Mel Akbay has finally addressed the comment she made on Married At First Sight that sparked calls for her to get booted from the show.
During a chat with her on-screen husband, the 28-year-old communications specialist claimed she “love” stalking her ex-partner, and would drive past his house at night to check he was home.
Stalking awareness advocate Di McDonald told Yahoo Lifestyle Mel’s comments were “horrific” and was shocked Channel 9 would even air them.
But Mel has now spoken out after leaving the show.
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“I do not think stalking is funny and l absolutely do not condone that behaviour,” she said in a statement on Instagram.
“I was referring to something from when I was 17 and joking with friends, and it was careless of me to say it the way I did.
“I regret it.”
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What did Mel Akbay say about stalking on MAFS?
During Revelations Week, the couples were tasked with asking each other pointed questions about their views and lifestyles to get to know each other better.
Mel’s husband, Luke Fourniotis, asked her what was the wildest thing she did after a breakup.
“[I’d] get in the car with my friends and drive past his house multiple times during the night time to make sure he was home,” she said on the show.
“We’d do laps. Go to the servo, get a treat. Laps. If his car was there, it meant that he was home.”
While Mel thought her stalking admission wasn’t a big deal, her husband, Luke, had other feelings. Picture: Channel 9
Mel added that it wasn’t just her ex-partner who received this treatment, as she and her friends would then go to someone else’s ex’s home.
“Depending on whose heart was broken that week or that month, that’s the house we would focus on,” she said.
In her audition tape, she claimed “we all” have “some kind of psycho, stalker-ish tendencies” but she tried to keep it hidden from her romantic partners.
“I’m not a stalker…well I am, but they don’t know that,” she said.
She even admitted to having several fake social media accounts in the past to keep tabs on her ex-partners.
Her comments went down like a lead balloon with audiences, many of whom said it was not okay.
Some also stressed that if the roles were reversed and a man was doing that, then it would get called out instantly.
Di McDonald, founder of Stalking Awareness Day Australia (SADA) told Yahoo Lifestyle the comments should have never made it to air.
“I’m appalled at Channel 9 that they knew that she did this and they still put her on the show,” the safety advocate said.
Anti-stalking advocate Di McDonald was horrified by what MAFS bride Mel said this week. Source: SADA
“I think she should have been removed.
“They’re trivialising stalking. What we go through is hell and some some people don’t make it. And here they are making light of it.”
Yahoo Lifestyle reached out to Channel 9 for comment.
Di even wrote a letter to the TV network begging for them to take Mel off the show.
“Mel has to be made aware of just how damaging stalking someone is and that there are consequences for it,” she added.
Mel and Luke eventually elected to leave the program as they weren’t gelling with each other after several weeks.
Mel addresses her time on MAFS and shuts down rumours
In the 28-year-old’s statement on social media, Mel said it’s been difficult to watch herself on MAFS.
“There were moments where l didn’t communicate well and came across insensitive,” she said.
“For that, I’m truly sorry to anyone who felt hurt or offended.”
The NSW worker said she’s “not perfect”, and being on the Channel 9 show has been a “huge learning curve”.
It’s made her realise how she handles situations and promised she would “keep growing”.
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But Mel also addressed parts of the show that caused a lot of speculation.
She first addressed rumours that she kept her distance from her soon-to-be husband’s family at the wedding.
“I did not ignore Luke’s sisters,” she said. “I went over, hugged them and spoke with them, as well as his mum, who were all lovely to me.”
When they were on their honeymoon, Mel also told Luke he could sleep on the floor with a towel as a blanket because she didn’t feel comfortable sharing a bed with him.
She said that was just a joke and he slept in the bed “the entire time”.
“Lastly, I’m sorry for not developing romantic feelings for Luke and that the experiment didn’t go the way we both would’ve hoped,” Mel added.
“Luke is a good person and I genuinely wish him the best.”
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