Married At First Sight: Bryce teases proposal to Melissa on live radio

Married At First Sight‘s most controversial couple, Bryce Ruthven and Melissa Rawson, are getting hitched – but this time it’s for real.

The pair, whose televised nuptials weren’t legally binding, confirmed on Wednesday they were already thinking about marriage and children.

During a joint appearance on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Bryce, 31, said he and Melissa had discussed ‘making it official’ and starting a family.

Wedding bells! Married At First Sight’s most controversial couple, Bryce Ruthven and Melissa Rawson, are getting hitched – but this time it’s for real 

‘That’s the plan,’ he said, adding that they want a ‘normal family’ life together once the furore surrounding their relationship dies down. 

The former radio announcer said he hadn’t proposed yet, however.

‘[I’m] just waiting for the right time. I’ve got some big grand plan that doesn’t involve Channel Nine,’ he laughed.

Bryce even said he’d decided which engagement ring to buy for workplace trainer Melissa, also 31.

I do: The pair, whose televised nuptials weren't legally binding, confirmed on Wednesday they were already thinking about marriage and children

I do: The pair, whose televised nuptials weren’t legally binding, confirmed on Wednesday they were already thinking about marriage and children 

KIIS FM host Kyle Sandilands then suggested measuring Melissa’s finger live on air, but settled for measuring the dimensions of Bryce’s nose instead.

The radio interview comes after Melissa defended her partner, who has been accused of ‘gaslighting’ her on Married At First Sight.

‘I know the real Bryce. What everyone is seeing is a great edit – I’ll say that,’ she told Daily Mail Australia after jetting into Sydney Airport on Wednesday.

Happily ever after: During a joint appearance on The Kyle and Jackie O Show , Bryce, 31, said he and Melissa had discussed 'making it official' and starting a family

Happily ever after: During a joint appearance on The Kyle and Jackie O Show , Bryce, 31, said he and Melissa had discussed ‘making it official’ and starting a family

Meanwhile, Married At First Sight may be investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority after outraged viewers filed multiple complaints about the show.

According to a report by The Wash on Monday, many viewers took offence at scenes involving Melissa and Bryce .

ACMA revealed it had received 14 complaints about this year’s season of MAFS, and four of those were about the divisive couple.

Looking into it: Married At First Sight may be investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority after outraged viewers filed multiple complaints about the show

Looking into it: Married At First Sight may be investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority after outraged viewers filed multiple complaints about the show

‘Under the co-regulatory system, the ACMA will refer complainants to the broadcaster in the first instance,’ the media watchdog said. 

‘If the complainant does not receive a response from the broadcaster within 60 days, or is not satisfied with the response, they may refer their complaint to the ACMA who may choose to investigate.’

According to ACMA, many viewers raised ‘concerns over the scenes involving Melissa and Bryce’.

Problematic: A Change.org petition is demanding Channel Nine issue an apology for airing 'triggering' scenes involving the 'gaslighting' groom and his long-suffering wife

Problematic: A Change.org petition is demanding Channel Nine issue an apology for airing ‘triggering’ scenes involving the ‘gaslighting’ groom and his long-suffering wife 

Bryce’s problematic behaviour on Married At First Sight

  • Voting ‘wife’ Melissa the fourth-hottest in a relationship task
  • Saying Melissa was ‘not his type’ during an ‘honesty box’ challenge
  • Despite Melissa sharing her history with low self-esteem, Bryce tells her  ‘well, you’re not ugly’
  • Flirted with co-star Beck Zemek at the gym
  • Lied at the dinner party about the conversation he had with Beck at the gym
  • Initially voting to ‘leave’ Melissa at Sunday’s commitment ceremony, but crossing out his answer and writing ‘stay’ at the last minute 
  • Accusing the cast of creating a ‘toxic environment’ for his wife, spreading lies about him and being bullies – despite him being toxic, a liar and a bully

 

On Monday, a Change.org petition began circulating that demanded Channel Nine issue an apology for airing ‘triggering’ scenes involving the ‘gaslighting’ groom and his long-suffering wife.

The petition, which received 2,500 signatures in under 24 hours, is also calling for Nine to acknowledge its alleged ‘failure of duty of care’ towards Melissa.

‘This season of Married at First Sight Australia features a couple, Melissa and Bryce, who portray an excessive amount of DV signs which are not being handled by the network appropriately,’ the petition states.

‘There is a clear failure of duty of care to Melissa during filming of the show, allowing her to remain in a toxic and dangerous environment with her partner for the “benefit” of the network.’

‘She is being subject to gaslighting, emotional manipulation, isolation, and countless other textbook signs of a controlling and or abusive relationship,’ the petition goes on to claim, adding that the scenes are ‘incredibly triggering and stressful to watch’. 

Fan fury: According to a report by The Wash on Monday, many viewers took offence at scenes involving controversial couple Melissa and Bryce

Fan fury: According to a report by The Wash on Monday, many viewers took offence at scenes involving controversial couple Melissa and Bryce

It continues: ‘This petition is for the Nine Network to acknowledge and apologise for letting Melissa go through this and also airing such a horrible relationship on TV without doing anything to showcase that the relationship is clearly not healthy.’ 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment.

Similar outrage has exploded on Twitter, where many viewers are calling for the show to be cancelled or boycotted over its depiction of toxic relationships.

Bryce and Melissa’s ‘marriage’ has also been an issue of contention for the show’s other couples, who largely disapprove of the relationship. 

Unpopular: Bryce and Melissa's 'marriage' has also been an issue of contention for the show's other couples, who largely disapprove of the relationship

Unpopular: Bryce and Melissa’s ‘marriage’ has also been an issue of contention for the show’s other couples, who largely disapprove of the relationship 

On Sunday’s episode of Married At First Sight, Bryce humiliated his bride at the commitment ceremony by revealing he’d initially voted to leave the experiment, before ultimately deciding to stay.

Bryce later defended writing leave, saying he didn’t want to break up with Melissa but instead wanted the couple to exit the ‘toxic environment’ of the experiment. 

The other couples lashed out at the radio announcer, citing a string of incidents in which he repeatedly showed disregard for Melissa’s feelings.

Angered: According to ACMA, many viewers raised 'concerns over the scenes involving Melissa and Bryce'

Angered: According to ACMA, many viewers raised ‘concerns over the scenes involving Melissa and Bryce’

Bryce tried to justify his behaviour in a lengthy post on Instagram on Sunday.  

‘People won’t agree with what I’ve done at the commitment ceremony saying I didn’t put my partner’s feelings first BUT I was raising the issue that bullying is not OK in any walk of life,’ he wrote.

‘It was a tough decision to continue in the experiment given what we were going through, but in the end, the goal of finding love with someone will always win.’

Taking the lead: Speaking to The Wash, ACMA revealed it had received 14 complaints about this year's season of MAFS, and four of those were about Bryce and Melissa, both 31

Taking the lead: Speaking to The Wash, ACMA revealed it had received 14 complaints about this year’s season of MAFS, and four of those were about Bryce and Melissa, both 31