Section: TV:Reality

NELLY Patel will be a cast member for the tenth series of Married at First Sight.

She has taken a bold step into embarking on the reality TV show, having been single for the past year.

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Who is Nelly from Married at First Sight UK 2025?

Nelly is a 30-year-old cosmetic dentist from Manchester.

In a teaser trailer for the new series, she is shown having one of the most dramatic entrances ever seen on the show.

She advances down the aisle in a Bollywood-style outfit on a dolly covered with brightly coloured flowers in an extraordinary spectacle.

The 30-year-old narrates the video by portraying her nervousness about the reaction of her soon-to-be husband.

She says: “If he doesn’t react well to my entrance, I’d be devastated…

“I’m putting my heart on the line and I just really really hope it doesn’t get squished to little pieces because I don’t know how I’m going to come back from it if it does…”

Described as “Outspoken, confident, and warm”, Nelly has been single for over a year and is now ready to search for true love.

She “knows what she deserves” and is looking for a man who is “strong, emotionally intelligent, and not intimidated by a woman who knows exactly who she is.”

When is Married at First Sight UK 2025 on?

The tenth series of Married at First Sight begins on Sunday, September 21 at 9pm (BST).

Relationship experts Paul C. Brunson, Melanie Schilling and Charlene Douglas will be returning for another series.

For the first time ever, new episodes will be running from Sunday to Wednesday rather then from Monday to Thursday.

The show is on E4 and will be available to stream on demand via Channel 4.

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Who are the other Married at First Sight UK 2025 contestants?

Expert Paul has claimed that the new series will be “one of the most memorable” in the reality show’s history.

Another show source said: “For the first time in MAFS UK history, there will be two gay weddings in the same series.

“In the upcoming run, which hits screens later this month, viewers will see a gay male pair and a lesbian twosome meet for the first time at the altar.”

The 18 participants are listed in full below:

• ANITA, 54, Durham, Operations Manager
• GRACE, 31, Norwich, Midwife in mental health services
• JULIA-RUTH, 29, New Zealand, Professional Dancer 
• LEAH, 35, Liverpool, business owner
• LEIGH, 30, Romford, NHS Clinical Coder
• MAEVE, 29, Newcastle, Aesthetics Practitioner 
• NEELIMA (NELLY), 30, Manchester, Cosmetic Dentist
• REBECCA, 32, Liverpool, Aesthetics Nurse and clinic owner 
• SARAH, 31, Aberdeen, Recruitment Consultant 
• ASHLEY, 35, Bridgend, Operations Director
• BAILEY, 36, St Albans, Sales Manager
• DAVIDE, 33, Portugal, Cabin Crew
• DEAN, 31, Feltham, Team Building Host 
• DIVARNI, 29, London, Musician
• JOE, 31, Huddersfield, Personal Trainer 
• KEYE, 33, London, Marketing Manager
• PAUL, 60, Edinburgh, Retired
• STEVEN, 34, Essex, Investment Banking Manager 

STRICTLY Come Dancing has seen some iconic pairings during its two decades on screen.

Tonight, the class of 2025 will learn who their pro-partners are on the pre-recorded launch show.

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But many will be hoping their Strictly partnerships don’t go the way of these past duos, who didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye, to put it politely.

Here’s a recap of some of the worst Strictly pairings ever.

Fiona Phillips and Brendan Cole

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Former GMTV host Fiona took part in the third series of Strictly back in 2005.

She wasn’t a natural on the dancefloor, and she has claimed pro-partner Brendan Cole made his feelings on that very clear.

In her book, Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, Fiona – who is battling the disease – wrote: “He could also be seen looking at my dancing and saying, ‘Pathetic, it’s not good enough!’

“Then I’m begging him to ‘stop shouting’ and worrying that I look completely ridiculous. There’s a clip where I say to the cameraman that Brendan is looking at me like he’s stepped in something.

“I really don’t remember much of that time now – maybe I blocked it out because all I recall is the sense that it was incredibly traumatic.”

She added that she was on ‘the brink of tears’ most of the time and quickly regretted her decision to sign up.

Johnny Ball and Aliona Vilani

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Legendary TV presenter Johnny, 87, was part of the 2012 series, where he was paired with the previous years winner, Aliona.

Aliona left the early stages of the 10th series due to an injury and Johnny was paired with Iveta Lukošiūtė instead.

Johnny ended up being the first to be booted off the show, but five years later, in 2017, Johnny launched an astonishing attack on his Strictly dance partners, accusing them of fixing it so he got booted off first.

He told The Sun on Sunday: “Aliona fell on a flat floor in flat shoes and said she had broken her leg.

“The next day she flew to the South of France for a pre-arranged weekend with her boyfriend.”

The star was then paired with Iveta – and he claimed that she devised a routine that was too difficult for him.

He said: “When I was knocked out she said, ‘That’s funny, my contract ends on Tuesday’.”

Aliona later took to X to deny his claims, saying: “I am aware that Johnny Ball has made allegations regarding my fractured ankle during 2012 SCD, which I strongly deny.

“I have instructed solicitors and am taking legal action in relation to his allegations.

“It’s therefore not appropriate to comment further at this time.”

Fern Britton and Artem Chigvintsev

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Former This Morning host Fern, 68, has spoken on a number of occasions about her experience on Strictly.

Fern was paired with Artem, 43, in series 10 in 2012 and was the fifth celebrity to be eliminated.

While her run on Strictly wasn’t long, it was tough, with Fern previously telling The Times: “He would look at my feet and just kick me or shove me.”

Artem denied Fern’s claims of him ‘kicking or shoving her’ during tense rehearsals.

He told the Daily Express: “I believe I treated Fern with respect and genuine care and these claims about me are the opposite of everything I believe in and the person I am.

“I cannot imagine what has prompted such statements which come as a shock to me.”

She added in her book, Fern Britton The Older I Get, how her confidence was knocked straightaway with Artem.

Describing the rehearsals as “challenging”, Fern added: “As the weeks went on, I found it increasingly hard to gather up my self-confidence and there were days I was crying before I even got into the rehearsal room.”

Lynda Bellingham and Darren Bennett

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The late actress and Loose Women star Lynda Bellingham signed up for Strictly in 2009.

She was paired with series two champ Darren Bennett, but the duo were voted out on the fourth week.

Following her death in 2014 from cancer, her husband Michael Pattemore claimed in a book that Lynda had “hated” her time on Strictly.

He wrote: “There were two things about Strictly she didn’t like. One was her body image. She always thought she looked fat. I kept saying she didn’t.

“She picked this ruched gold dress and she said it made her look 20 times bigger than what she was.

“And the other thing, she said her partner Darren Bennett was such a miserable git. There was no laughter, no fun.

“All the way through rehearsals she didn’t mind training hard, but it was solid dance. He was just hard work.

“If Lynda had had a partner like Anton du Beke or someone, now they would have had some fun together.”

Danny John-Jules and Amy Dowden

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Back in 2018, Red Dwarf star Danny was paired with pro dancer Amy Dowden.

While the pair produced some great routines, rumours of behind-the-scenes tension were rife.

The Sun revealed at the time that Danny, 65, had received a final warning by show bosses for “bullying” partner Amy.

The actor had reportedly left Amy in tears during training — at one point angrily telling her: “I’m the star, not you.”

When they were voted off in week eight, Danny opted not to take part in their exit interview on spin-off show It Takes Two, leaving Amy to do it on her own.

Strictly Come Dancing starts tonight at 6.20pm on BBC One.

ONE of Olivia Attwood’s class of Bad Boyfriends has admitted to cheating on his partner for a sordid romp with a stranger as she waited for him in the car.

The group on the ITV2 programme were left absolutely gobsmacked when Dan revealed that one of the many times he had been unfaithful to Ellie came as she waited to pick him up from a festival alongside her mum.

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Ellie had been sitting in her car unable to track her partner for four hours as he got down and dirty with a stranger – unbeknownst to Ellie.

Dan was forced to own up to his cheating when he was questioned by Olivia Attwood on if he was still holding some secrets back from his partner.

Ellie was aware that Dan had been unfaithful to her with two women but in The Sun’s exclusive first-look clip, he is forced to confess to another even more shocking cheating scandal.

Olivia can be seen saying to the bad lad: “Have you slept with more girls than the two that Ellie knows about?”

Replying sheepishly, he says: “Yes, I have.”

Ellie can be seen stopping in her tracks whilst host Olivia’s eyes widen at the unexpected cheating admission.

In total shock, she asks him: “Where? When? Who is it?”

He nervously confirms that it was when he went to Boardmasters festival.

Ellie can be seen turning to not face him as she shockingly reveals: “I was at the car park waiting for FOUR hours to pick him up.

“With my mum!”

A horrified Olivia then questioned if this was when Dan was sleeping with someone to which he nodded his head.

When pressed by the host on who it was, Dan can be heard mumbling: “Some girl, some random girl.”

Ellie then says: “I doubt he even knows, he was that f***ed when he came out.”

Olivia then turns her attention to Ellie as she gives her a pep talk over the fact she appears unsurprised at her boyfriend’s cruel ways.

The TV star says: “I think the lack of surprise to some pretty serious allegations is a problem.

“This shouldn’t be normal, unshocking stuff.

“You should not be settling for so little, so soon.”

But will Ellie and Dan be able to work it out and has the bad lad changed for good?

Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

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ANTON Danyluk has signed up to feature on the new season of Celeb Ex On The Beach, despite vowing never to star on reality shows again.

The Love Island alum appears to have backed down on his word, and has already signed the dotted line to feature on the show.

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A source said: “Anton vowed his reality TV days were done after Love Island All Stars but he has signed on the dotted line to do Celeb Ex On The Beach.”

According to the source, Anton found the offer to feature on this particular reality TV show “too good an offer to turn down”, especially since it involved “all expenses paid fun in the sun, with a bit of drama thrown in to boot.”

Though the TV personality, 31, will now be gearing up for his next appearance on-screen, he’s recently fallen out of favour with the public.

Anton became under-fire after making a post to Instagram where his followers accused him of using Ricky Hatton‘s death to boost his Instagram views.

In a post mentioning the passing of the late boxer, Anton appeared to plug his services as a personal trainer and online coach.

Many commenters found this to be disrespectful and distasteful.

One commenter even said Anton needs to have a “word with himself” and reflect on his actions.

Featuring on Celeb Ex On The Beach will be another way for Anton to promote his company: another reason cited by the source for Anton’s decision to go on the programme.

“While Anton is focused on his personal training company, being on TV now and then always helps boost the business and keep those clients coming in.”

Anton featured on series five of Love Island back in 2019 before going all-in on his love for fitness.

Following his exit from the show, be became a bodybuilder and even fronted a BBC documentary called Anton Danyluk on Body Shame in 2023.

It is not yet confirmed exactly when Celeb Ex On The Beach’s fourth series is going to air, but a show source revealed “it’s in the very early stages but should film towards the end of the year.”

The show’s cast will consist of well-known faces from other reality shows including Love Island and MAFS, as well as Netflix stars.

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