Unlucky-in-love Married at First Sight Australia bride Melissa Lucarelli has spoken out about the breakdown of her friendship with fellow season six alum Jules Robinson, saying Jules used their friendship “for her own publicity” and it was “clearly all an act”.
The pair formed a strong bond during filming, with Jules using the platform of the reunion show to ask Melissa and fellow cast member Heidi Latcham to be her bridesmaids in her real-life wedding to Cameron Merchant.
“Sometimes you meet people and you know instantly they will be in your life,” Jules wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post alongside a photo of the three women.
“Thank you girls for having my back whilst in the experiment, I trusted you and you trusted me. We have shared the most unique experience together that you can’t understand entirely unless you have lived it too.
“I look forward to having you by my side on my big day standing with other bridesmaids, marrying my best friend who I know you both love and adore too.
“Bridesmaids to me have seen it all, helped you, and watched you get to this point in your life and are 100% happy for you ! Thank you for being girlfriends!”
It turns out, however, that their friendship wasn’t a lasting one with news coming earlier this month that Jules had cut Melissa out of the wedding party, allegedly delivering the crushing news via text.
Jules, Heidi and Melissa formed a strong bond during filming. But their friendship is no more. Source: Jules Robinson/Instagram
Now, Melissa has spoken out about the saga, saying it was a complete shock to find out that she’d been dropped as bridesmaid and felt “blindsided” by the whole thing.
“One day we were texting about family and babies, then two days later she was dumping me as a bridesmaid,” she told NW magazine.
The 38-year-old adds that Jules’ unexpected dumping came totally out of left field and made her feel like their entire friendship was just for show.
The twist of the knife came in Jules’ final text: “Just cause I said it on a show doesn’t meant [sic] I have to do it.”
Melissa was left in no doubt that there was any shred of a relationship left. “Not only was the text cold, but she used our friendship for her own publicity,” she alleges.
“She was posting about how amazing it was and how much she loved me, but it was clearly all an act. I feel completely blindsided by this, as our relationship and everything was real to me.”
To add insult to injury, Melissa says Jules, 37, tried to pin it all on her. “She tried to blame it on me, saying I was a sh*t friend,” she explains.
“When I asked her how I was a bad friend she couldn’t answer me, then kept changing her reasoning behind it. Now Cam and Jules are making money, she doesn’t need me anymore and she also doesn’t want me to get any publicity.”
Watch: Melissa tells all about her time on the show. Article continues below.
Fellow MAFS bride Jessika Power, who was the centre of most of the controversy last season thanks to a husband-swapping saga, weighed in on the debate.
“I actually have to back Mel on this,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
“Throughout filming, Jules would say [Martha Kalifatidis] and I were only there for social media and endorsements, but since the show ended it seems that’s all Jules is for also.”
Reality TV fame has certainly paid off for Jules. Soon after filming finished she signed with talent agency THE.mgmt and in the past few months she has been announced as a Weight Watchers ambassador for Australia and New Zealand, as well as becoming the face of Olay skincare.
The former salon owner has also launched her own shapewear line, as well as numerous endorsement deals on Instagram.
Jules and Cam recently made headlines in Australia for asking a local business for thousands of dollars worth of free services for their wedding in exchange for a publicity on Instagram and a mention in their televised wedding special.
The business owner declined the request, telling media they would be surprised if any of their competitors agreed to Jules’ terms.
Cam and Jules’ wedding was originally planned for September in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley to coincide with their one year anniversary, but was postponed because it was all happening too quickly.
Jules revealed to Yahoo Lifestyle last month that there were a number of reasons behind the decision to push their real-life nuptials back, admitting the pair had been swept up in the excitement of their TV romance.
“It was a romantic gesture and we booked a venue and ended up losing our $5,000 deposit but I just thought – yeah that’s not going to happen anymore,” she said. Adding, “It was too much too soon”.
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