They’ve been at the centre of some of Married At First Sight’s most jaw-dropping moments.
But it seems Jacqui Burfoot and Ryan Donnelly have put all the drama behind them.
The couple were spotted enjoying a steamy beach outing on October 7 during the end of filming.
They proved their relationship is still going strong, despite Ryan’s now-infamous ‘crazy eyes’ and X-rated sex comments which caused chaos at Wednesday night’s dinner party.
Jacqui, 29, flaunted her toned figure in a skimpy blue gingham bikini as she frolicked in the surf with Ryan.
Meanwhile, Ryan, 37, showcased his muscular physique in a pair of bold patterned board shorts.
The controversial groom couldn’t keep his hands off Jacqui as he scooped her up in his arms, the couple laughing and playing in the waves like a pair of honeymooners.
At one point, they were seen holding hands and sharing intimate smiles as they strolled along the shore, making it clear their chemistry is still sizzling.
The beach date comes just days after Ryan landed himself in hot water over an offhand remark that left both the cast and viewers stunned.
During the explosive dinner party episode, Ryan was overheard joking that Jacqui had ‘crazy eyes’, a comment that immediately raised eyebrows at the table.
But it was his next comment about her being ‘good at something else’ that sent shockwaves through the group, with fellow brides gasping in horror.
The backlash was swift, with fans slamming Ryan’s remarks as ‘disrespectful’ and ‘degrading’.
Now the groom has admitted he regrets his choice of words, calling it one of the biggest mistakes he’s made during the experiment.
‘It’s probably one of my biggest blunders on the show,’ Ryan confessed in a tell-all interview with Daily Mail Australia.
‘There’s dropping your bride at the wedding, there’s being a so-called warrior and squatting this and that – but that was just crass and inconsiderate. It wasn’t gentlemanly at all.’
Despite his apology, Jacqui has had mixed reactions to the controversy, with insiders revealing that their rollercoaster relationship has seen plenty of heated clashes behind the scenes.
When asked whether Jacqui’s portrayal on the show has been fair, Ryan didn’t hold back.
‘That’s the million-dollar question. What do you think?’ he teased, before hinting that viewers aren’t getting the full story.
‘All I can say is that this marriage has been a wild ride. You can’t strap yourself in and start wailing two minutes in – you knew what you signed up for. Holding a mirror up to yourself isn’t easy, and I won’t say I disagree with what I’m seeing so far.’
He also suggested Jacqui had her own difficult moments, claiming she was ‘pretty horrible at the wedding’ and that her moods take drastic turns throughout the experiment.
‘I got blindsided a few times, and a lot of things happened that I didn’t expect. It definitely makes you question where we stand as a couple,’ Ryan revealed.
Despite the ups and downs, Jacqui and Ryan are still going strong for now, with their beach PDA suggesting that sparks are still flying between them.
But with more dinner party showdowns and commitment ceremony bombshells ahead, will their love survive the experiment – or is another MAFS breakup just around the corner?
Only time will tell.
Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine.
