EXCLUSIVE: Awhina opens up about her decision to not watch her relationship with Adrian Araouzou unfold on TV.

MAFS’ Awhina Rutene has revealed why she’s not watching the reality show. Photo: Channel Nine

While viewers have rallied around Awhina Rutene following her tumultuous experience on Married At First Sight, the fan-favourite bride has revealed she’s one of the few people in Australia who isn’t watching the reality show. Awhina’s complicated relationship with Adrian Araouzou has sparked plenty of conversations across the country and delivered huge ratings numbers for Channel Nine.

Speaking with Yahoo Lifestyle about some of the big moments that have played out on screen, Awhina admits she hasn’t seen every episode of MAFS this season for a variety of reasons. Not only does she not have the time as a single mum to watch over five hours of television a week, but she’d also prefer not to relive the emotional experience.

“If I’m being honest, I’m not sure how many episodes have aired, but I think I’ve only really watched four,” she confesses. “I lived it. I know what’s happening and what’s going to happen.

“I do feel guilty because I really want to watch all of my friends’ beautiful experiences and I want to see the parts I missed out on, but I kind of feel like through TikTok and Instagram, you’re almost essentially watching it.”

Awhina says she watched the premiere with her co-stars, her wedding with a handful of friends, and two episodes when she was recently in Melbourne with Jamie Marinos, Rhi Disljenkovic and Carina Mirabile.

“It’s really beautiful when you get to watch it in a group dynamic, but I do struggle to find time to watch it at home,” she adds. “I’m not going to watch it with my son. I do remember it was quite a tumultuous journey for me, there are moments where I am crying and I am sad, and I don’t really want to have that on television around my child.”

Awhina admits she’s only watched four episodes of the show. Photo: Channel Nine

Carina admits she had never watched MAFS before

Similar to Awhina who hadn’t watched reality TV before entering the experiment, her co-star Carina tells Yahoo Lifestyle she had also never seen MAFS before signing on as a participant.

The digital marketing manager and influencer says she had limited knowledge of what happened on the show and wasn’t sure if it was normal that she and her partner Paul Antoine had already dated before meeting at their wedding.

“I’ve never watched an episode,” she remarks. “I obviously got poached for it, but my sister and her husband are massive fans so they were like, ‘Do it, Carina! Just experience it and take this opportunity up’.

“But I didn’t even know what each week would bring, I didn’t know anything about the tasks, I didn’t know anything about the question box on our honeymoon. After dinner, we got a box and I was like, ‘Ooh dessert! This is fancy in a square wooden box!’ and Paul was like, ‘Oh no, it’s the question box’.”

Carina says she hadn’t watched an episode of MAFS before taking part in the experiment. Photo: Channel Nine
Looking back at her experience on the show, Carina admits she’s glad she didn’t know what to expect because it allowed her to fully be herself and enjoy every moment.

“It was probably for the best because I really threw myself into the deep end and into the unknown and everything that came my way, I had no idea what to expect. So it kind of worked out in my favour in a way because I do get a bit overwhelmed with everything,” she details.

“It wouldn’t have been as real for me. Everything that you see, that is me. I’m airy fairy, a little bit ditzy, a little bit blasé, I laughed a lot. That’s me to a T.”