MAFS UK's Emma spoke exclusively to Yahoo about why she is missing out on Married At First Sight's 2025 reunion
MAFS UK's Emma Barnes has told Yahoo that she was uninvited from the 2025 reunion — just the day before filming.
Speaking about being uninvited for the first time, she told us: "They didn't need me anymore. I still don't know why I was cut. There were some storylines that they wanted to follow, the producers, and yeah, someone must have taken my seat, right, so someone got called up to get back on there. But yeah, not me!"
She added: "There was certainly an uproar from a lot of my friends that I wasn't gonna be there — I don't know whether that's just my friends though! I know I'm a big personality and I definitely could have brought some laughs to the table... It's a shame."
Married At First Sight UK's 2025 reunion airs on Monday next week with many of the 2024 stars returning including: Adam Nightingale, Amy Kenyon, Hannah Norburn, Holly Ditchfield, Kieran Chapman, Kristina Goodsell, Lacey Martin, Nathan Campbell, Orson Nurse, Sionnain Carmichael and Sacha Jones.
They are joined by 2023 contestants Ella Morgan, Erica Roberts, Matt Pilmoor, Shona Maderson, Paul Liba and Tasha Jay. Emma is one of the standout stars on the 2024 series missing from the 2025 reunion which was filmed back in November last year.
Thanks to her bubbly personality, laughter and embracing single life, Emma won the hearts of MAFS UK viewers because of her likeness to Bridget Jones. On-screen, however, the businesswoman failed to find her Mr Darcy in her TV groom Caspar Todd.
Uninvited from MAFS UK 2025 reunion
"I think a reunion is just a great time to go and see everyone and I bought my outfit, I was looking fire," she said. "You didn't really know who was going, you didn't know whether Caspar was gonna be there, and it was the day before, I was ready to go up to London the day before and then go straight down to the reunion and it was a real shame."
After finding out she wouldn't be going, Emma returned her £100 satin jumpsuit from Abercrombie and Fitch because she doesn't have any fancy dinner parties to wear it too.
Having remained friends with many people from the show — and an active participant of the MAFS UK Whatsapp group — Emma was in the know about a lot of the drama that was about to unfold on the filming days. "I knew that there were lots of bits of drama bubbling around from the WhatsApp group," she said.
"Me as I guess 'Auntie Emma', I'm there for the girls, I'm often the first person people call up and be like, 'Barnes help me with this!' I tend to look after everyone but also I love the drama, stirring the pot... I think me being there, especially with the mix of the old cast and the new cast, I'd have just been on fire."
While many of her friends including Kristina filming the MAFS UK reunion, Emma admitted she had to wait to find out what unfolded at the dinner party. "I remember on the day, I was just sat around just waiting for the news all day," she said.
"Just waiting to hear something because it was filmed over a couple of days. To hear something like, oh my god, how are the cast last year? What Shona and Matt were like? What's Ella like?"
'Really happy' for her MAFS ex-husband Caspar
In true Bridget Jones style, Emma has held no grudges and she's very happy for her TV ex-husband Caspar who has found love since the show. "100% [it gives me hope of meeting someone]," she said. "That boy went on that show hoping that he would meet the love of his life. That was the number one thing."
She added: "Of course we all did but I think a lot of people — well, I certainly went on that show at the back of my mind to protect myself thinking, ‘You know what, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work, it will be a great experience and I'll learn loads about myself.’
"Caspar was like, ‘I want to meet the love of my life’, and he's found that even after [the show finished filming]. He probably didn't get the best public perception at times as well. I'm super happy for him. He seems really, really happy. I think she's moved in, so yeah, he's happy, good on him and I think a couple of the other boys as well have found love."
With many women tuning into watch MAFS UK, Emma confessed it's the men on the show who get lots of attention. "It's so much easier for the boys [to find love after MAFS]," she said. "They got flooded with DMs from normal women watching this show."
Emma sets heart on Celebs Go Dating
Kind-hearted Emma remains determined to find love though. "I actually just started dating again," she said. "It was quite nerve-wracking getting back out and dating and navigating the dating world." Two weeks ago she went on her first date since MAFS UK.
She added: "I've been on a couple of dates since then, not with the same person. Just trying the field and it's taken me a while to get back out there and I was really nervous about just doing it, just throwing myself out there because I've done so much change over the last year. I've completely changed as a person. My online profile was very work driven before, as a businesswoman before."
Even though she didn't find love on MAFS UK, Emma would be open to dating again on TV as she sets her heart on Celebs Go Dating. At first she admitted, "Celebs Go Dating would be scary! To open up myself again."
However, she added: "I absolutely believe in finding true love on TV. I think as a MAFS super fan, like I watch every series and I cannot wait for Australia.
"We've seen it work, we know it works, and especially in a realm like MAFS or a realm like Celebs Go Dating it’s the commitment ceremonies, it's the sitting in the room and getting therapy. I think those are the valued things.
"As long as you are open-minded to receiving the good and the bad in commitment ceremonies and from experts and shows like that, then absolutely I believe that you can find love on TV. Still, I'm a hopeless romantic."
Emma may have missed out on filming the 2025 reunion but she was back on our screens over the weekend for Channel 5 documentary We Love Bridget Jones: All The Laughter And More about the fourth movie in cinemas now. "Absolutely", she would love to build a TV career.
"It was great being back behind the camera," she said. "I would love to be on TV again. I would love to build a career around that. I love speaking to people and I love presenting. I also have really enjoyed my online life since MAFS UK."
Would she like to be the first Married At First Sight UK star on BBC's crown jewel Strictly? "It's my ringtone," she said. "If it's not me, it's got to be Mel [Schilling]!"
Yahoo has reached out to Married At First Sight UK representatives for further comment.
Married At First Sight UK is available on catch up via Channel 4.
