Luke Fourniotis, a 30-year-old farmer on Married At First Sight Australia, has shared why he decided to remain in the experiment despite Melissa Akbay’s public declaration of ‘no spark’ during Sunday’s episode.

Decision to Stay Despite Rejection

Fourniotis seriously contemplated exiting the show after Akbay’s blunt rejection in front of the group, where she expressed hopes for a fairy tale romance. However, he chose to continue, stating, ‘It didn’t feel right to leave the show without even giving the experts a chance.’

He aimed to avoid ending his journey on a negative note, emphasizing, ‘I didn’t want to leave with animosity towards Mel. I didn’t want everyone to look back at the experience and think it was just horrible.’

Emotional Toll on Confidence

The experience deeply affected Fourniotis’s self-assurance. ‘I’d become an absolute shadow of myself. I lost my confidence and I just really didn’t like it,’ he revealed.

The public nature of the rejection amplified the pain. ‘Hearing it in front of the whole group makes you feel even more vulnerable,’ he explained. ‘It’s almost embarrassing being on the receiving end of that.’

Path Forward: Building Friendship First

Despite the setback, Fourniotis remains optimistic about resetting their dynamic. ‘Forget about intimacy, forget about romance, even physical touch – none of it,’ he said. ‘We just need to work on becoming friends first because up until now we’ve never been able to do that.’

He anticipates Intimacy Week will differ significantly for them compared to other couples.

Experts’ Intervention and Group Dynamics

During the Commitment Ceremony, experts delivered pointed feedback to Akbay, which Fourniotis viewed positively. ‘I never want the experts to come for Mel,’ he noted. ‘But it was beneficial that they were able to call out some of the things that were actually hindering progress. It gave me a sense of hope.’

Scenes showing Akbay discussing their lack of ‘green flags or red flags’ with other brides left him blindsided. ‘I was putting my best foot forward and trying the best that I could,’ he said. ‘It was so upsetting. It hurt more than anything.’

Post-episode, he noticed cooler interactions from some brides. ‘I remember walking down the corridor and a few of the girls kind of brushed me off. I was thinking, “What have I done wrong?”‘ he recalled. ‘It all made sense when I saw what had been said.’

Addressing Rumors

Fourniotis denied encouraging his sisters to post negative online comments about Akbay. ‘The comments had already been deleted before she even brought it up,’ he insisted. ‘I asked my sisters to delete them because it reflected poorly on me. I haven’t been talking badly about her. That’s just not fair.’

He also rejected claims of coordinating media coverage. ‘That’s completely not true,’ he affirmed.

Though no romantic feelings have developed, Fourniotis seeks a basic connection. ‘I wouldn’t say I had feelings for Mel,’ he admitted. ‘But I really wanted to break through and just get along, have some laughs and chill out. I really wanted to form some sort of connection.’

Married At First Sight Australia airs Tuesdays at 7:30pm on Channel Nine.