Luke Fourniotis, a groom on Married At First Sight, has spoken out about the issues in his relationship with Melissa Akbay, explaining he felt lonely and ignored even before the show really got underway.
Luke, 30, told Daily Mail that rewatching the first dinner party was a difficult experience, bringing back painful memories of what he described as one of the most isolating nights of the show so far.
“It really made me think back to that time,” Luke shared. “I remember struggling to get through that dinner party. I felt incredibly awkward and isolated.”
While other couples seemed to connect and enjoy themselves, Luke realized his marriage was already having serious problems.
He said he noticed everyone else seemed to be connecting with each other, but he and Mel felt left out. He admitted it was difficult to watch.
Luke felt especially hurt because Mel was friendly and outgoing with other people, but completely ignored him.
He explained that she seemed incredibly happy and lively around other people – friendly, loud, and constantly laughing. He felt completely ignored, and that stung even more because it proved she could be that way, she just wasn’t choosing to be with him.
Even though they were growing apart emotionally, Luke still believed things could get better at that time.
I definitely had hope at first,” he explained. “It hadn’t been long – we were still on our honeymoon. I thought maybe she just needed a little more time to feel comfortable.
He said he didn’t understand why Mel was acting the way she was, especially since she hadn’t been honest about not being interested in him.
He admitted he was confused and frustrated, trying to figure out what he’d done to upset her. He wondered why she wouldn’t even be friends with him.
I’ve been following Luke’s journey, and it’s really frustrating to see him explain how he kept trying to figure out what Mel wanted to feel a connection, but she wouldn’t let him in. He says every attempt he made to understand her needs was met with rejection, which is just heartbreaking to watch.
He said he’d repeatedly asked her if there was anything else he could do to help. Each time, she simply replied, ‘No, there’s nothing more you can do.’
To Luke, that response was frustrating and disheartening.
He believed that in any relationship, there’s always something you can do to show you care. He felt she simply didn’t make the effort to consider what that might be.
Watching the other couples thrive only compounded his pain.
It really hurt, he confessed. But that’s exactly what I was hoping for – that feeling of walking into a dinner party with someone you connect with.
Okay, so he said he was happy for everyone else, which, fine, good for them, I guess. But honestly? He admitted it just made things so much worse for him. Seeing all those couples together just… highlighted everything that wasn’t happening for him, you know? It just made his own situation feel totally hopeless, and I totally get why. It’s like, how can you not feel that way?
‘At the dinner party, you can’t escape it,’ he said. ‘Reality sets in that it’s not going well.’
Luke confessed he was bothered by seeing Mel tell relationship expert John Aiken she’d try harder if she met the right person.
Watching that video was painful,” he admitted. “She’d told me she was open to a relationship with someone who fit a specific image, but when we actually tried, she didn’t put in any effort.
When asked how things could improve, Luke explained that the need to create a romantic connection was causing problems and should be removed.
He explained that they don’t have a friendship at all, and that’s where they need to start. Before anything else – like a close connection or romance – they need to build a foundation of friendship.
Even though it was emotionally difficult, Luke shared that the incredible support he’s received from the public since the show aired has been really encouraging and made it all worthwhile.
He said it felt really good to receive positive feedback. When you’re deeply involved in something, it’s hard to judge how others are perceiving it.
He added that several castmates have since reached out after seeing the episodes play out.
He shared that some people apologized, saying they hadn’t understood the extent of the situation. They also commented that she never really offered him anything to begin with.
On this week’s Married at First Sight, Luke is connecting with viewers thanks to his openness about his feelings, despite the serious struggles in his marriage.
For now, he says the support has helped him trust his instincts.
‘It makes me feel like however I was feeling in there was completely true,’ he said.
Luke’s recent statements seem to confirm photos the Daily Mail published last August, which showed the couple already leading very separate lives only a week after moving into their apartment together.
I was obsessed with the photos that surfaced! There she was, Melissa, just…walking around Sydney by herself. She had her headphones on, totally lost in her own world, and she was even eating a chocolate bar! But the most heartbreaking part? She was just staring at her phone, looking so lost and…alone. I just wanted to reach through the pictures and hug her!
She appeared withdrawn, disengaged and deep in thought.
Luke was seen in another location, looking happy and energetic. He was wearing workout clothes, had a flower behind his ear, and was stretching as he prepared for a run.
At the time, production sources brushed it off as a couple needing space.
Insiders now say the images were an early warning sign.
According to a source who spoke with Daily Mail, the couple’s problems weren’t just a temporary difficulty. It appears one partner had already emotionally detached from the relationship.
Several sources say Mel quickly showed Luke she wasn’t interested in him and didn’t want to develop a relationship.
‘She didn’t want to get to know him,’ a source said. ‘And that included not wanting to be friends.’
Luke reportedly attempted to connect with Mel by starting conversations and looking for shared interests, but Mel is said to have avoided deeper discussions and kept their interactions brief and impersonal.
‘She didn’t lean in,’ an insider said. ‘She leaned away.’
People close to the situation also say Mel didn’t seem very interested in Luke’s family, especially his sisters, which raised concerns.
‘She showed no curiosity,’ one source claimed. ‘No effort to connect. No warmth.’
Perhaps most damaging, sources say, was the contrast in Mel’s behaviour.
According to a source, she treated Luke coldly in private, but was warm and friendly around others.
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2026-02-10 09:51