The Married At First Sight experts are once again under the spotlight after a complaint to the Psychology Council of New South Wales regarding John Aiken.
Aiken is now to be ‘counselled’ about the Code of Conduct published by the Psychology Board of Australia, the Daily Mail can reveal.
The Council began an investigation into the Channel Nine personality – who was a regular on the Today show before MAFS made him a household name – after being contacted by former participant Ben Walters in April last year.
Walters, who has publicly criticised the program since he appeared in season 11, had lodged a complaint targeting Aiken’s behaviour and attitude towards participants.
The Daily Mail is not suggesting that the claims by Walters are true, only that they have been made.
‘I am troubled by aspects of his on-screen behaviour and commentary, which I believe may constitute a breach of his ethical obligations as a registered psychologist during my experience with him in 2023 after four sessions with the man,’ Walters wrote.
John Aiken (pictured at the 2022 Logie Awards) is to be ‘counselled’ about the Psychology Board’s Code of Conduct after a complaint from a former MAFS participant
The Council began an investigation into Aiken (left, with Mel Schilling and Alessandra Rampolla) after being contacted by former participant Ben Walters in April last year
As the Daily Mail exclusively revealed at the time, a previous investigation by the Psychology Council of NSW in 2017 led to Aiken no longer being able to refer to himself as a psychologist or undertake psychological practice on the show.
However, in the complaint obtained by the Mail, Walters claimed that Aiken ‘continues to provide commentary and advice in a manner that draws upon his professional background and expertise, significantly influencing public perceptions’.
Walters went on to express concern that Aiken’s ‘involvement in a program that appears to prioritise drama and conflict… may be in conflict with several principles of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) Code of Ethics (2007), which has been adopted by the Psychology Board of Australia‘.
The fact the complaint was closed suggests the Council disagreed on this point. The Mail has chosen not to publish other aspects of Walters’ complaint.
The official reply by the Psychology Council of NSW confirmed that Aiken’s matter had been discussed late last year, nine months after the complaint.
‘At its meeting on 9 December 2025, the Council agreed that Mr Aiken be counselled about the Code of Conduct published by the Psychology Board of Australia. Subject to counselling, the Council agreed to close the complaint,’ read the reply.
‘However, the Council will keep a record of your complaint on file, and will consider it if it receives further complaints about the health, conduct or performance of Mr Aiken.’
Whether the Council reminding Aiken of its Code of Conduct will prompt any soul-searching within the MAFS machine remains to be seen.
Walters, who has publicly criticised the program since season 11, lodged a complaint with the Psychology Council of NSW, targeting Aiken’s behaviour and attitude towards participants
‘At its meeting on 9 December 2025, the Council agreed that Mr Aiken be counselled about the Code of Conduct published by the Psychology Board of Australia,’ read the reply
But it draws attention to the vexed question of whether the experts are there to genuinely assist the couples, or simply to aid the producers in stirring up drama.
Aiken and his co-stars Mel Schilling and Alessandra Rampolla would, presumably, argue the former. Several MAFS participants suspect the latter scenario is more likely.
Indeed, back during the 2017 season, MAFS groom Andrew ‘Jonesy’ Jones took aim at Aiken for sharing an Instagram post in the lead-up to the finale in which he seemed more preoccupied with the drama than fostering healthy relationships.
Aiken had uploaded a photo of Jones with his on-screen wife Cheryl Maitland and captioned it: ‘Are things going to get a little ugly between Jonesy and Cheryl tonight? Perhaps a little payback?’
Aiken is married to former news reporter Kelly Swanson-Roe (left)
A previous probe by the Psychology Council of NSW in 2017 led to Aiken no longer being able to refer to himself as a psychologist or undertake psychological practice on the show
Jones hit back on his own account, writing: ‘Does your psychologist froth on things getting ugly? Is he/she into revenge and payback?’
Nine was contacted for comment.
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