Melissa Akbay’s Struggles on Married At First Sight Continue
Melissa Akbay, a star of the reality TV show Married At First Sight, has been seen looking visibly upset in Sydney as her marriage to Luke Fourniotis continues to face challenges. Just one week into the Nine network’s popular series, Melissa, 28, has already gained the reputation of being the “villain” among viewers due to her treatment of her groom, Luke, 30.
During filming, Melissa was spotted looking rather forlorn while shopping alone in Sydney. She opted for a casual outfit, wearing a loose pink cardigan over a white T-shirt. Her look was completed with wide-leg blue jeans featuring a flared hem and light pink sneakers. She carried a black and white canvas bag over her shoulder and wore large black headphones.
Melissa was seen eating a small bag of chips while walking the streets without her groom by her side. She also stopped by a local supermarket to pick up groceries, which she likely planned to eat alone in her Sydney apartment.
The early days of Melissa and Luke’s relationship were rocky from the start. The groom arrived late to their wedding after forgetting the rings. He also made an unappealing impression by chewing gum while Melissa recited her vows. Their honeymoon on Louth Island did little to improve their bond, as Melissa forced Luke to sleep on the couch. She also showed a clear lack of interest in him during the first dinner party with the other brides on Monday night.
During Tuesday’s photo ranking challenge, Melissa placed Luke second behind Grayson McIvor, which further strained their relationship. She told Luke, “If someone was to describe who would suit me based on physicality, it would probably be him. And then you. I think you are attractive, you take care of yourself, have a good physique, but I want to be true to myself. So I will put you a close second to Grayson.”
A heartbroken Luke expressed his difficulty in processing Melissa’s decision to producers. “That just knocks me down further, to be honest. Right now I feel massively under-confident,” he said. He later told the Daily Mail that he was shocked by Melissa’s actions, which had weakened their relationship. “Being the only groom not ranked first wasn’t easy,” he said. “If you’re in a relationship, you want to make the other person feel secure. Ranking someone first is such an easy way to do that.”
Luke admitted that even if Melissa privately felt he wasn’t her number one, the public rejection hurt. “Even if you think I’m second or third, it doesn’t hurt to put me first,” he said. “It just makes someone feel liked, feel secure. That didn’t happen.”
However, Luke insists that the ranking itself wasn’t the biggest blow. “The main thing was she didn’t even let me in as a friend,” he said. “This experiment would have been so much more enjoyable for both of us if we could have just been friends.”
Meanwhile, a teaser for Wednesday night’s episode suggests that the tension between Melissa and Luke will only grow colder. Melissa is seen sitting down with Luke, telling him that there was an issue she wanted to discuss. The narration reveals that the source of her unease was social media comments about her posted by Luke’s sisters.
After packing his bags to stay at a “mate’s place” on Tuesday night, it looks as though the relationship is about to hit a breaking point. Married At First Sight continues on Wednesday at 7:30pm on Nine.
