There has been a tiny trickle of brand new content from this year’s MAFS participants since the show finished, however, it’s widely reported that they still don’t have control over their own social media accounts.
The latest case in point is a photo that Dom posted on her story today that shows her and her on-screen husband Jack cuddled up with their dogs. The couple were fan favourites on the show, and viewers were left shocked when they revealed that they’d broken up post-filming.
While the photo has fans speculating that the couple is back together, Herald Sun has previously reported that Channel Nine is retaining control of participants’ social media accounts until May, when the series has finished screening in the UK.
A recent interview with Olivia’s publicist Max Markson seems to confirm that the contestants still don’t have control over their accounts – and won’t until early May. Markson revealed that he created an online petition for this year’s participants to regain access sooner.
“LET MY PEOPLE GO! Poor MAFS 2022 personalities are not allowed access to their Instagram until May or beyond! This is a petition to ask Channel 9 politely to, ‘Let my people go!” Markson wrote on the online petition.
It continued: “Please Channel 9, let MAFS stars enjoy the interaction with their thousands of followers. It’s Instagram purgatory and un-Australian not to allow them to interact with their followers and be praised, lauded and earn money from paid posts.”
However, the petition only managed to receive 10 signatures before it was closed down.
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‘It was up. And now, just like that, it’s gone,’ Markson told Herald Sun of the removal. He went on to say that he received an “anonymous unsigned legal letter” demanding that he remove the petition.
A quick check through the Instagram accounts of this year’s MAFS participants shows only show related content on their grids – bar one story from Tamara has showing her dog running on the beach.
The lack of content from the stars – especially considering their explosive and opinionated personalities on the show – does back up the claims that they aren’t able to access their accounts. However, it also begs the question of why Dom has some cosy new content with Jack on her stories – and whether the producers are trying to push the narrative that the couple has rekindled their relationship.
For more on this topic follow the Film and TV Observer.
