Married at First Sight UK viewers have rallied behind a controversial bride after her marriage took a difficult turn.
Midwife Grace Law and operations director Ashley Dommett encountered another challenging moment on Wednesday night (October 29), though it appears they have now acknowledged their relationship has reached breaking point.
The incident occurred when Ashley, 35, attempted to initiate intimacy with his wife whilst she was preparing to go out. The bride rejected his advances, questioning: “What’s gotten into you?”
Ashley responded by complimenting his attraction towards his wife, reports OK!.
According to Grace, he remarked something similar to “there’s a half naked woman in front of me, of course I’m in the mood”.
This left Grace feeling uncomfortable as the compliment appeared impersonal.
Grace found Ashley’s compliment distasteful (Image: Channel 4)
However, Ashley maintains his comment was specifically about his attraction to Grace, rather than any unclothed woman.
At last night’s dinner party, the groom revisited the disagreement and expressed feeling “chipped away” at during the marriage.
Whilst discussing the matter, Ashley said: “If you could really see who I am, you would never think that the compliment was backhanded. You would never think that the things that I do are to upset you.”
Grace interjected with: “To be honest with you, Ash, I’ve asked a few people and everyone is sort of in agreeance that it’s not the most uplifting, elevating compliment.
“And honestly, in a marriage, I do expect to speak without you thinking it’s a personal attack.”
The couple subsequently acknowledged that their relationship “can’t work”.
The pair seem ready to quit the show (Image: Ellie Merridale/Channel 4)
Whilst Grace appeared keen to continue working through their issues, Ashley seemed entirely disengaged from the marriage.
Ultimately the bride reached the same realisation, confiding to cameras that their union is “beyond repair”.
As viewers have watched the episode unfold, numerous supporters have come to Grace’s defence, despite having previously criticised her conduct on the programme.
Writing on Reddit, one viewer suggested that Ashley had mischaracterised the dispute to portray himself favourably.
They wrote: “Ash has never disagreed with Grace to her face that he didn’t say ‘my wife’. Anytime he does it is to another person when she isn’t there.”
The same viewer added: “Grace and Ash had a conversation where she recounts the discussion, said that it sounded like any woman and Ash basically said she should infer that he means his wife, ‘Why wouldn’t I mean my wife.'”
Viewers have rushed to support Grace (Image: Channel 4)
Another commenter concurred, posting: “He 100% said ‘a hot woman.’ He meant it as a compliment, I’m sure. But it simply didn’t land.”
They added: “And his inability to own it, coupled with his defensiveness and misrepresenting to others, is problematic behaviour.”
On TikTok, a further supporter expressed similar sentiments: “Whilst Ash might not have any bad intentions, Grace still feels hurt at times and she shouldn’t be villainised for that.”
Despite Grace being the focus of public attention since the show’s inception, it appears that E4 viewers have been persuaded to back the reality star.
Regrettably, this shift in audience sentiment has occurred just as the pair seem poised to abandon the experiment.