Married At First Sight Australia groom Sam Stanton has shared the real reason behind his 'agonising' split from Chris Robinson – and it's one that wasn't discussed on the show. The 38-year-old farmer had outlined his vision for their future outside the experiment without consulting his husband, which blindsided the 34-year-old spin instructor. Their communication broke down, and after a heated argument, Chris wrote 'leave' at the commitment ceremony, shocking everyone.
Sam's Side of the Story
In an interview with TV WEEK, Sam insisted that Chris had simply given up on their marriage. 'He had given up,' Sam said. 'I went into that commitment ceremony hoping to get feedback. Whatever that was, I was going to put it into practice the next week. Chris must have gone into it thinking that I was going to be completely in the wrong – or maybe he just did not care at all, or he wasn't willing to work on himself.'
Sam admitted that Chris's decision to leave came as a huge shock. He explained, 'I thought, “What the f**k?” Why have I been anxious in bed for three days worrying about this? Why have I put so much effort into this? Why have I tried to resolve these issues with you when the first time we have a conflict you’re just going to pack your bags and go? It just really blindsided me.'
Blame on Defensive Attitude
Sam blamed Chris's defensive attitude and harsh language for the breakdown. He felt no empathy from Chris in difficult situations. 'He snapped at me for calling him not empathetic. He said his sister says he’s empathetic, his mum says he’s empathetic. At one point I put my hands up and I’m just like, “I’m not really used to being spoken to like this.” To be met with that defensiveness and hostility when I just tried to bring up the smallest thing.'
The couple's homestay visit to Chris's farm was a disaster, ending in tears. Sam concluded that the real issue wasn't Chris's parental responsibilities but his unwillingness to work on the relationship.
