'My dating life is atrocious after I went on Married on First Sight UK - but I'd 100% do it again', says MAFS star

When Emma Barnes signed up for Married at First Sight 2024 she was 31-years-old and had never had a boyfriend. So, she decided to turn to her favourite TV show to help her find not only a boyfriend, but a husband.

Sadly, all MAFS fans will know that Emma’s marriage to her match Caspar didn’t work out, despite her best efforts, as the pair weren’t able to take their bond beyond a friendship. But, the self-proclaimed real life Bridget Jones is still looking for love.

However, with her post-MAFS fame, that hasn’t been as straight-foward as she had perhaps hoped. The former TV bride sat down for a chat with NationalWorld on behalf of Games Hub to share what’s been going on in her life, one year on from her MAFS wedding.

“My dating life is atrocious,” she laughed. Sharing one rather awkward sounding meeting with a potential connection, she said: “I had a date a couple of months ago where I went to the local pub. It was a first date and I had three people come up to me and ask me for photographs. It was awful.”

She continued to explain how the situation got even more uncomfortable for her when the man went to the bathroom. “I was just pausing, thinking ‘right, processing how the date is going, am I enjoying his company?’, and there were three ladies sat next to me and they turned around and said ‘Emma, you’re on a first date, aren’t you, how’s it going?’ Three strangers!” she said, though still continuing to laugh. “And I was thinking ‘I don’t know if I want to tell three strangers how my first date is going because I haven’t quite processed it myself. It’s a completely different dating life [post-MAFS].”

Emma certainly isn’t giving up on her search for the one, but she confessed it’s been harder than she thought to return to the normal world of dating after being on such a huge TV show. Plus, she believes the whole dating landscape has declined in recent times. “I think the dating world in general is probably worse than it was two years ago; the apps, the transactional value of dating, the flippancy,” she said.

Although Emma may not have come out of MAFS with her forever person, she says she has “no regrets” about taking part. “I think if you turn back the clocks I would 100% do MAFS again,” she said.

But, she wouldn’t return if the much rumoured MAFS All Stars show was created, which would see previous cast members whose unions didn’t work out invited back for a second go at ‘I do’ and happily ever after.

“I don’t think I could do it. . . I would really like the next wedding dress I wear to be with someone that’s asked me to marry them,” she said. Sharing an insight in to what MAFS weddings are actually like, she went on: “Then I can plan the wedding, I know where the venue is going to be, I can have my friends all around me, not just 12 people, I want a big party with someone I love.

“Plus if they invited me back who on earth would I be paired with . . . unless Paul C. Brunson, [one of the show’s relationship experts], decides to fall in love with me,” she joked. “Maybe if Paul was at the end of the aisle. He’s gorgeous!”

Emma, who is from Bristol, still credits the show with changing her life. When viewers were introduced to her last year she was an Investment Sales Manager, but she was so well received by fans of the show she is now a content creator.

“I had the craziest experience and MAFS has completely changed my life,” she said. “I went on thinking the minimum I wanted out of going on was to be able to tell a good story in the pub for the rest of my life. . . I knew I’d learn loads, I knew I’d enjoy the experience . . . I didn’t realise how challenging it would be, but that’s growth.”

She continued: “I never went on the show thinking I would meet the love of my life. I went on the show to learn about myself. I knew I’d learn loads about myself. The experts are so amazing, they really do look in to your soul.”

“I’ve been lucky enough over the last year to work with some amazing brands [and have] some life changing experiences. It doesn’t happen to everyone [who takes part in the show] and I didn’t expect it to happen to me. It’s been wild. MAFS is the most fun show I’ve ever watched and I’m honoured to have been part of it.”

* Married at First Sight UK 2025 is airing on E4 every Sunday to Thursday now. You can watch Emma in MAFS UK 2024 on Channel 4 On Demand any time.