Sellman wrote: “But think about the amazing experience you got to have behind closed doors, that isn’t meant to be aired to the whole world. I’m gutted people won’t get to see it but it’s a blessing in disguise, trust me xx.”
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