Melissa and Josh were one of the show’s most controversial couples.
From their initial instant attraction to their disastrous honeymoon and that commitment ceremony, let’s take a look back at their relationship and where they are now.
Who Are Melissa Sheppard and Josh White?
Melissa is a 41-year-old hairdresser from Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Before the wedding, Melissa told the experts that she is extremely comfortable with her sexuality and expects her partner to keep up with her in the bedroom.
Josh is a 40-year-old advertising client director from New South Wales. He loves Disney films and is a devoted dad to his young daughter. Josh told the experts that he’s looking for an emotional connection with someone.
The Wedding
Josh and Melissa’s relationship started off on a high with the couple instantly feeling a connection.
While Melissa excitedly told the cameras, “There’s this handsome, amazing man standing there who is everything that I’ve wanted. That is my Thor and Gladiator in one,” her friends weren’t as convinced, with one worriedly asking “He’s not really the alpha male, is he?” and another responding, “She’ll eat him alive!”
However, Melissa didn’t let her friend’s opinions sway her own and the next morning she opened the doors to the camera crew grinning and confirming that, “Thor does have a big hammer.”
The Honeymoon
Melissa and Josh’s honeymoon started off a little strangely with Melissa confidently confirming the couple’s consummation and Josh vehemently denying it.
Things didn’t improve as Melissa’s seduction attempts didn’t go as planned and she soon began to worry that the couple’s initial spark had burnt out.
The relationship was challenged again when Melissa learnt that Josh had denied having sex with her, which started the first of their many disagreements about publicly discussing their sex life.
Moving In Together
Intimacy became an even bigger problem in Melissa and Josh’s relationship when the couple were forced to move in together, with it soon becoming apparent that the couple had drastically different views on sex and intimacy.
After hearing the way Mel spoke about Josh and his “big hammer” at the wedding, Josh told the cameras “I can’t quite shake that I’m just seen as a sex object.”
The point seemed proven when Josh asked Melissa what he did for a job and she admitted to not knowing the answer.
The Commitment Ceremonies
After a difficult week living together, Josh chose to write leave at the first commitment ceremony. However, Melissa wrote stay and the couple embarked on intimacy week.
When the second commitment ceremony rolled around, the couple’s relationship hadn’t improved and Melissa opened up to the experts.
“I feel like I’m the alpha in the relationship, I just feel in this relationship I’m definitely more dominant and it’s just showing,” she told the experts.
However, Josh disagreed, stating “You’re saying I’m some kind of shrew or 40-year-old virgin which I am not, in any way shape or form,” he said. “There is a significant issue in this relationship about control.”
Josh then went on to describe Melissa attempting to control who he sees and restricting his access to his phone, TV and books.
“She’s used degrading and dehumanising language to me, questioning my manhood, so when we talk about getting at the core of the issue, that is the core of the issue right there,” he continued.
“If I was a woman saying these things, the crowd would feel very differently about them.”
After describing Josh as not a “manly man,” the rest of the couples jumped to Josh’s defence with Duncan stating, “a man is someone who can really talk about their emotions and get deep and be vulnerable, what a man isn’t is someone who just wants to chop it up and not talk about anything, to me that’s not a man.”
When it came to the decision to leave or stay, Josh wrote leave while Melissa wrote stay.
While usually, this would mean that Josh would have to continue the experiment with Melissa for another week, the experts decided to change the rules.
“Josh, we can see clearly that you’re pretty broken right now,” John, one of the experts, stated. “I’ve never seen a relationship like this before in the experiment.
“We’ve also been around long enough to know there is no coming back for you in this experiment Josh, and we’re not going to subject you any longer to this.”
With the option to leave, Josh decided to take it.
Are Melissa and Josh Still Together?
No, Josh and Melissa are not together.
Since leaving the show, Josh has released a statement in response to people berating Melissa for her behaviour on the show.
“Mel and I have had a chance to heal from our experiences,” he said on Instagram.
“Let me very clear about one thing. What happened in the experiment happened between Mel and I – please do not attack Mel. It doesn’t make me happy. It doesn’t give me any satisfaction. It doesn’t raise me up. At all.”
Melissa has also since taken to Instagram with an apology for Josh, writing: “Josh, I am sorry that my words were hurtful or damaging to you and that was never my intention to hurt you in any way, shape or form.”
“I went in this #MAFS experiment hoping to find our perfect matches and as we didn’t find our forever after, wanted to let you know I hope when you’re ready you will find love and find what it is that you need out of a future relationship.
“And I wish you nothing but the BEST for your future Xx
“As we both need this and now we can put this chapter behind us and as we leave the experiment we remember the good times and laughs we had together.
“Take care and hope to smile with you one day when we both have healed.”
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