MAFS Australia's Richard 'lost money' being on show and calls for higher pay for cast

19 April 2024, 14:18

Richard is keen to return to work following MAFS, but admits he lost money by being on the show. Picture: Channel Nine

By Alice Dear

Married At First Sight groom Richard has called for cast members to be paid more to be on the show, which at the moment is only $150 per day.

Loading audio...

MAFS Australia's Richard has opened up about the financial and career effects appearing on the hit reality TV show brings as he sat down for his first interview since the series ended.

Richard married Andrea during his time on season 11 and while their romance started off strong, they ultimately ended up splitting and leaving the show, only returning for the reunion.

The 62-year-old groom, who made history as the oldest contestant to take part on Married At First Sight, revealed in a recent interview where his relationship with Andie stands now, his thoughts on the backlash he received during his time on the show and why he was cut from the reunion edit.

Listen now on Global Player, the official Heart app: Take That: This Life

He also revealed during this interview with Yahoo Australia's podcast Behind The Edit that he lost work and money being on to show before criticising the pay the cast receive during their time filming, calling it a "rip off".

Richard is excited to return to his motivational speaking work after 'losing money' on MAFS. Picture: Richard Sauerman / Instagram

Richard was speaking to the hosts about his future after MAFS when he revealed: "I lost a lot of money being on MAFS, as we all did."

When asked whether he felt he and the rest of the cast should have been paid more, Richard replied: "100%, and for how much money it makes Channel Nine, it's a rip off, $150 a day, that's what you get!"

READ MORE: MAFS Australia's Richard defends his explicit comments about intimacy with Andrea
READ MORE: MAFS Australia's Timothy breaks silence on Andrea dating rumours
READ MORE: MAFS Australia's Richard accuses Andrea of leaking private conversation

He continued: "When you come out [of the show] it's like October, then the reunion in November, and then it's Christmas, New Year, January... I've got no work on, I had no work on for six months. And I need to work, I don't have a while lot of money that I sit one."

Richard, who works as a motivational speaker, went on to say that his profile on the show hasn't resulted in more work, like it does for some people. While he said he has had more people visiting his website, it isn't "converting into anything".

Richard and Andrea's relationship did not last on Married At First Sight, despite the groom being besotted with his match. Picture: Channel Nine

This isn't the first time a cast member of MAFS has spoken out about the lack on salary they receive for being on the show.

Earlier this year, an unnamed cast member told The Daily Telegraph how they ended up "broke" after the show finished, leaving them unable to pay rent.

“I am broke after having appeared on the show. I couldn’t even make my rent payments with what we were being paid," they said: “We would film late so I would be ordering takeaway most nights. I spent a bomb on outfits, hair and make-up, and to top it off, they didn’t even let us wear what we wanted.”