Will Lauren and Clint last the distance?

In a shocking turn of events, Lauren and Clint have announced that they will be missing the dinner party and opting to have their own at-home dinner!

Having been previously coupled up with Eliot earlier in the experiment, Lauren was given a second chance to make her believe in love again.

The experts matched fiercely independent Lauren, with Clint, a 43-year-old successful pro golfer and business owner from Tasmania.
(Credit: Channel 9)
Coming into the couple’s retreat, Lauren was apprehensive, “I am not looking forward to this retreat… in close quarters with these people.”

Since the first cocktail night, it was clear that Lauren was not in it to make friends, and was never one to hold back her opinion.

“Awhina will be screaming,” she shared, commenting on her supposed ‘nylon hair extensions’, and Adrian will be “attempting to speak.”

Meanwhile, Clint was looking forward to the couples retreat, with his focus being on supporting Lauren.

In a full group setting, the pair are put on the grill where Lauren shares that she likes to be the homemaker but wants to be the homemaker for someone she respects and looks up to.

Other members of the experiment were quick to jump in, with Clint sharing, “I actually think I’m really good for Lauren.”
(Credit: Channel 9)
After the girls night at the retreat, Lauren feels attacked after her relationship is brought up with the group, however, some pieces of the puzzle aren’t quite making sense!

Dave fills Clint in on some missing information, with Lauren claiming there is “no spark”, that she is “uninterested” and the concern of the relationship ending at the end of the experiment.

“I actually don’t even want to leave, I actually want to stay really despite them,” Lauren shares after Clint chooses to believe that Dave is making up lies.

They decide to skip the dinner party and opt for their own at home version!

“Definitely some spark there for me,” Clint shared, meanwhile Lauren shares they are “good friends” and “get along well” but “don’t have a spark”, contrary to Clint’s statement.
(Credit: Channel 9)
As a first in MAFS history, Lauren was given a second chance at love, despite her increasing apprehensiveness.

With a nervous Clint at the end of the altar, initial introductions were tense with Lauren uncertain of what awaited her.

“I don’t want to say vows, I don’t want to go through it all again to be rejected,” Lauren had shared.

“When I received a call from the experts that they had found my match again, I was very skeptical.”

Lauren continued to say that after countless conversations with the experts, she remembered why she was entering the experiment in the first place, “To find someone who shares the same desire to build a life together and embark on a new adventure as partners.”

Clint empathised with Lauren after the ceremony, sharing that he was there to help her, “I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ve got your back so that’s fine.”

Once seated at their reception, the pair confided in one another as Lauren shared her previous MAFS experience while he revealed he has come out of a 10-year relationship. On reflection of his previous relationship, he admitted to working on himself to do better.

“I think the fact that he wants to learn and wants to grow and be a better person – that’s a very important thing to me,” Lauren shared.
(Credit: Channel Nine)
Ahead of their first dinner party as a couple, Lauren and Clint were at ease, however, unbeknownst to Lauren is Eliot’s surprise reappearance.

“I’ve got her back, I want the rest of the matches to see that she has found someone that is genuine and here for the right reasons,” Clint shared.

As conflict arose at the dinner table and the pair were forced to face the heat from Eliot, Clint showed that he did have Lauren’s back by supporting her against the comments made.

Coming into their first commitment ceremony as a couple, the anticipation was at an all-time high.

Lauren was still seemingly hurt by Eliot’s behavior at the dinner party, but Clint showed once again that he was there to have her back!

“It wasn’t nice what happened to you, that’s not okay,” Clint remarked.

On the couch, the pair showed to be locked in with one another, with Clint commenting, “She ticks a lot of boxes for sure. I think she’s the most stunning person in the room,” he remarked, apologising jokingly to the other couples.
(Credit: Channel Nine)
The pair were asked to rank the other members of the experiment, “It’s pretty easy for me and it’s not even putting you here (as number one) but pushing you all the way up here,” Clint said pushing his new bride ahead of the other women.

The newlyweds then sat back and watched their initial tapes, where Lauren is direct in wanting a successful man with hopefully a salary of a million dollars!

Wanting an alpha man, she joked that maybe if Clint let his chest hair grow and ditched the fake tan routine, she would be more drawn to his manhood.

Dinner number two was a success and the pair were excited, “I feel good about walking into the dinner party with Clint, I mean we are building a friendship – he’s very easy to hang out with, get along with,” Lauren shared.

On the couch for their second commitment ceremony, Lauren is unfortunately still unable to find a romantic connection with Clint, reiterating their friendship as a starting place.

Lauren shares that Clint was doing the dishes, which finds the other members of the experiment laughing – and Jamie even offering up her household for him to do, but Lauren is clear on her idea of an alpha male personality type.

“With Clint that ‘alphaism’ – I don’t feel like it’s super there,” she shared.

When asked if Clint could step up into that Alpha leader role, an awkward pause later, Lauren says ‘Yes’.

The pair both choose to stay and are told to put in the time, work and curiosity to see if they can find that missing spark!