Married At First Sight producers told me ‘Christmas came early’ when Bec Zacharia and Gia Fleur first locked eyes at the hens night.
The (un)lucky 13th season of Nine’s ratings blockbuster opened with a feud so vicious that execs were popping open the bubbly when they were sent the dailies.
And yet the show is keeping the full extent of their rivalry under wraps – for now.
For those who watched Monday night’s season premiere, the hens night introduced viewers to the cast of brides who will be tying the knot this year.
And unlike previous wars between the likes of Olivia Frazer and Domenica Calarco, or Cyrell Paule and Jessika Power, the animosity between Bec and Gia was clear before either woman had even picked up a glass of prosecco.
Bec was positioned as emotionally fragile and carrying the weight of years of insecurity. Gia burst in with confidence bordering arrogance.
Rival brides Bec Zacharia (left) and Gia Fleur (right) hated each other’s guts from the moment they locked eyes at the MAFS hens party
A source says Bec was overheard calling Gia a ‘trashy slut’ during a piece to camera
The slur was left on the cutting room floor, but word soon made its way to Gia, who was fuming
Sources say the personality clash began within minutes of Gia arriving at the hens party, following a delayed entrance that had already heightened tensions.
While viewers saw her waltz in late, what they didn’t see was the lengthy period she spent isolated elsewhere in the venue, growing increasingly anxious and – according to Gia – being goaded by the producers into ‘making a big impression’.
By the time she joined the group, the dynamics were firmly established.
Sensitive Bec, who had already bonded with several other brides, immediately took issue with Gia’s loud personality and ‘spicy Italian’ overconfidence.
While their differing dispositions were highlighted during the episode – with Bec scoffing at Gia’s claims she was once a Playboy model – the sharpest barbs didn’t make it to air.
According to multiple sources, at one stage Bec was overheard calling Gia a ‘trashy slut’ – a remark that stunned the crew and underscored how quickly the hostility had escalated. (To be clear, the Mail does not suggest there is any truth to Bec’s insult.)
The slur was left on the cutting room floor – perhaps because it was too abrasive, or perhaps because it conflicted with the wounded persona producers had already mapped out for Bec – but word soon made its way back to Gia, who was fuming.
Speaking of Gia, she was already convinced during the first day of shooting that she would be the central character of the new season.
Sensitive Bec, who had already bonded with several other brides, took issue with Gia’s loud personality and overconfidence. The two women were described as ‘oil and water’
According to those present, Bec accused Gia of dodging a question about her reasons for doing MAFS. Producers decided to downplay their feud in the final edit so as to let it ‘simmer’
Her decision to barge in with an attitude of ‘I’m not here to make friends’ was calculated, and she leaned into her bimbo persona to rile up the women.
One insider said Bec and Gia were like ‘oil and water’ from the moment they met.
‘Bec felt threatened and judged her instantly. Gia clocked it straight away and decided she wasn’t going to back down,’ they added.
An early exchange that wasn’t aired on TV saw Bec push Gia to explain why she was in the experiment, what she wanted out of it, and who she was as a person.
Gia was caught off guard and suggested that everyone go around the table and share first – but that didn’t go down well.
In a flash of anger that jarred with her on‑screen persona, Bec swore and accused Gia of dodging the question. From that moment, it was game on.
Throughout the hens night, Bec was repeatedly pulled aside by producers for piece‑to‑camera interviews. Each time she returned, Gia noticed the looks and whispers around the room and concluded that she was bitching about her.
Bec, deciding that honesty was the best policy, later confirmed to Gia that she had spent several minutes criticising her in an interview.
‘That was the point of no return,’ a source said.
At the hens night, Bec was repeatedly pulled aside by producers for piece‑to‑camera interviews. Each time she returned, Gia clocked the looks and whispers and concluded that she was bitching about her
‘Gia felt attacked before she’d even had a proper chance to speak. From there, it became defensive on both sides.’
Both women went hard in their interviews. It is believed their incendiary and deeply personal comments about each other will be used to shape the narrative later on in the season.
‘The producers were rapt because they didn’t have to fudge it. They had a real feud from day one with two brides who genuinely hated each other,’ said the insider.
So, why was the feud downplayed in the first episode of the season?
A production source said the tension was ‘too overpowering’ to include in full in the season premiere, which also had to introduce a cast of new characters.
They decided it was better simply to hint at discord and let it ‘simmer in the background’.
Producers had an altogether different problem over at the bucks party where manufactured chaos was the order of the day. A senior producer had to cajole Chris Nield (pictured) into getting the other men to say provocative things
Producers had an altogether different problem over at the bucks party where manufactured chaos was the order of the day because the grooms failed to deliver the drama.
This all changed when a senior producer pulled aside cocky groom Chris Nield and told him, ‘It’s f**king boring in there.’ He was told to march back in and say something provocative like, ‘It’s not all about the women’s personality, is it?’
Chris – who was cast for his brutal honesty and zero filter – didn’t hesitate.
Specifically, he was encouraged to ask the other grooms pointed questions about their ‘ideal’ brides – and to be very clear about his own wishlist.
Still, viewers can rest assured the moment wasn’t as spontaneous as it appeared.
‘Chris didn’t just decide to drop those comments,’ an insider said. ‘He was told to go back in and cause drama – and he understood the assignment.’
The result was instant discomfort among the other grooms, several of whom had already been warned about how their words could be used later in the experiment.
But Chris didn’t care. He pushed the envelope, and producers got exactly what they wanted.
As viewers watched the season premiere, they had no idea that two other participants were there as well – a couple since erased from the season: Micah Lomu and Ankita Karungalekar
But as viewers watched the season premiere’s drama unfold, they had no idea that two other participants were there as well – a couple since erased from the season entirely.
Micah Lomu and Ankita Karungalekar were at the bucks and hens nights before being abruptly removed in one of MAFS’ most explosive off-camera scandals ever.
As I previously revealed, the two were ordered to pack their bags after unverified allegations about Micah began circulating on TikTok – claims both vehemently deny.
By all accounts, they were thick as thieves with the rest of the cast – making the task of editing them out in post‑production particularly challenging.
‘They weren’t outsiders,’ a source told me.
‘They were part of the group. They had one of the strongest weddings, they bonded quickly, and they were already forming friendships.’
But by the time the first dinner party rolled around, Micah and Ankita were suddenly gone – and the cast were instructed not to mention them.
‘It was like they never existed,’ said a spy. ‘No explanation. No closure. Just silence.’
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