Married At First Sight Australia relationship expert John Aiken will receive ‘counselling’ after a former groom complained about his attitude and behaviour.
The TV personality, 55, has been on the Channel Nine show since it launched in 2015 alongside panellists Alessandra Rampolla and the late Mel Schilling.
Over the 13 seasons he has been on the hit reality show, he has become ‘well known for delivering hard-hitting feedback’, ‘calling out toxic patterns of behaviour’ and ‘holding couples accountable for their actions’, according to his website.
The premise of the series, which also has a UK spin-off, follows couples who meet each other for the first time at the altar as they navigate the highs and lows of marriage and decide if they truly do want to spend the rest of their lives with each other.
Now, however, it has been revealed that Aiken will be ‘counselled’ about the Code of Conduct published by the Psychology Board of Australia following a complaint lodged in April last year.
Ben Walters, a contestant in 2024 paired with bride Ellie Dix, has publicly spoken about his negative experience on the show and, according to the Daily Mail, his complaint is targeted at Aiken’s behaviour and attitude towards participants.
He alleged: ‘I am troubled by aspects of his on-screen behaviour and commentary, which I believe may constitute a breach of his ethical obligations as a registered psychologist during my experience with him in 2023 after four sessions with the man.’
This latest development comes after another investigation into Aiken in 2017 by the Council, which led to him being barred from referring to himself as a psychologist or practising psychology on the show.
Despite this, in his complaint, Walters claimed that Aiken ‘continues to provide commentary and advice in a manner that draws upon his professional background and expertise, significantly influencing public perceptions’.
The ex-participant concluded that his ‘involvement in a program that appears to prioritise drama and conflict… may be in conflict with several principles of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) Code of Ethics (2007), which has been adopted by the Psychology Board of Australia’.
The Psychology Board of New South Wales confirmed that ‘subject to counselling, the Council agreed to close the complaint’ after it was discussed in a meeting in December.
It caveated in a statement: ‘However, the Council will keep a record of your complaint on file, and will consider it if it receives further complaints about the health, conduct or performance of Mr Aiken.’
Walters left the experiment halfway through during his run on the show, and his behaviour towards Dix was heavily criticised by viewers.
Last year, he appeared on the So Dramatic! podcast to reveal the extent of his displeasure over his time on the show and how he was portrayed.
In the chat, he alleged that his ADHD was mocked by producers and was even driven to walk out of an interview at one point.
Metro has reached out to Channel Nine and John Aiken’s representatives for comment.
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