Patrick van Veen (left) and Radboud Visser (right) decided to stop as experts at Married at first sight. — © RTL
Two experts from the Dutch version of the TV program Blind Married have decided to resign after they experienced too much interference from TV makers when matching new couples. “It’s a battle you have to fight constantly.”
Things are going on behind the scenes at the Dutch TV program Married at first sight, which has the name Blind Married in Flanders. In the program, so-called love experts match two complete strangers who only meet for the first time at their wedding. But that’s where things went a bit wrong in the last season of the Dutch version of the well-known program. Of the seven couples, only one appeared to want to remain married and so the comments were not forthcoming. There was criticism on social media about the matches made in the ninth season of the program.
And now that the last episode is over, it appears that the storm has not yet subsided. Two experts, behavioral biologist Patrick van Veen and professional matchmaker Radboud Visser, decided to resign. Van Veen in particular expressed his dissatisfaction with how things went on the set. The psychologist is particularly bothered by the interference of the TV makers in the coupling process and the scientific tests that precede it. “We conduct personality tests. People who score high on ‘openness to new experiences’ do not mix with extroverts. The first group is quickly inclined to look for a new partner. While the second group is interesting for the editors because they are open to everything the makers want. Then you see that people are dropping out for us, while the editors say that those people are nice for the program,” he tells De Telegraaf.
Van Veen continues: “Another example is the narcissism test. As experts, we do not want people who score high there in the program. Then the editor says: they are nice people for TV. This is a battle that you are constantly fighting as an expert.”
Producer ITV does not agree with Van Veen’s statements. “The experts are in the lead for all tests administered. We follow their advice. In this specific case, we considered Patrick’s advice to be leading.”
Viewing figures
The psychologist was associated with the program during the first and last three seasons and no longer sees a future for himself. “Over the past year I have had the feeling that I had to continuously defend my expertise and my role. That just takes a lot of energy,” he told RTL Boulevard.
Visser served as a matchmaker for two seasons and was also forced to put an end to his expert role. “In my view, choices were also made that had a negative impact on the chances of success of the matches. For me, the result is whether people succeed or not, I am not concerned with the viewing figures. That’s a different perspective.”
Both experts indicate that they still support the concept of the program and believe in matching couples based on scientific tests, but the TV aspect has become too much for them.
TV channel RTL thanks Van Veen and Visser for their expertise in the past seasons of Married at first sight. “And wish them the best of luck in their next steps.” It is not yet clear who will replace the two experts in the next season.