MAFS Australia season 8
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MAFS Australia season 8 premieres in the UK with new mentor Alessandra Rampolla

E4 viewers will be meeting newbie Alessandra Rampolla when the series begins

MAFS Australia is back for season 8, which is finally set to air in the UK.

The series originally hit TV screens Down Under earlier this year.

The broadcaster has reportedly decided to skip MAFSA season 7 due to its poor reception in Australia.

The first episode will air tonight (October 4) on E4.

Here’s everything you need about the mentors in season 8 of Married at First Sight Australia.

mafs australia season 8
Alessandra is new to the MAFS Australia season 8 (Credit: YouTube)

Alessandra Rampolla

Newbie Alessandra, 46, is replacing Dr Trisha Stanford on season 8 of Married at First Sight Australia.

Trisha is stepping back from MAFSA to focus on her writing and neuropsychotherapy.

Alessandra is a clinical sexologist from Puerto Rico.

She has more than 20 years of experience in helping couples develop and maintain sexual chemistry.

Alessandra is also a prolific author, and she has written five bestselling books that focus on love, sex and relationships.

She got her big break back in her home country at the start of the millennium.

“My priorities changed when I went on a morning show in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They needed someone in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day 2001 to talk about sex topics,” she told Channel 9.

“Within a year I started working in television in Latin America for Cosmopolitan’s TV network. The show was a huge success and it covered so many countries that I was suddenly travelling all over the place.”

Meanwhile, Alessandra has been married before, however, it sadly didn’t work out.

She tied the knot to her ex-husband, businessman John Hernandez, in 2007. However, the pair split four years later.

“I was married once many years ago, and it didn’t work out,” she told Woman’s Day.

“I think going through those ups and downs of a marriage will allow me to understand what some of these couples will go through.

“But I don’t think you need to have that experience to be able to offer up advice and I think my expertise and education gives me the tools to do that,” she added.

“I did everything possible for us to be happy together, and I don’t regret anything I did.”

mafs australia season 8
John Aiken is a dating and relationships expert (Credit: Nine)

Who is John Aiken?

John, 51, hasn’t always been a relationship expert.

In fact, he started out as a professional cricketer, playing for Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand.

Since changing career paths, John has written several books on relationships – including Accidentally Single and Making Couple Happy.

He also runs exclusive couples retreats.

Read more: MAFS UK viewers concerned for Adam and Tayah after shock proposal

John is happily married. The psychologist met his wife Kelly Swanson-Roe, an ex-news reporter, 16 years ago and they have been together ever since.

The pair share two children together.

Meanwhile, John has made numerous appearances on TV shows in Australia providing commentary and expert advice for couples.

He has worked in his private practice for more than two decades and is well known to MAFSA viewers.

mafs australia season 8
Mel tied the knot last year (Credit: E4)

Who is MAFS Australia expert Mel Schilling?

Mel Schilling, 49, is a psychologist, relationship coach and consultant.

She met her own partner, Gareth, through the popular online dating website Harmony, where she also serves as a dating expert.

The happy couple shares a daughter together, Maddie, six.

“I was a late bloomer in life, like, I didn’t meet my husband until I was nearly 40,” she told Mail Online last year.

Read more: MAFS UK fans give Morag and Luke ’10 days’ as they brand firefighter a ‘doormat’

“Then we had our daughter Madison when I was nearly 42. To be finally saying our ‘I dos’ was an emotional time. It was very special.”

Mel has over 20 years of experience as a qualified specialist in human behavioural performance and purpose.

She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a psychology diploma in 1996, following four years of studying psychology at Deakin University.

Mel is also an author and is currently in the middle of writing her new book, The C Word.

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