Married At First Sight bride Awhina Rutene’s twin sister Cleo has broken her silence on her past relationship with Paul Antoine – while also coming to his defence amid his on-screen scandal.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, Cleo, 31, confirmed that she and Paul had dated back in 2022, shortly after she ended an eight-year relationship.
‘I just want to clarify something that’s been brought to light. At no point was this hidden, and when Paul first met Awhina at the dinner party, they addressed it openly, with Paul telling his wife, Carina,’ Cleo explained.
‘While I don’t feel my past relationship should be up for public discussion, I will comment now that it’s out there.
‘I met Paul in 2022, shortly after becoming single following an eight-year relationship. It was an instant spark, and we shared a whirlwind romance for a couple of months.’
However, she said the timing wasn’t right, and she needed space to focus on herself.
Married At First Sight bride Awhina Rutene’s twin sister Cleo (left) has broken her silence on her past relationship with Paul Antoine (right) – while also coming to his defence amid his on-screen scandal
Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, Cleo, 31, confirmed that she and Paul had dated back in 2022, shortly after she ended an eight-year relationship (Cleo pictured with Awhina)
Paul then went on to appear on The Love Boat before joining the latest season of MAFS.
Despite her past with Paul, Cleo insisted there are no lingering feelings – only mutual respect and friendship.
She also spoke out about his controversial behaviour on the show, particularly his outburst that led to him punching a hole in the bedroom door.
‘I want to make it clear that I do not support his outburst. In the three years I’ve known Paul, he has never shown any aggression’ Cleo said.
‘He’s a genuinely happy person who enjoys life, good company, and great food’ she continued.
‘I know he’s deeply disappointed in himself, especially because he has a younger sister and strives to be a good role model.
‘While this doesn’t excuse his actions, I can only speak from my personal experience with Paul.’
Paul, a strength and conditioning coach from Perth, was called out by MAFS relationship experts over concerns about his behaviour in his on-screen marriage.
‘I just want to clarify something that’s been brought to light. At no point was this hidden, and when Paul first met Awhina at the dinner party, they addressed it openly, with Paul telling his wife, Carina,’ Cleo explained
She also spoke out about his controversial behaviour on the show, particularly his outburst that led to him punching a hole in the bedroom door
During Sunday night’s dramatic Commitment Ceremony, Paul came under fire after admitting he punched a hole in a door following a heated argument with his bride, Carina Mirabile.
The tense confrontation saw expert Alessandra Rampolla put Paul on the spot, stating firmly: ‘It does not matter how disrespected you felt.
‘You do not punch walls. You do not punch floors. Period. Full stop. That intimidates.’
Paul expressed deep regret for his actions, telling the panel, ‘I genuinely hate myself for what I’ve done. I’ve never done this in the past, ever. I’ve made the biggest mistake.’
Meanwhile, Carina has also defended her husband, insisting that he is being unfairly portrayed on the reality series.
‘Like, I feel like he’s 100% not a DV person and he is a good human and egg and big heart,’ she said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.
‘Him and I are so similar and just naive with a YES YES mentality… I want people to know that’s not him.’
She also reassured fans that production had provided adequate support for all contestants, adding: ‘If I felt unsafe, I would have walked away, but production implemented good duty of care and regulations/advice and offered us both all the help we needed and still do – you know!’
‘I know he’s deeply disappointed in himself, especially because he has a younger sister and strives to be a good role model. While this doesn’t excuse his actions, I can only speak from my personal experience with Paul,’ Cleo concluded (Paul pictured with his bride Carina)
Sunday night’s explosive episode divided fans, with many calling out Paul’s behaviour while others argue that the reality show’s editing may have exaggerated the situation.
Despite the backlash, Carina chose to stand by Paul, saying, ‘I want to stay because we have so much to still learn about each other.’
The experts ultimately allowed Paul to continue in the experiment but made it clear that his actions were unacceptable and would not be tolerated going forward.
Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine.
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