Jack interview for Married at First Sight

1 March 2019

So, for those who don’t know about the series, explain what you’re going to do this Saturday?

This Saturday, I’m going to go and marry a stranger. Someone I’ve never met before, someone I could have walked past in the street, but I’m going to marry them.

 

How does it feel, hearing yourself say that?

It feels mad, I know most people would say bloody hell you’re nutty, but it’s one of those situations you put yourself in because it’s something you want to do, and I’m one of those people who wants to do it. 

 

Why did you want to do this?

A few months ago, I realised, I’ve been in two long-term relationships and now I want to settle down, then I saw this, and I’ve been watching this programme for a while and I thought, I’m going to give this a go, they might be able to find me that one.

 

Why do you think going about it the traditional way hasn’t worked for you?

I’ve always chosen the wrong kind of people, I’ll be honest, I’ve always gone for looks, I’ve never really gone for personality. I ended up in two very long-term relationships that didn’t work out because our personalities were very different. I thought, why not start a process where they don’t just match you on what you like physically but they match you on whether you’re compatible in terms of personalities. I thought that would be perfect, it wouldn’t be up to me to do the hard work anymore. I’ve been trying, it doesn’t work, so let’s hope this does.

 

Lots of people will say that those taking part can’t be serious about this, that there’s always the option of bailing out at any time. How serious are you about making this work?

I’m very serious, I’ve got two days until my wedding day and I don’t plan to be divorced any time soon.

 

How did you feel when they told you they’d found a match?

It was such a mad feeling. Jo (Jo Coker, Sex & Relationship Therapist, Married At First Sight matching panel) came to see me and I knew straight away. My heart went mental, it was excitement and being scared at the same time, all these emotions coming together. And now it’s got to that a final stage, all those emotions I felt at the beginning when they told me, I’m feeling them all over again. 

 

What was it like telling family and friends?

That was hard. There were so many mixed reactions, and I knew there would be before I even told them. Most of it was, ‘What are you doing Jack…we’ve always known you as the Jack whose either been committed to a girl or single’ and it’s been a very long time now that I’ve been single. They were like, ‘You’re not going to change, are you?’, I’ve said that I would be a bit different as I’ve now got a partner!  Now it’s got to this stage, very near the wedding, everyone has been saying, ‘Go and give it your all’.

 

Are your family taking the same attitude?

Yes, they are. At the beginning, my dad was on the opposite side to that. He was like, he thought I was having a joke with him, until he realised I wasn’t.  Now he’s backed it, he helped me get a gift for her for the wedding day, so it’s nice.

 

What are you looking for in a partner?

I’m looking for someone who I can spend my Sunday’s with, who I can sit down on the sofa with but then travel with. I’ve always wanted someone who I can travel with, who can enjoy going away with me and that something I’m very passionate about so having someone by my side who loves to do it will make it even more of an experience. And when I am hungover maybe on a Sunday, sitting down and having a pizza together!

 

What would be an immediate no-no?

I would have to say someone who is quite aggressive or malicious, that completely turns me off.

 

What do you know about your future spouse? Have you had any communication at all?

Just her name and that is it. I read a letter from her, it was a really nice and it made me feel that we’ve already got something in common, that was amazing. Some of the words she used like journey and adventure, that just stands out for me because I’m passionate about travelling.

 

How has filming been so far?

It’s definitely been an experience, very different from my day-to-day life. Obviously, there are some things that are hard to do, you do have to fit in filming around your work but it makes you realise that this is something that everyone is going to see, you’ve just got to be yourself, you’ve just got to be honest with everyone around you. It’s been hard, but it’s also been an amazing experience.

 

Have you had your stag do?

I went up to Manchester with some of my close friends and my oldest brother and we had a very good time, let’s just say that. It was a way of saying goodbye to single Jack, and that was only part one of my stag do. I’ve got part two tonight, two days before the wedding! This is with all my football team, so it’s going to be a bit more hectic, more lively. We have an official meal, we all go to this Chinese restaurant that is horrendous, it does the worst food and the worst service in the world but we’re going to go for it. Then after, we’re going to go to the clubs, and there will be lots of beer consumed.

 

One of the big things for couples is planning the wedding. Who’s made all the arrangements?

The show has done everything, I’ve been very lucky, I haven’t had the stress of having to plan the wedding. I’ve loved it, all I’ve got to do on the day is turn up.

 

Do you know anything about it… what foods going to be served…?

They (Production) ask you what you would like the theme of the wedding to be. They’ve asked me, and they’ve asked Verity, then you start thinking, what am I actually going to get? It will be funny either way.

 

What are your main concerns about going on this adventure?

My main concerns are that we don’t like each other and I’m going to be getting divorced in a months’ time. No one wants to have divorce against them do they, and that’s why this is such a massive risk. My old man has always said to me that if you want to reach the other side, you have to take a risk, if you want to be happy. And that’s what I’m doing, taking a massive risk but I’m hoping it pays off.

 

How many of the programmes have you seem from past series’, and do you think it’s made you more prepared than those who have been on earlier series’?

I’ve seen all of them. No, because no one can prepare themselves for this, it’s an experience and that’s the one thing that’s come out of this. I’ve learnt so much, even about myself and you can’t prepare for that. You can watch the series’ but it doesn’t show you everything, you meet with all these people who understand you better than you understand yourself and you learn from that.  

 

Does it worry you that, to date, none of the marriages have worked out?

No. I believe this is the year for it. If I start thinking that none of them have worked, subconsciously, I’ll be thinking that this isn’t going to work, and I don’t want to think like that. I want to think, this is going to work.