MAFS UK season 8: Meet the intruders joining the E4 dating show

Thought wedding season was over? Think again. 2023’s edition of Married at First Sight UK is yet to walk down the aisle and if previous series are anything to go by, it's sure to make a scene.

Debuting back in 2015, this reality wedding programme puts the concept of ‘love a first sight' to the ultimate test as complete strangers are paired up only to meet for the first time on their wedding day.

Will it be a match made in heaven? Will it be a hot mess? Regardless of the outcome of this love-struck social experiment, the series has become a quick hit with viewers, with an Australian edition attracting even more eyeballs to E4.

Read more: MAFS expert responds to criticism about the show

With series 8 of MAFS UK now airing, here’s everything we know so far about the latest relationship experiment…

Who will be taking part in Married at First Sight UK 2023?

E4 previously confirmed the line-up for the new edition of Married at First Sight UK, with 16 would-be grooms and brides getting ready to walk down the aisle together.

But now the channel has shared that there will be a number of "intruders" entering the experiment, with eight new brides and grooms set to join the show.

Here is everything you need to know.

The Intruders

Eight new people will join the show in the next week who have been dubbed "intruder singles", and they are set to say "I do" to a stranger who they'll meet on their wedding day. With these new additions coming in, will any of the original cast be swayed? Or will true love conquer all?

Here's who is coming to shake up the social experiment.

The Grooms

JJ

JJ is a 30-year-old fashion brand owner from Essex, he is said to be a "proud mummy's boy" who is keen to make his mum happy on his wedding day.

After living it up in LA, JJ is said to want to find love closer to home and is joining the experiment so that he can find his dream girl.

Jordan

Jordan, 26, is a personal trainer from Sheffield and he is described as a "cheeky Northener" who is a "big kid at heart", but while he considers himself lucky with his friendship groups and career he has yet to do the same with his relationships.

Being extremely picky, Jordan has not yet found the right person for himself but he is hoping that by joining the E4 show he will finally find the one.

Mark

Mark is aged 36 and he works as a customer service manager in London, he is said to be a "fun, loving man" who has had his fair share of heartache in the past.

Turning to the experts for help, Mark is hoping that he can find Mr. Right during the social experiment.

Matt

Matt is a 29-year-old window cleaner and athlete from Harrogate, and he is ready to find the right person for him on the programme after being single for the past year.

He is said to wear his heart on his sleeve and is hoping that the experts will be able to pair him with the perfect partner.

Sean

Sean, 31, works as a store manager in Durham, he is described as outspoken and brutally honest and he after coming out as gay late in life he has not yet found the right person for him.

After not experiencing many relationships or love, Sean is hoping the experts can help him find the right man for him on the show.

The Brides

Adrienne

Adrienne, 26, is a project support officer from Cumbria where she feels like she's run out of dating options and is now heading to Married at First Sight UK to try her luck.

As a fiercely independent person, Adrienne is hoping to find someone who is like her and she is ready to find the right person.

Bianca

Bianca is a 29-year-old hair extension specialist from Buxton, she loves to look glamorous for a night out but is keen to now focus on her love life after putting so much time and energy into her career.

With her 30s approaching, Bianca is putting her faith in the experts to find the right person for her because she doesn't want to be alone forever.

Erica

Erica, 25, works as a dance teacher in Edinburgh and she is said to have been unlucky in love too often in the past, her previous romances have seen her date players who have left her heartbroken many times so now she's coming to the experts for help.

After being single for a year Erica is ready to cast her net wider with the help of the E4 show to find the right person for her.

The Couples

Ella and Nathanial

Ella is a 29-year-old clinic consultant who works in Weston-Super-Mare, she is described as caring and has a big sense of humour, and she has said being on the show is "a big deal for someone who has transitioned".

Aged 36, Nathanial works as an events marketing manager in Manchester and is all about exuding charisma and charm, he is used to a jet-set lifestyle thanks to his job but is hoping to find the perfect partner on the show.

While the couple hit it off well in the beginning, things have since gone downhill and when they went on their honeymoon they were seen arguing and accusing each other of "lying".

Jay and Luke

A 31-year-old sales manager from Lancashire, Jay is a happy-go-lucky person who is looking for someone who can make her laugh, she has only been single a few months but is ready to walk down the aisle and has said that she has "faith that everything happens for a reason."

Luke is aged 30 and works as a sales executive in Clacton, he is a social butterfly who is always ready to crack a joke. After struggling to find 'the one' on his own, Luke is turning to the experts in a bid to find the love of his life who is also ready to have a family.

Things have been going well for the couple so far and on their honeymoon the pair even had an awkward moment where they were interrupted by a maid before consummating their marriage.

Laura and Arthur

Laura is 34 and works as a finance manager in Hampshire, she describes herself as a "boss b****" and is said to love the finer things in life and is ready to find another partner after previously getting divorced.

Arthur is 34 and is a London-based tennis coach, the sportsman was originally born in Poland before moving to the UK with his family at the age of 16 and is said to want "the fairytale he has dreamed of since being a young boy" by finding the love of his life.

Things were awkward between the pair at first particularly because Arthur chose to use vows he found on the internet for their nuptials, but as they have gotten to know each other Laura and the tennis coach have become closer.

Peggy and Georges

32-year-old Peggy works as a technology risk partner in Kent is a self-described geek who stands tall at 5'10" but has had trouble finding a partner because she is "picky", she loves living a glam lifestyle and is now ready to settle down with the right person.

Georges is a 30-year-old Sports Rehabilitator from Surrey, he grew up studying in private schools and boarding school. Georges is now ready to find love again after being single for the past four years.

The groom came under fire for his flirtatious behaviour even at his own wedding with Peggy.

Rosaline and Thomas

Rosaline is 28 and works as a Florist in Crewe, she is described as a "quirky ball of energy" and is looking for love again after being completely heartbroken when her last boyfriend broke up with her six months ago. Now looking forward, she is ready to find the right person and say 'I do'.

Aged 27, Thomas works in investment communications in Wiltshire. Thomas is an animal-lover who is hoping to find someone who will accept both him and his pets, he has a passion for travelling and adventure after spending his teen years in Indonesia but is now ready to say 'I do' to the right person.

Things have been frosty between the pair since they began the social experiment, and Rosaline has said that she feels Thomas doesn't want to be intimate with her and they were more like friends than lovers.

Tasha and Paul

Tasha, 25, is a Leeds-based childcare assistant who is ready to walk down the aisle and has dreams of having her own family one day, she is hoping to find a man who is able to look past her looks and instead wants her for who she really is.

Paul is a 26-year-old account manager from Chesham, he is a bubbly and sociable person who enjoys a life of adventure and is keen to meet a like-minded person, having failed using conventional dating methods he is turning to the experts for another shot at finding his soulmate.

Before their wedding there was some friction when Paul's family took issue with him being part of the E4 show, with his mum saying she "denied" he was on it because she needed to know her future daughter-in-law before their wedding took place.

Porscha and Terence

Porscha is 36 and lives in London where she works as an executive assistant, she is said to be a force to be reckoned with and is a loving single mum who is also a devout Christian. Having tried her luck in the outside world, Porscha now wants to turn to the experts to find her dream man.

Terence is 40 and works as a youth worker and DJ in Reading, he is a father of three who has embraced a bachelor lifestyle since becoming single two years ago. Now, however, he is ready to look for love again.

The couple's marriage will be shown on Monday, 25 September's episode of the reality series.

Shona and Brad

31-year-old Shona is a performing arts teacher in Nottingham and she is unafraid to speak her mind, nor does she care about being judged by others. Shona already has a loving family but she is now ready to find the right husband, and is hoping to do so on the show.

Brad is 27 and is based in Grimsby where he works as a model, described as having a "bad-boy look" Brad is said to have grown tired of the party lifestyle and is now keen to settle down. He hopes he will find his forever partner on the show.

Like Terence and Porscha, Brad and Shona's wedding will be shown on the next episode of Married At First Sight UK.

When does Married at First Sight series 8 start?

Series 8 of Married at First Sight will arrive on Monday, 18 September at 9pm on E4. To help get viewers in the mood, the show even released a little taster featuring the brides and grooms taking part in this year's series.

Viewers can expect the Married at First Sight UK experts Mel Schilling, Charlene Douglas and Paul Carrick Brunson to return for the show’s new season.

Series 7 of Married at First Sight came to an end in late 2022, with half of its scientifically matched couples deciding to stick with their new partners and give love a chance and the other half deciding to ditch the experiment.

In late August, E4’s official Married at First Sight UK Instagram page confirmed that series 8 was on the way and would be dropping soon - but played coy with providing an official release date.

The short clip featured Paul Carrick Brunson — one of the show’s relationship experts who helps pair couples and coach them through their life-changing adjustment — and simply hinted that the series was “coming soon.”

What happens on Married at First Sight UK?

Married at First Sight UK is a dating game with a difference. Hopefuls looking for love apply to be on the show, with successful applicants selected by relationship experts and paired with their ideal partner using scientific methods and an intensive questionnaire designed to help identify their ideal partner.

Once paired, these 20 participants become 10 brand new, same/different-sex couples and get to meet each other for the first time at the altar, just minutes before making it official.

From there, the real challenge begins as these ‘scientifically matched’ partners either thrive or quickly fall apart, with no two pairings delivering the same experience and plenty of heat, drama and tears appearing before the experiment is through.

After a set of challenges designed to test the strength and compatibility of each couple - including living together, meeting the in-laws and dinner dates — they’re ultimately asked if they want to stay together during the final episode of each series.

Series 8 of Married at First Sight UK will start on Monday, 18 September 2023 on E4.