In a surprising turn of events, Married at First Sight UK contestant Maeve has publicly defended her co-star Julia-Ruth from a torrent of online abuse, despite the recent revelation about Julia-Ruth's trip with Maeve's former husband, Joe.
The Dramatic Revelation
The situation escalated during episode 31 of the reality show, which aired on Sunday night. Julia-Ruth made a dramatic return during a girls' day out, where it was disclosed that after leaving the experiment, she had been on a spontaneous holiday with Joe and had slept with him.
Further adding to the controversy, it was also revealed that Julia-Ruth had been texting Steven, the ex-husband of another participant, Nelly, and had arranged a date with him. This came after viewers had already expressed dissatisfaction with how she treated her own ex-hperband, Divarni.
Maeve's Plea for Compassion
Witnessing the flood of negative comments aimed at Julia-Ruth, Maeve took to her Instagram Stories on 10th November 2025 to address the issue directly.
She thanked her followers for their support but was quick to call out the hate. "However, there's some nasty comments getting flung about," Maeve stated. "And you've got to remember - I can't even believe I'm saying this - you have to cut Julia-Ruth some slack. Like, the comments are savage - kind of like her."
Maeve acknowledged that Julia-Ruth's actions were not kind, but emphasised that the level of vitriol was unacceptable, noting that "she's got feelings." She also hinted that there is more to the story that has yet to be revealed.
Julia-Ruth's Response and Fallout
In her own defence, Julia-Ruth stated that she does not regret getting to know Joe, but does regret causing hurt to Maeve, who was previously heartbroken over the relationship ending.
Responding to the backlash, she argued that everyone involved was single and questioned the purity of her critics. She also raised an important point about the disparity in criticism, stating, "You love to attack a black woman, go get your boys!" implying that the male participants were not receiving the same level of scrutiny.
As for Joe, he has remained silent on the claims of a whirlwind romance with Julia-Ruth. Regarding the text messages with Steven, he simply said that "not everything needs a response & the show's not over, so keep watching."
The incident has sparked significant conversation among MAFS UK fans about online behaviour, accountability, and the differing treatment of reality TV stars.
