How many people watch Married At First Sight Australia in the USA

Married at First Sight Australia is a global phenomenon, having been sold to various territories including Britain, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

But just how many people watch Australia’s favourite reality show in the biggest reality TV market of all, the USA?

While our version of the social experiment regularly pulls more than a million viewers for E4 in the UK, it is more of a niche product stateside.

Revealed: How many people really watch Married At First Sight Australia in the USA. (Pictured: MAFS bride Domenica Calarco on her wedding day)

MAFS Australia airs on the Lifetime cable network in the U.S. and its latest season premiered on March 30.

So far the show has been drawing about 300,000 viewers per episode, which is far less than its audience in Australia and the UK.

However, this is still a decent number for a cable show, and practically unheard of for a program made outside the U.S.

Numbers game: While MAFS Australia regularly pulls more than a million viewers for E4 in the UK, it is more of a niche product in the U.S. (Pictured: Brent Vitiello and Tamara Djordjevic)

The March 30 broadcast drew 298,000 viewers, and this grew to 315,000 viewers for the episode on April 6.

To put these numbers into perspective, the best-performing cable shows in the U.S. tend to be Fox News programs, which draw between two and four million viewers.

Meanwhile, a source told Yahoo this week at least one MAFS participant is looking to capitalise on the show’s global appeal.

Brent Vitiello, 34, is preparing to travel to America to ‘explore possible work opportunities there,’ the insider said.

Niche: So far the show has been drawing about 300,000 viewers per episode for America’s Lifetime network, which is far less than its audience in Australia and the UK. Despite this, Brent (pictured) reportedly wants to travel to LA and NYC to ‘explore possible work opportunities’

‘Now their season [of MAFS] is airing in the States, he’s slowly gaining an American following and has connections in LA and New York he is planning on meeting with.’

Some aspects of MAFS Australia have been lost in translation in America.

Season nine may only be a few episodes in, but U.S. viewers are already confused by the lack of diversity, ear-splitting music volume and excessive lip filler.

Dividing opinion: Some aspects of MAFS Australia have been lost in translation. Season nine may only be a few episodes in, but U.S. viewers are already confused by the lack of diversity, ear-splitting music volume and excessive lip filler. (Pictured: Domenica Calarco)

The main bugbear for Americans was the mostly white line-up of brides and grooms.

In the U.S., racially diverse casts are common on reality TV, and there are usually several black, Asian or mixed-race couples on MAFS America.

‘No POC [people of colour]. I won’t be watching,’ one American viewer wrote on Instagram after the MAFS Australia season premiere on March 30.

‘No POC’: The main bugbear for Americans was the mostly white line-up of brides and grooms

Response: One person said ‘that’s just the demographics’ in Australia, but others disagreed, arguing the producers should have made more of an effort

Coming soon: A viewer from Australia said there were more participants to be revealed, including ‘a gorgeous Asian girl and a couple of mixed Asians’

Diversity: While there were no black people on MAFS Australia this year, the Asian community was represented by Selina Chhaur, who is half-Cambodian and half-Chinese; Ella Ding (pictured), whose surname suggests she is half-Chinese; and Al Perkins, who is half-Malaysian

‘Are there no Spanish, black or Asian people in Australia?’ another commented. ‘Every season they all look the same.’

‘Why is everyone blonde and white?’ a third asked.

A fourth viewer added: ‘No diversity / inclusion on MAFS Australia. I haven’t watched one season yet because of the lack of diversity. Other people do exist.’

One person said ‘that’s just the demographics’ in Australia, but others disagreed, arguing the producers should have made more of an effort.

However, someone noted there were more participants to be revealed, including ‘a gorgeous Asian girl and a couple of mixed Asians’.

‘Does anyone have real lips?’ The Aussie brides’ fondness for Botox and lip filler was criticised by Americans, some of whom also said they couldn’t understand the stars’ thick accents

Lost in translation: One fan said, ‘I can’t keep up with what they’re saying with the accent’

‘Love and drama come in waves’: Lifetime, which airs the American version of Married At First Sight, has been the U.S. broadcast partner for MAFS Australia for several years now

While there were no black people on MAFS Australia this year, the Asian community was represented by Selina Chhaur, who is half-Cambodian, half-Chinese; Ella Ding, whose surname suggests she is half-Chinese; and Al Perkins, who is half-Malaysian.

Meanwhile, other viewers complained about the background music volume, saying it was so loud they struggled to hear people speaking.

‘Please take the background music off. We can’t hear what they are even saying,’ one disgruntled fan wrote on social media.

Another added: ‘What’s with the melodramatic songs? It’s marriage, not war.’

Can you speak up? Other viewers complained about the background music volume, saying it was so loud they struggled to hear people speaking. (Pictured: Mitch Eynaud and Ella Ding)

Not happy, Jan: ‘Please take the background music off. We can’t hear what they are even saying,’ one disgruntled fan wrote on social media

The Aussie brides’ fondness for Botox and lip filler was criticised by Americans, some of whom also said they couldn’t understand the stars’ thick accents.

‘Does anyone in Australia have real lips?’ one frustrated viewer asked, to which another replied: ‘They’re all white with perfect bodies and lip filler.’

One fan said: ‘I can’t keep up with what they’re saying with the accent.’

But despite these criticisms, many viewers agreed MAFS Australia was better than their own version, which is produced by Kinetic Content for the Lifetime network.

Mixed reception: ‘They’re all white with perfect bodies and lip filler. No diversity whatsoever,’ one American viewer said of the casting. (Pictured: Samantha Moitzi and Al Perkins)

‘Love this show! The process [is] so much better than the U.S. version,’ one fan said.

‘So much better than the U.S. one. It’s obviously scripted but the drama makes it worth watching. The U.S. one pretends to be “real”. Such a bore,’ another added.

A third commented: ‘Can’t wait. This is my favourite show. The Aussie version is by far, 150 per cent better than the U.S. version.’

Success story: Despite these criticisms, many viewers agreed MAFS Australia was better than their own version, which is produced by Kinetic Content for the Lifetime network

Popular: Americans praised the Aussie version for its gripping format and ‘scripted’ drama

Lifetime, which airs the American version of Married At First Sight, has been the U.S. broadcast partner for MAFS Australia for several years now.

However, it does not air every season of the Aussie edition.

MAFS Australia is also very popular in the United Kingdom, where it airs on E4.

The Brits love it too! MAFS Australia is also very popular in the United Kingdom, where it airs on E4. (Pictured: Olivia Frazer)

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