Married At First Sight Australia's 'most hated bride' of 2023, Alyssa Barmonde, earned herself the title after her 'controversial' behaviour with her on-screen hubby Duncan James played out on the show.
However, since the show has wrapped, her fellow MAFS cast members have stuck by her side and are now taking to their Instagram Stories to beg fans to stop giving her a hard time due to the bad rap she caught in the show's edit.
For more MAFS bombshells, check out our chat with MAFS expert John Atkins here:
In a series of posts, Alyssa's fellow MAFS stars insist that she is actually "one of the nicest people ever."
So what does the cast have to say, and will it change our minds after what we saw play out on our teles?
Lyndall Grace explained in an Instagram Stories Q&A: "Everyone on the show loved Alyssa.I probably couldn't name one person that didn't".
She later added: "She'd go to war for me, and I would do the same for her."
SOURCE: @10dall on Instagram
Melinda Willis echoed Lyndall's message by filming a clip to her followers, saying: "I'm getting on this bandwagon too because I feel like every single [cast member] has exactly the same thing to say about Alyssa".
She then urged fans to get behind #FreeAlyssa.
"Let's get this movement going because you guys are giving her such a horrible time and I promise you if you were there and doing the show with Alyssa, she would absolutely be one of your best friends," Melinda said of the way fans have treated the MAFS bride.
She also reposted fellow MAFS bride Tahnee Cook's message with her new hashtag movement.
SOURCE: @alyssa_barmonde on Instagram
Bronte Schofield also hit out at fans' "tearing down" Alyssa after the show had ended.
"The cast and myself have sat back and watched the public tear you down over an edit that you had no control over," she wrote.
She added: "Despite everything you have going in your everyday life you never let it stop you from being the big-hearted, beautiful woman that you are".
SOURCE: @_bronteschofield on Instagram
I mean, it's no secret that reality tv isn't always showing us the, ahem, reality of the person/ relationship. So, who are we to judge Alyssa's whole character based on the few hours of tele we'd watch through the week?
I'd say we can probably trust those who were constantly around her to tell us who she really is.
Maybe, just maybe it's time to get behind #FreeAlyssa. What do you reckon?
