Married At First Sight’s Jake Edwards didn’t find his happily ever after on the reality TV show, in fact he was left in the depths of depression.
On Tuesday, the 33-year-old former footballer spoke candidly about his mental health struggles on the Unpopular Opinion podcast, and claimed that starring on the reality TV series left him suicidal.
‘There was a time there when I was very regretful of going on the show because of the impact on my mental health,’ he explained.
No happily ever after: Married At First Sight’s Jake Edwards has claimed starring on the reality show left him feeling ‘suicidal’
‘I’ll be honest it got to a point where I was suicidal again, if my mum wasn’t with me I wouldn’t be here.
‘It got to a critical point and that’s why I went to the monks, that’s why I stepped away from society,’ he said, referring to his recent three-week stint at a wellness retreat with monks in country Victoria.
Jake said his struggles had ‘nothing to do’ with his portrayal on the show, but rather a culmination of factors following it.
‘I was extremely vulnerable coming off (MAFS), I was in a relationship at the time and that had broken down,’ he said of his public split from influencer, Sophie Guidolin.
‘I’ll be honest it got to a point where I was suicidal again, if my mum wasn’t with me I wouldn’t be here’ he told the Unpopular Opinion podcast on Thursday
‘I couldn’t have a private life,’ he said. ‘I was trying to block the world out and the outside so much.
‘The stuff that was happening online was one thing, just trying to be in a relationship – it was just impossible,’ he added.
Elsewhere, Jake was asked why he signed on to the show in the first place, given his previous mental health struggles.
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‘It got to a critical point and that’s why I went to the monks, that’s why I stepped away from society,’ he said, referring to his recent three-week stint at a wellness retreat with monks in country Victoria. Pictured is Jake at the retreat
‘I was extremely vulnerable’: The former footy star said his struggles had ‘nothing to do’ with his portrayal on the show, but rather a culmination of factors following the show
He explained that a friend recommended him to a producer, who reached out to him via Instagram, and that he was at a time of his life when he was ‘mentally stable’.
‘It was a timing thing. I just felt secure and happy in my life, and I felt my mental health was in a really good place, and if I was ever going to do it, then was the time,’ he said, admitting he was pretty naïve to the show.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment.
Ill-fated relationship: Jake appeared on season eight of Channel Nine’s Married At First Sight and was paired with Beck Zemek in the controversial social experiment. Their partnership was dreadfully unsuccessful and they bitterly split up. Pictured is Jake with Beck
Jake became a household name in February, after appearing in season eight of Channel Nine’s Married At First Sight.
He was paired with Beck Zemek in the controversial social experiment. Their partnership was dreadfully unsuccessful.
He enjoyed a brief relationship with fitness influencer Sophie soon after, but that also fizzled out.
Jake recently relocated to the Gold Coast for a fresh start and to set up his new company, Edward Mills.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Over: He enjoyed a brief relationship with fitness influencer Sophie soon after, but that also fizzled out. Pictured together
Source: Daily Mail
