Married At First Sight groom Timothy Smith has issued a stern warning to the 2026 cast, saying the show will not result in the fairytale ending many of them are hoping for.
Speaking to Daily Mail, the outspoken reality star declared that men who go on the hit Channel Nine experiment dreaming of influencer fame are ‘horribly mistaken’.
‘When it comes to men making money out of reality TV, especially MAFS, it just does not happen,’ Tim said.
‘If you think you’re going to become an influencer by appearing on MAFS—whether it’s 10 episodes, 30 or 40—you are horribly mistaken. You’re delusional.’
Tim, who famously clashed with his co-stars during his stint on the show, said he regularly sees grooms walk into the experiment expecting brand deals and social media riches.
‘I see them go on and go, I’m just waiting to see what opportunities come,’ he said.
Married At First Sight groom Timothy Smith has issued a stern warning to the 2026 cast, saying the show will not result in the fairytale ending many of them are hoping for
Speaking to Daily Mail, the outspoken reality star declared that men who go on the hit Channel Nine experiment dreaming of influencer fame are ‘horribly mistaken’
‘There are no opportunities. It just does not happen.’
According to Tim, the show’s audience demographic makes it particularly difficult for male contestants to cash in.
‘The market is women. Ninety percent, 96 percent of the people that watch it are women. It is the perfect market for women,’ he explained.
‘But if you’re a dude, you might as well get into porn. You’ll make more money.’
So what’s his advice to the fresh-faced 2026 cast?
‘Get back to your job or whatever you were doing as quickly as you can,’ he said.
‘Don’t sit there and try and ride out this MAFS train that will never ever come. I’m telling you right now, it’s not coming. It’s gone.’
Tim believes many contestants make the mistake of clinging to their five minutes of fame rather than pivoting quickly into something sustainable.
‘When it comes to men making money out of reality TV , especially MAFS, it just does not happen,’ Tim said. (Pictured: Steven Danyluk)
‘The market is women. Ninety percent, 96 percent of the people that watch it are women. It is the perfect market for women,’ he explained. ‘But if you’re a dude, you might as well get into porn. You’ll make more money’
‘Men need to get rid of those MAFS followers more quickly than than women,’ he added, warning that followers gained during the season rarely convert into real influence or income.
In one of his most cutting observations, Tim insisted no individual contestant is bigger than the franchise itself.
‘Nobody that goes on Married At First Sight are stars,’ he said.
‘They take 20 idiots every year – and I am one of them – and turn them into household names every year. It doesn’t matter who’s on the show. The show is number one. All we are is hi-vis vests.’
He described the entire experiment as ‘a game’ and said those who go in expecting true love or long-term fame are setting themselves up for disappointment.
‘It was just a game,’ he admitted of his own time on the show.
‘You either play it or you don’t. You either play it well or you play it badly.’
In one of his most cutting observations, Tim insisted no individual contestant is bigger than the franchise itself. ‘Nobody that goes on Married At First Sight are stars,’ he said
He described the entire experiment as ‘a game’ and said those who go in expecting true love or long-term fame are setting themselves up for disappointment
Tim also took aim at the broader influencer culture surrounding the franchise, claiming many former cast members exaggerate their success.
‘Everyone with 10,000 followers is calling themselves an influencer,’ he scoffed.
‘I’ve got 350,000 followers. I don’t call myself an influencer. I don’t influence s***.’
He argued that true influence comes from driving tangible sales or building a brand independently of reality TV fame.
‘If you’re Kim Kardashian and you can actually make a difference to sales, then you’re an influencer. But just because you’ve been on MAFS and say ‘wear this’, I don’t see the general public listening.’
Tim went on to label the influencer space ‘the world of smoke and mirrors’, claiming many former contestants portray lavish lifestyles that don’t reflect reality.
‘If you’re doing so well, show me the last 30 days. Show me the bank account,’ he said.
‘I’m telling you right now, 99 percent won’t do it.’
Tim also took aim at the broader influencer culture surrounding the franchise, claiming many former cast members exaggerate their success. ‘Everyone with 10,000 followers is calling themselves an influencer,’ he scoffed
Tim did reserve praise for one unlikely co-star – former villain Jack Dunkley.
While Jack was painted as a controversial figure during his season, Tim said he respected how he handled the aftermath.
‘There’s always got to be a villain,’ he said.
Tim even revealed he once called Jack to apologise for taking things too far during filming.
‘It looked a lot worse than it was,’ he said of their on-screen feud.
Ultimately, Tim’s message to the 2026 hopefuls is simple – don’t take it too seriously and don’t expect it to fund your future.
‘Just treat it like a game. That’s all it is. It’s Big Brother,’ he said.
‘If you think you’re going on there to become a star, you’re dreaming.’
