Married At First Sight Australia's Sam Stanton has opened up about the influence fellow cast member Gia Fleur had on his split from Chris Robinson. The couple ended their relationship during Homestay Week after a tense period marked by Chris's 'leave' vote at the sixth Commitment Ceremony.
Background to the Breakup
Leading up to the sixth Commitment Ceremony, Sam and Chris had been dealing with fallout from Chris's 10-year plan, which left Sam feeling blindsided. At Chris's farm, Sam brought a list of questions in his journal, hoping for tough conversations. When Sam asked if Chris still had feelings for him, Chris's unconvincing answer led Sam to call it quits.
Sam's Perspective on Gia's Influence
Speaking to Nine, Sam shared his concerns about Gia's role: "Through the whole experiment, Gia was always at the centre of drama. So when Chris confided in her as one of his best friends on the show, it did worry me a lot. That's who he was calling every night for advice on our relationship, which I don't think would've been the best advice." Sam added that he wanted Chris to recognize that Gia's behaviors were very similar to his own.
Watching the show back, Sam noticed subtle eye rolling and smirking between Chris and Gia. "I thought Gia and I were friends," he said. "With Gia, she just naturally led the whole group so much. I wasn't aware of all the stuff that happened behind the scenes with her. Watching the show back, I can't believe how much time I gave Gia." Ultimately, Sam admitted he needed someone who matched his emotional maturity.
Chris's Response
Chris disagreed with Sam's assessment, telling Nine: "Gia didn't really have an impact on my relationship. It was more issues that Sam and I had with each other." He claimed Sam was different off-camera, saying: "Off-camera, I got nothing from Sam. We went on one date. He didn't hold my hand, no affection. He didn't even know my kids' names. He didn't know my mum's name who came to the wedding, my sister's name who came to the wedding." Chris added that when the camera was on, Sam said all the right things. However, Chris took responsibility for being reactive at times and said he was willing to work on that.
