Married at First Sight UK star Sarah Gillanders speaks out after leaving the show amid fat-shaming drama

Married At First Sight UK's Sarah Gillanders has addressed her departure from the show following an incident involving comments about her husband’s weight.

The 31-year-old confirmed on social media that leaving the series was the correct decision for her. She stated,

"Leaving Married at First Sight, at this stage in the process, was the right decision. The process for me started over a year ago, and after months & months of interviews and matchmaking chats, I was over the moon when I was told I had a match."

Sarah tied the knot with fellow participant Dean Vary, also 31, as part of the show’s format, meeting him for the first time at the altar.

Sarah Gillanders responds following exit from Married at First Sight UK after fat-shaming incident

Sarah’s statement after leaving the show

In her Instagram post on October 15, 2025, Sarah reflected on her experience on the show. She explained that entering the experiment comes with a lot of hope, including the hope that the experts have found your person, that love will develop in unexpected ways, and that participants will leave with their "forever partner."

She added that despite all the effort, honesty, and heart invested, outcomes do not always align with expectations.

She also conveyed her appreciation to Dean, highlighting his support during challenging times. She referred to him as her "rock" throughout the journey and expressed her gratitude for the experiences and memories they created together.

Sarah also acknowledged the support of the cast and friends she made during the series. She shared,

"Thank you to the rest of the cast in the show, the friends I made during this time - I am so thankful to have you in my life and for us to have shared this crazy experience together."

She added that, as many would see, she had "completely lost herself" during the experience. She explained it was a difficult period for her, and watching it back was more challenging than expected.

Since leaving and going through the healing process, she said she could now reflect with gratitude on what the experience taught her about relationships, honesty, communication, and her own strength.

Commitment ceremony discussion

During the Tuesday night commitment ceremony, experts questioned Sarah about her feelings toward Dean after she initially suggested staying on the show for another week. She told the experts:

"For me things have been moving positively... I want to see if (romance) develops. I think we're at that point now if I take a step back... I'm worried if I give up, I'm worried I'll be like, did I try? So if I stay another week, plan another date..."

Experts provided feedback on the situation. Mel Schilling told Sarah that she likely already knew how she felt and suggested that she was "clutching at straws," emphasizing that the feedback was meant to be realistic and noting that the couple was only halfway through the experiment.

Charlene Douglas added that Sarah might be making excuses, pointing out there was no desire in the relationship, and asking at what point one should call it quits.

She also mentioned that Sarah had said the affection was too much and suggested both were in denial, questioning whether the relationship was moving in a positive direction. Paul Brunson noted that the situation was visible to everyone involved.

Following this feedback, Sarah and Dean, who had initially written "stay" on their cards, decided to leave the show.

Sarah expressed to Dean that she no longer wished to cause him pain and believed they were not suited for each other in a romantic sense. Dean replied by appreciating her honesty.

Stay tuned for more updates.