Original subtitles

NARRATOR: Australia's biggest social experiment is drawing to a close,

with eight couples remaining and final vows just two weeks away.

LAUREN: Bye.

JONATHAN: Safe travels. Thank you.

A medical procedure saw Lauren temporarily leave the experiment,

before a fiery dinner party.

I asked Jack, if he was with someone that was more his type,

would he have slept with them by now?

And he said, "Yes, probably."

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Boom!

Andrea and Richard's heartbreak continues...

Some of the things that she said to me are very hurtful...

..as the couple fail to find common ground.

(BANGS TABLE) Don't say that!

Listen. Just try, please!

But it was Lucinda and Timothy who stole the show...

(EXPERTS EXCLAIM)

..as their romantic connections deepened.

But the intensity of facing his feelings...

TIMOTHY: I'm 51 years old and I've never really let anyone in.

..took an emotional toll on Timothy.

(TIMOTHY CRIES) LUCINDA: Yeah.

Tonight...

JOHN: Stop. We're well over halfway in the experiment.

I'm struggling to buy this.

..expert John can't hide his exasperation with Tori and Jack...

JACK: Yeah, she makes me feel good. Oh, don't give me 'good'.

..as he demands only the truth.

Tori, are you for real?

Am I for real? Yes!

We started somewhere very different.

There won't be a dry eye in the room as Richard bares his soul.

The core of my being. I can see it. I can sense it.

When you know, you know.

Richard, you look broken to me.

Yeah, mate... I am pretty broken, yeah.

(CRIES)

Hope is on the horizon...

I saw these two change. It was really nice.

..as the fight for true love continues.

We have connected on a deeper level...

It's brought us closer together.

..as Sara continues to win back Tim's trust.

You've clearly, Sara, decided

"I want to make this guy a priority."

We see right through it.

But when Jayden fires his shot at Sara, it backfires,

exposing hidden cracks in his own marriage.

She said, "If you don't say what I tell you to say,

"I'm done with you and I'm leaving you."

Are you starting to question whether this is the right person for you?

Yeah.

SARA: What?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

It's the morning of the second-last commitment ceremony...

Are you sure you don't want a smoothie?

Got a cup of tea.

..and with the end of the experiment just around the corner

as well as the all-important final vows ceremony,

Ridge has made a massive step

to take his wife Jade into new relationship territory...

Yeah, like, it's really annoying.

..by letting Jade squeeze his pimples.

(LAUGHS) Why are you taking deep breaths?

Because I'm trying to breathe through the pain.

(LAUGHS)

Does it hurt?

It does. Well, it doesn't tickle. (LAUGHS)

On a scale of one to ten?

Oh, look, what's ten? Death?

(LAUGHS) Like, a three.

Ridge and I are going good.

We've had a really positive week

and as a surprise the other day, Vi, my daughter, came to see us.

Everything he was doing was so cute

and she was really comfortable with him,

which was really important to me.

Yeah. All good.

I feel like I wouldn't say I'm falling in love just yet

but obviously I do really appreciate the effort he's going to

with both myself and my daughter.

One couple feeling confident after last night's dinner party

is Sara and Tim.

TIM: Dinner parties will be dinner parties...

After defending their relationship as a united front,

the couple are feeling closer than ever.

SARA: I'm feeling good because me and you were a team.

I'm thankful that I had you and I was happy with that.

Obviously, the dinner party was really tough

but it would've been a lot worse had Tim and I not been a united front.

Did I have your back? You did.

You did have my back. Yeah.

Yeah. You were amazing.

And, yeah, thank you for that.

I do appreciate it.

You're welcome.

Obviously, throughout this experience,

like, we haven't had the best time.

You know, Tim was really upset when I emotionally cheated on him.

We have done a huge turnaround.

I feel like obviously we've had our conversations about trust

and what we're gonna do moving forward

and what I need to do moving forward.

He knows that I've made a mistake

and I think the only thing I can do tonight

is show him how sincerely sorry I am

and hear how he's feeling

and I don't want to sit there and make excuses.

I just really want to own it and make sure that he knows

that I'm gonna do everything in my power to fight for it.

Tori and Jack are entering the commitment ceremony tonight

after a difficult feedback week,

where their relationship was put under the microscope more than ever.

Each and every week, there is a lot of noise that Jack and I face

and I'm over it.

And last night, after being grilled by the group

for inconsistencies in their relationship,

Tori shut down the conversation.

I feel like we've spoken this to the (BLEEP) death.

But our sex life, it's absolutely no-one's business

and it's going to remain no-one's business.

I will not speak on it.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

And this morning, the couple are remaining defiant.

Everyone's had their piece.

Everyone's said their piece

over and over and over and over and over again.

The continuous questions about the same thing

are becoming quite boring,

so much so I prefer not to answer them, 'cause I'm over it.

I feel like we've had to fight to be here, almost, every week.

We've found our position in our relationship

and then it's like we've had to team up

and then get out there and survive. (LAUGHS)

Yeah.

And, hey, I think we've done a bloody good job.

I think we've done a great job.

In an ideal world, I want to sit on the couch, I want them to be, like,

"OK, last night, Tori, you said your piece, you said what you said."

"Good for you guys. Stay or leave?"

(LAUGHS) That's, like, ideal.

I just feel like we've earnt a really positive, boring...

A night off from the heat.

"Are you staying or are you going?"

"Get off the couch." "Get off the couch."

I would love that.

Like, I'll even sit on the ottoman all night

if it means we can have an easy couch session.

Down the hall, in a shock turn of events,

one of the experiment's strongest couples are at a gridlock.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

EDEN: Honestly, I don't really want to talk to you.

Thanks.

On the drive home from the dinner party last night,

Eden shared a rumour with Jayden

that Sara and her ex were mocking Tim behind his back when they met up.

Apparently, Sara, she's been saying some nasty things.

She and her ex were sort of laughing and having a joke about Tim,

saying things like "He's not the right one for you.

"He's not man enough."

Tim is one of my close friends

and tonight I think he deserves to know the truth.

But this morning, Eden and Jayden have had a huge argument

over whether to reveal this information

at tonight's commitment ceremony

and an anxious Eden has given her husband a surprising ultimatum.

Eden, you know, she's...

Yeah, she doesn't like confrontation.

She doesn't want anyone else to know what's going on

and she said, "If you're gonna tell that story,

"I'm done with you and I'm leaving,"

so she's threatening to leave me and leave the experiment

and I don't really know what to do.

Honestly, I don't need to go in circles.

This conversation's going in circles.

Sweet.

EDEN: The issues with Sara and Tim have given me a lot of anxiety

and a lot of heightened emotions.

Having information you don't want, like, it's all pretty exhausting

and also, Sara's pretty full-on,

so it's not the most approachable conversation to have.

So, yeah, it does make me feel pretty uncomfortable.

This isn't the first time Eden has struggled emotionally

in the experiment.

There are big, feisty characters...

(JACK ARGUES INDISTINCTLY) Jack! Jack!

..and, you know, I don't like all the drama.

I'm done with this.

EDEN: It's making me feel anxious.

Yeah, it's probably been the hardest week for me

in the experiment so far.

MEL: What made it so difficult for you, Eden?

Obviously, the whole 'messages from Sara' situation.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

NARRATOR: And Jayden is concerned the pressure Eden is feeling

is taking its toll on their relationship.

It's just been a very hard week, couple of weeks, really, with Eden.

It's getting to the pointy end of the experiment now.

I might not always be the best partner

but I feel like a lot of the time she's taking her stress out on me.

I feel like, I don't know, there's a lot of things

I want to tell the experts and I want to ask and get some advice on.

I feel like we just need to give them everything,

because at the moment,

yeah, it doesn't seem to be working, what I'm doing.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Greetings, gents. TRISTAN: Evening.

Evening. MEL: Hello, guys.

ALESSANDRA: Hi.

Grab a seat. Settle in.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Hello, ladies. Hi.

Hi. Welcome, ladies.

Come and sit down.

TORI: Howdy.

(ANDREA EXHALES)

Hello, everyone, and welcome to our commitment ceremony tonight.

Very excited to see all of you after having gone through feedback week.

MEL: And, of course, the first dinner party after feedback week

is always a big one.

You know, you're fresh off the back

of receiving sometimes some pretty tricky feedback from your peers

and you come face-to-face with them at the dinner party.

Yes, the dinner party last night certainly had plenty of fireworks.

It was emotionally charged, people got a lot of things off their chest.

Some people didn't want to talk about things.

Tonight, however, you're not gonna have that luxury

because at this stage of the experiment,

we want to know what's going on in your relationship

and what your thoughts are about the future

and I'm looking forward to a lot of growth tonight.

So, let's get our first couple up on the couch.

(TENSE MUSIC)

Sara and Tim.

(APPLAUSE) (BRIGHT MUSIC)

TIM: Hey, guys.

Right, you two. Well, we saw you last week on the couch...

SARA: Yes.

..and it was uncomfortable, to say the least.

Now, what became clear was that there was a betrayal that had gone on.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

What I want to know now is where you're at.

Well, I think that, yeah,

it was a pretty miserable couch session for us last session.

I made the decision to be open to letting Sara make it up to me...

and I feel like I saw a very different side to Sara

than I have since the start of the experiment.

She's been very warm, very affectionate.

I just feel like she's been kind of just, like, appreciative of me.

Well said.

What do you say that, Sara?

I think I did nitpick a lot at the beginning,

kind of envisioned what a perfect...

what my perfect match could be

and made Tim feel like he wasn't necessarily valued

in everything that he actually does bring to the table.

But, like, as shitty as this has all been, obviously,

and obviously more so for Tim,

it's, in a weird way, brought us closer together.

I know that obviously the trust is not 100% there.

Can I say something, actually?

I...

I'm deeply sorry and I know that just saying sorry is not enough.

Hanging out with a past partner who I had feelings for,

like, I knew that it was wrong and I still did it anyways.

I know that I've done wrong and I'm deeply sorry,

so I hope you accept my apology.

(LAUGHS)

How do you see yourselves moving forward now?

Tim?

I need her to keep doing what she's doing.

It feels like we have made a breakthrough.

If she keeps that trajectory going,

then I feel like I'll feel much more comfortable

in being able to trust her again.

I don't know.

I never, ever thought that an experiment like this

could really work,

but this really forces you to kind of come together

in a crazy way.

(ALESSANDRA LAUGHS) MEL: Thank you.

SARA: (LAUGHS) Well, thank you. Honestly.

(LUCINDA LAUGHS)

The body language between you two is very different.

(BOTH LAUGH)

(SCOFFS) Ugh.

We see right through it.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

We see right through her fake act,

pretending to like Tim when she doesn't like Tim at all.

She just wants to stay here to save her image.

She has made that very clear through her actions and through her words.

The act of going out with the ex, that was the icing on the cake.

But then all I'm hearing is how she's constantly putting Tim down...

and how her and the ex-partner were making fun of Tim

that night when they were out together.

That's not true. That is not true.

And you do not know that either.

She just told me and she knows exactly what was said.

EDEN: Well, I... That's not... That's not what I said.

That's what you told me. They were making fun of Tim.

Yeah, but not that night... I don't know...

I wasn't there that night. OK, there were others...

Her and the ex-partner were making fun of Tim.

That's not what happened.

Again, I don't have any proof of that, so it is what it is.

OK. So, what is it that you told me, then, about her and the ex?

I don't need to go into any more detail.

Well, then, if you don't have the full details,

then it's probably not worth bringing it up and telling me.

(SIGHS)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

What was it that you told me, then, about her and the ex?

EDEN: I don't need to go into any more detail.

OK, well, if you don't have the full details,

then it's probably not worth bringing it up and telling me.

There's no point in saying it because there's no proof.

Where did you see or hear it from? Sara.

She said it to you or she showed you it?

Uh... I think she said it.

No... And what did she say?

There's no point 'cause I don't have any proof,

so I just want to drop that, please.

Well, if you don't have any proof, why would you say it to me?

(TENSE MUSIC)

'Cause I didn't like it.

Well, I didn't like it either but you did say something along...

Yeah. I mean, she's spoken badly about Tim.

That's the bottom line.

No. That's not what happened.

I just don't want to be involved anymore.

(TENSE MUSIC)

Jayden, you have to let people have a chance.

We are all doing it differently

and we're all just doing the best that we can here.

We're not all as lucky as you and Eden or Jack and Tori

or Jade and Ridge,

who have gotten paired with people

who have just gotten on like a house on fire.

Some of us actually have to go through struggles

to get to this point,

so it's not just black-and-white.

It's hardship.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

These guys are feeling like the group is against them

and, yes, we've got specific evidence of a betrayal

that happened with the ex

but outside of that, we've got two people

that are just trying to get along.

RICHARD: Yep. Yep.

That's what I'd say. LUCINDA: Absolutely.

Sara's acknowledged she did the wrong thing catching up with an ex

amongst friends

and has apologised profusely.

I saw these two change.

I've spent more time with them than anyone present here

and I saw the change in them.

I saw them on the weekend. They were giddy.

It made me feel sick. Like, 'cause it was really nice.

Something really did change.

Well, Tim, if we go to you now,

Jayden said something there about the betrayal

around seeing the ex behind your back.

Now you've had a week to rebuild your relationship.

How are you feeling about this woman beside you

and about your relationship right now?

Look, to be honest, I've still got confused...

I'm still confused.

I've got conflicting emotions

but after this last sort of, like, five to six days...

if she keeps that trajectory going,

then I feel like I'll feel much more comfortable

in being able to trust her again.

Well, let's go to the decision. Stay or leave?

And we're gonna go with you first, Sara.

Well, it's been a journey

and I still really, really want to make it up to Tim

and I also kind of want to prove everybody wrong as well...

so I'm staying.

'Stay' it is. (APPLAUSE)

Gotcha.

And for you, Tim?

Mmm.

I'm gonna stay. (APPLAUSE)

You know what's interesting there,

is that in this experiment, when one says stay and the other says leave,

you do have a week to turn it around

and time and time again, we do see couples who commit that can do it,

so that is absolutely one of the key drivers as to why we do this.

It exposes your intentions.

And you've clearly, Sara, decided "I want to make this guy a priority."

Well, I can't emphasise enough

that you've gotta keep doing this heavy lifting, because it's working.

If something's working, keep doing it.

Yeah.

We'll see you next time. Well done, guys.

Thank you. Thanks, guys.

Appreciate it.

(APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

ALESSANDRA: Our next couple up on the couch...

Lucinda and Timothy.

Nice. (APPLAUSE)

I just whispered to Tim, I said,

"And next on the couch is Lucinda and Timothy."

MEL: Oh! (LAUGHTER)

First things first, I wanted to get into what we saw at the dinner party.

(LAUGHS) Yeah.

Last night, there was... It shocked me.

There was a shock kiss... MEL: There was a kiss!

..that I want to get into. (LAUGHS) Oh, yep.

What was that? It surprised me too.

(LAUGHS)

What happened there? Tell us.

Well, I mean, I think I had a proud moment

where I just couldn't hold back

and I kissed him on the cheek.

I just, you know... I was just proud of him, I don't know.

And then, yeah, you just turned around and...

And then you just couldn't help yourself, Timothy.

(OTHERS LAUGH)

Look, Lucinda was... You know, she was great.

And it felt right.

(OTHERS LAUGH) (APPLAUSE)

EDEN: Yay!

(WOLF WHISTLE)

Timothy, I know that you were very emotional after that.

Can you walk us through what happened?

Jeez, you're starting... You're starting pretty rough, eh?

Um...

I mean, Lu is...

She's as patient as hell

because, you know, the first, I'd say, you know,

half the experiment, I wasn't the easiest to, you know...to be with.

This whole time, I've been closed off.

And then, when we kissed,

I realised that I'm 51 years old

and I've never really let anyone in

and I thought to myself, "I've wasted those years."

Yeah, it just got the best of me.

Yeah. My... My emotions got the best of me, yeah.

I think for the first part of the experiment...

I sort of feel I might have skated by on a bit of humour

and as it's gone on, it's gotten a little bit, you know, tougher

in other ways for...for me.

Yeah.

So, allowing yourself to be vulnerable,

is this something you're just now starting to experience?

Very much so. Yeah. Yeah.

That... That emotional side, I look at it as...

Maybe it's a stupid way of looking at it

but I look at it as kind of like a weakness.

Is that what you were taught?

Yeah.

Reason I ask this is because in Latino culture, in my culture,

it is very much that way...

and really, it's interesting

because there's so much about my experience here

professionally in Australia

and trying to understand culture

and so many things are different

but some things are very, very similar.

And this thing with men and holding back feelings...

and not expressing emotions so easily

and holding yourself to such rigid restraints and barriers

is very similar to what I see back home.

But I have to say, I think I am 100% convinced

that vulnerability is a superpower.

(CLICKS FINGERS) It makes you strong...

I so agree. ..and brave and courageous.

Timothy, when was the last time in general,

like, aside from last night...

When was the last time that you felt emotional and cried like that?

Outside of, you know,

the circumstances of a couple of months ago, like, years.

I just... I just don't do it.

Or... And if I did do it, I wouldn't...

Nobody would... Ever know.

Nobody would ever know. Yeah.

OK.

So, I wonder... I know Lucinda came to you and...

Yeah. ..was with you.

What was that experience like, to be able to have her there

and kind of hold space for you and allow you to express yourself?

Yeah, you know, she... she really helped me last night.

Yeah. Yeah.

And, yeah, it was...

It was... It was really nice.

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Lucinda, listening to Tim speak

here in front of all of us so openly about this experience,

how does that make you feel?

Yeah, I just really hear Tim and how hard it is for him

and it's just awesome to see the walls crumble

and his tenderness, his tender heart.

I love it.

So, let me ask you this, Lucinda.

Do you feel admiration for Timothy?

Absolutely. Absolutely.

So much admiration.

Do you feel admiration for Lucinda?

100%.

You do know admiration is the gateway to love?

Good to know. I didn't know that.

And it's really interesting because you've been very adamant, Timothy,

from the beginning of this experiment

that you're a slow-burn man...

Oh... (LAUGHTER)

..but... Yeah.

..I'm observing you here now.

The dynamic is so drastically different

and it's so lovely to observe

and then you topped it off yesterday

with just, you know, that cute little spontaneous kiss...

Yeah.

..and I wonder, how do you feel towards Lucinda, Timothy?

Yeah, look, what happened last night,

I don't know whether it throws a spanner in the works

but it...it's unexpected.

Which bit? Kiss or the crying?

Well, the whole thing. Yeah.

I've just gotta wrap my head around it.

Yeah. Yeah.

But it feels really good. Yeah.

OK, so I think we should go to the decision, you guys.

Mm-hm.

Timothy, you go first.

Stay or leave?

I just want to...

You know, I really appreciate what you did.

Yeah.

So, yeah, I've...

I've said 'stay'.

(APPLAUSE) With a smile.

With a smile.

Lucinda?

Yeah, I'm just, you know, here,

loving the...I don't know, unravelling of Tim,

so, yeah, it's staying,

with two balloons just bobbing in the wind...

(APPLAUSE)

..celebrating each other and ourselves.

We are absolutely loving the connection that is literally palpable

and I am very proud of seeing that you're allowing yourself

to feel your emotions and to feel safe with Lucinda...

makes me personally and I know all of us very, very happy.

We're proud of you too, Papa. You're the vibe.

Well done, big fella. Well done! Well done!

(APPLAUSE) Thank you so much, you guys.

You can go back to the couch. Thanks, guys.

Have a great week. Thank you. Thanks, everyone.

NARRATOR: Coming up...

Tonight, you are going to open up.

..expert John makes his frustration clear with Jack.

I need to know how you feel about Tori, 'cause I'm not buying it.

Then the fairytale romance at breaking point.

I don't know if Eden is everything that I thought.

Are you good? Oh...

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

And next up on the couch...

is Johnno.

TRISTAN: Oh, Johnno!

WOMAN: (CHANTS) Johnno! Johnno!

Quite the round of applause there for you, Johnno.

I think it's 'cause I'm all by myself.

Oh, well, welcome to the couch solo. Thank you.

How is Lauren? Lauren is good.

She's out of hospital.

She's back at home and feeling better.

The operation was a success. Great.

And now she's home resting, so...

It's been very quiet without her around.

I'll bet.

I'm definitely missing that big energy.

But they say distance makes the heart grow fonder, so...

Yeah. Yeah.

We've been keeping in touch every day, messages and phone calls.

And we've made, like, a list of restaurants we want to go to.

So, yeah, we love getting out and trying new food and wine

and we went out to dinner just before she left

and we just had the best night,

so I'm really excited about those sorts of things.

But just having her companionship again, I'm looking forward to it.

Alright. Well, why don't we go to the decision?

Obviously, there's only one of you on the couch to give a decision.

(LAUGHS) We'll start with you.

Oh, OK. (LAUGHTER)

I'm gonna stay...

Ah. ..'cause...

Wonderful.

I am happy to share that I have it on good authority...

Yes.

..that Miss Lauren would also like to stay.

OK. Good. (CASSANDRA LAUGHS)

(APPLAUSE) Wonderful.

Well, look, give our best to Lauren.

I hope she feels better really, really soon...

Yeah, I will do. ..and all the best for your reunion.

Thanks, guys. Thanks, Johnno.

See you. (APPLAUSE)

WOMAN: Good job, Johno.

ALESSANDRA: Next up on the couch...

Cass and Tristan.

(APPLAUSE)

MEL: Hello. Hello.

Hey, guys.

So, last week, Cass, you wrote 'leave'.

CASS: Yes. Tristan, you wrote 'stay'.

And you also said you were in love with Cass.

Yeah.

So, where are we today?

My fears kind of happened.

I told someone I was falling in love with them

and then I guess I got kind of rejected.

And then I just, you know, kind of just retreated.

So, you distanced yourself from Cass this week?

Yes. OK.

Cass, how did that make you feel?

Sad and, I guess, maybe a bit disappointed.

But then, having some time apart,

we spent this week reflecting on our relationship

and last night, we decided we're ready to accept

that we're just gonna be friends.

We just kind of had a chat about it.

It was, like, "Where are we actually at?"

We talked about it.

It felt like a bit like closure to me,

like, it's like we both kind of were on the same page,

if that makes sense.

How was the conversation for you, Cass, the closure one,

where you guys decided that you're better off as friends?

Oh, just sad.

I did have hope a little in the back of my mind

for something wonderful to happen.

I came in here for a husband.

That's... I wanted love. I didn't want to go home without it.

But it doesn't work out that way. That's life.

Alright. So, let's go to this decision.

Cass first.

I think the next woman that will be with you

will be the luckiest woman in the world to have you,

so I wrote... She wrote 'stay'!

(BOTH LAUGH) Yeah.

Yeah.

So, 'leave'.

Tristan?

Cass, you broke my heart

but I'm glad you were the one who broke my heart, you know.

You were the first person I've told I'm falling in love for...

And either way, it didn't work out, you're stuck in my life forever

and maybe a little bit longer, I can work on myself

and maybe we can reconnect in the future, so I said stay...leave.

(LAUGHS) Sadly.

I would like for you guys to have the opportunity to tell one another

what you have meant to each other in this process.

Oh... We've practised the eye contact.

And we've got it. Excellent.

My ex-wife Cass... (LAUGHTER)

I know I say this all the time

but I am the luckiest dude to get matched with you.

Like, easy.

You have been patient, you have been kind, you have listened

but overall, you are genuine and you mean everything to me.

Oh, Trist! Oh, my gosh.

You have just shown me so much fun

and laughter and light

and I feel so amazing and warm to have been with you on this journey.

You've meant so much to me and seeing you grow

and when you do love yourself, gosh, you're amazing!

(LAUGHS)

And I will cherish this journey with you till the end of time.

(BRIGHT MUSIC PLAYS)

JOHN: Well, look, obviously, the two of you,

it's sad, it's disappointing,

you know, love slipped through your fingers here,

but you've given it your all.

We appreciate all that you've done for us, by the way.

Oh, yeah. We really do.

Thank you so much for this experiment.

All the best, guys. Thanks, guys.

We did it! (APPLAUSE)

LUCINDA: We love you, guys. TRISTAN: Thanks, guys.

Our next couple up on the couch...

Eden and Jayden.

(APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Hello, hello. MEL: Hello.

Good evening.

How was feedback week?

Feedback week, in itself, it wasn't really much of a challenge for us.

It was just the week itself. OK.

We're getting to the end of this experiment now.

We've been here for nine or ten weeks

and I feel like everyone is kind of feeling the pressure

of this experiment.

I think everyone feels that pressure.

EDEN: Yeah. Some more than others.

I think, you know,

Eden is one of those people who really feels the pressure.

And I feel like this week I'm copping the brunt of it.

How's that? Tell me...

Well, it's just...

It's been kind of a long time coming

and there's just a couple of things that have happened...

that have led to this.

Most recently...

As I said before, like, Eden told me

that Sara had gone out with her ex-boyfriend

and they were talking shit about Tim behind his back.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

And when I said, "Hey, I really need to address the experts with this,

"it needs to come up, I need to get it off my chest,"

she wanted me to basically lie and she said,

"Well, you can't say that

"because then Sara will know that I can't keep a secret."

And I said, "Eden, I don't feel right lying.

"I want to tell the truth."

And she basically blew up at me and said,

"If you don't say what I tell you to say,

"I'm done with you and I'm leaving you."

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

SARA: What?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

She basically blew up at me and said...

"If you don't say what I tell you to say,

"I'm done with you and I'm leaving you."

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

SARA: What?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

That didn't sit right for me, because for me, I view...

It's basically an ultimatum.

I feel it's like, OK, I've got two choices.

Either I do something that I find morally wrong, which is lie,

or I lose my wife.

Yeah, it just got to me.

It might not be a huge lie, it might not be a huge deal

but I tried to communicate

and I just felt like she didn't really care about how I felt

or what I wanted - it was all about,

"No, you've got to say this, you've gotta support me,

"otherwise I'm done."

That's a lot.

I didn't realise you were feeling that way

or that this kind of dynamic was going on with you guys.

I'm actually very glad that you've brought it up

because it allows us maybe to help out a little bit.

Mmm.

Eden, why did you ask Jayden to lie?

I think I was scared. I was scared of...

I mean, we all knew how anxious I was

about the whole topic to begin with

and then he was straight away...

you know, he wanted to bring it out straight away,

and it was, like, "I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do that"

and it made me so anxious and so uncomfortable.

But for me, it wasn't an ultimatum of "I'll leave you."

It was "I want to go home from this," not from him.

Maybe that's not what you meant... Maybe it come across wrong, yeah.

The way you said it was very... Yeah.

Yeah.

Let's talk about the ultimatum. Mmm.

Do you understand that that's not something positive

for the relationship?

No, definitely not.

You're putting the relationship on the line.

(TENSE MUSIC)

But aside from that,

Jayden just mentioned there's been other instances also causing...

Yeah. ..Jayden to feel uncomfortable.

Am I correct?

Yeah, I guess we are getting to the pointy end of the...

Mmm. ..this experiment.

And Eden is struggling a lot

and I feel like I'm just trying so hard in this relationship.

But a lot of my efforts are kind of just going...

Yeah. ..brushed under the rugs, like...

Yeah.

I do...

Um.. (BLEEP).

Sorry. It's alright.

Yeah.

(BLEEP).

Are you good? Oh...

(BLEEP).

Oh, shit.

Um... Yeah.

Um...

Yeah, when Eden has a problem with something,

like, I make a lot of effort for her 'cause, like, I do really like her.

Like, with the anxiety,

I'm trying my best to learn how to deal with that.

And then, like, all the things I do for you,

like, get flowers, like, five times...

Like, this is materialistic stuff...

Oh, sorry.

..um, like, the flowers five times a week...

Like, I made a dog into a pillow because she was missing her dog.

I'm (BLEEP) taking her out for dinner every weekend,

like, writing her a list of things I like about her...

Yep. ..and every week...

Every morning, I wake up and I'll write something on it.

That way, when she wakes up,

it's the first thing that she sees and then... (CLEARS THROAT)

the other day, because I wouldn't do one thing,

you blew up at me and you said,

"Why don't you just do something..." Sorry.

"Why don't you do something nice for me for once in your life?"

I'm sorry. That was very harsh. I'm very sorry.

It's not deserved. "For once in your life."

That is disregarding all the nice things that...

Yeah. ..I've done.

I'm sorry. That's uncalled for. It's not... That's not nice at all.

And when I try and bring this up with you...

Yeah. ..you just...

You brush it under the rug.

You're just, like, "No, it's not a problem."

Mmm.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

That got to me and that's, like,

"(BLEEP), I don't know if Eden is everything that I thought."

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

For someone to turn around and just say,

"Why don't you do something nice for me for once in your life..."

Because basically nothing...

That got to me and that's, like,

"(BLEEP), I don't know if Eden is everything that I thought."

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

JOHN: Jayden, are you starting to question

whether this is the right person for you?

(PENSIVE MUSIC)

It's just... It's... It's a hard one.

Like... Yeah, it's a hard one.

So, yeah.

Can I ask, do you feel that you're not good enough,

that you can't measure up?

Yeah.

I'm doing my best.

Clearly, I'm not good enough

'cause I can't do much better than I am now...

You are good enough. You definitely are good enough, I promise you that.

I'm sorry.

Now, Eden, that's...that's big. Mmm.

I mean, what he's saying to you is... Yeah.

.."I'm into you and..." Mmm.

.."I don't feel like I'm ever good enough for you."

Yeah. I don't ever want him to feel that way.

I didn't realise the severity of it until now.

Like, I'm clearly very emotional about it

'cause I'm really into him too

and I don't want him to feel that way.

(CRIES)

(ROUSING MUSIC)

(BLEEP) Cry...

I know. Sorry. I'm sorry.

OK, guys. You're at a real crossroads here.

You're at a crisis point

and we've not seen this type of stand-off between the two of you

at any stage in this experiment.

It's like we've got finally the curtains pulled back

and we're looking at the real relationship between the two of you

and you've got some big challenges.

But you're both very upset, which means you care about each other

and that pleases me immensely.

Let's go to the decision.

Stay or leave? Let's go with you first, Eden.

Obviously, there's differences

but they're things that I want to work through

because I'm very into Jayden, so I've written 'stay'.

(APPLAUSE)

Jayden, what have you got - stay or leave?

We've got a lot to work on, so, yeah, let's work.

(APPLAUSE)

MEL: OK, guys, it's time to get to work.

You guys came out of the gates at the beginning of the experiment

hard and fast, didn't you,

and you went straight into it and it was really intense really quickly

and you were in a bit of a love bubble

and where you've arrived at now is some realness.

Yeah.

So this is, you know, in many ways,

a starting point for the real relationship here.

It's time to communicate

as well as communicate about your communication.

Yeah.

You know, when I say this to you, how does that feel for you?

Overcommunicate. Yeah.

Simple little techniques will get you through this

but make no mistake, you cannot have this gridlock anymore.

Now you've got a blueprint.

Do the work.

And we'll see you next time.

ALESSANDRA: Have a good week. JAYDEN: Thanks, guys.

MEL: Good on you, guys. Well done. (APPLAUSE)

ANDREA: Good session.

(BLEEP). Really good.

You did good. You did good.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

MEL: Our next couple on the couch, Jade and Ridge.

(APPLAUSE)

Hello. ALESSANDRA: Hello.

Hi.

How have you been this week, guys?

RIDGE: We've been well.

We had a really good week, probably one of the better weeks we've had

since the start of the experiment.

This week, Jade's daughter, Vi, was here and that's a big thing

because the more time I spend with both of them, I'm getting to a point

where I can see Jade and I can make this something into the future.

It's getting serious.

It's fantastic.

Jade, obviously, as a mum, you know, you've got little Vi to look out for

and it's so important that you can protect her

and protect, you know, you and her as a family unit.

And I guess for you, Ridge,

you've taken this on board with such openness and maturity.

This is exactly what we want for you guys.

What's your feeling, Jade, about bringing him into your home?

That, I'm not worried about.

He's been fitting into my life.

And this week he did, like, a packed lunch for Vi.

I don't think I've ever actually told Ridge this

but when I am doing her school lunch, I'll always write, like,

little notes like, "Have a good day.

"Remember to always be kind to everyone."

Like, just little things for her to read.

And when Ridge made her sandwich, he wrote "Have a good day"

and then put an R with a love heart, so that was really nice to see.

Beautiful.

Let's go to the decision, shall we?

I think we'll start with Ridge.

I'm going to stay.

Oh... Fabulous. (APPLAUSE)

(LAUGHS) Thank you.

With an X.

And Jade?

You got an X too!

Aw, lots of kisses. Thanks, darling.

(APPLAUSE) Beautiful.

Alright, you guys, good on you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thanks, guys.

(APPLAUSE)

Good job, babe.

JOHN: Let's get our next couple up.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Jack and Tori.

(APPLAUSE)

MEL: Hello. ALESSANDRA: Hi.

JACK: Oh...

Right, you two.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

We've talked about many of your indiscretions, Jack, in the past.

Well, I'm not going there this time.

I'm not interested in online articles or previous girlfriends...

or things that you've said in past dinner parties.

The only thing I'm interested in with you two...

is what's going on in your relationship...

because I've become very bored.

Tonight, you are going to open up.

Jack, I'm gonna start with you.

I need to know how you feel about Tori.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

'Cause I'm not buying it.

(TENSE MUSIC)

Tonight, you are going to open up.

Jack, I'm gonna start with you.

I need to know how you feel about Tori.

'Cause I'm not buying it.

What aren't you buying, John?

(TENSE MUSIC)

How do you feel about Tori?

I like her a lot.

Yeah, I'm developing serious feelings for Tori.

What do you mean "serious feelings"?

(LAUGHS) I just feel like...

Yeah, she makes me... makes me feel good.

She makes me feel... Oh, don't give me 'good'.

Far too long in this experiment

for words like 'good', 'OK', 'alright', 'not bad'.

I need real responses from you.

Feelings. Um... (LAUGHS)

Something I've told Tori a few times,

like, I'm actually sleeping really well.

Tori, do you feel really special and desired

when he says he can sleep well at night?

I feel like you can describe it a bit better than that.

I've never been asked about my feelings like that before.

Um...

What does she do to you on the inside?

You've stitched me up here.

Um...

Yeah, I like you a lot.

Oh, come on.

She helps you sleep? You like her a lot?

Here's the thing.

Nine weeks into this experiment

and I'm not getting a sense of your feeling...

and even whether you're genuine about it.

And if I'm not sure about it,

it worries me that Tori may not know where she stands with you.

Mel, your husband... MEL: Mmm.

..when you ask him what sort of feelings he has for you,

what might he say?

He might say "I feel deeply connected to you."

He says I'm his soulmate.

He says he can stop looking 'cause he's found me.

That's the kind of things that my husband would say to me.

Yeah. So you can hear, it's deeper than...

Yeah.

..you know, "I feel nice" or "I sleep well at night."

I am struggling to describe how I feel.

JOHN: Stop.

I heard a revelation at the dinner party last night

that came from feedback week.

You were involved in it, Jade.

Tell us what was said between you and Jack.

(TENSE MUSIC)

JADE: So, I said, "If you were paired with someone

"who was, like, more your type,

"would you have slept with them by now?"

And he said, "Yes, probably."

Mmm. What does that mean?

No. No.

What does it mean when you say,

"If I was paired with someone who was more my type,

"I would have slept with her early on in the experiment"?

It's not that clean-cut.

Here's my point.

You said yes

and what I'm hearing tonight is that you have warm feelings, that...

I do.

..things are going in the right direction with Tori.

That is not the answer that corresponds to that.

What you're saying is,

"If she was more my type, I would've had sex with her."

I'm asking, why isn't she your type?

She IS my type.

Jade, what's your perspective on that feedback and what was said?

Personally, if I was in Tori's position,

I would feel like my partner didn't like me.

Tori, that answer...

is not what we expect

from a guy that's saying "I'm attracted to you,"

who is warm, connected, thinking about a future.

So I'm struggling to buy this.

Tori, let me ask you, how did that make you feel,

when you heard his answer to that feedback question?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

I felt like, "Yeah, fair enough."

"Fair enough"? Really?

Did you not want him to say, "Tori's the one for me"?

I have strong feelings towards Jack.

Am I gonna sit here and say I'm in love with Jack?

I'm not in love with Jack.

But he does make me feel quite safe and quite secure

and he does allow me to be me.

Tori, are you for real?

Am I for real?

Yes!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Did you not want him to say, "Tori's the one for me"?

I have strong feelings towards Jack.

Am I gonna sit here and say I'm in love with Jack?

I'm not in love with Jack.

He does make me feel quite safe and quite secure

and he does allow me to be me.

Tori, are you for real?

Am I for real?

Yes!

Yeah, I'm for real.

Safe and secure?

(LAUGHS) Yeah.

After what has been going on throughout this experiment

with Jack's behaviour towards women, towards people in the group,

towards you?

Do I accept his wrongdoings? No.

But I don't hold them against him.

(TENSE MUSIC)

Tori, when he makes statements about women like "Muzzle your woman..."

Mm-hm.

..that doesn't make you feel any less safe or secure,

it doesn't dilute your feelings toward him at all?

No, because I know that, at the core, that that is not him.

I know where I stand with Jack, Jack knows where he stands with me.

I guess what we're noticing here

is that the things he says and does ARE him.

He's showing you who he is.

They're not separate from him.

This is part of the whole.

I don't agree with the things that Jack's said and done

but that doesn't mean that I can't be by his side.

Outside of safe and secure...

'cause friends can make you feel safe and secure...

intimately, where do you stand now with Jack?

We are intimate. We are sexually intimate.

We just have not done the deed.

It's a bit awkward talking about it week on week.

It's (BLEEP) stupid.

I do genuinely feel like...

we're both ready to have sex.

But there is a lot of pressure

and I know everyone's feeling it and that's fine.

But, like, we are asked the same question every single week

and I almost don't want to do it... (LAUGHS)

..'cause I don't want to give anyone the satisfaction.

Let me tell you why it comes up every week,

because the way in which Jack handles certain situations

week on week on week

suggests he's not attracted.

No, I disagree with that.

And I've got a litany of behaviours that say otherwise, Jack.

No.

I feel like, yeah, I've dropped the ball

and Tori's seen, like, the worst of me and...

Tori, if you've seen the worst of Jack, how do you feel towards him?

Let it rip. (LAUGHS)

Um... I have seen the worst of Jack and he can be...

stubborn and quite...

LUCINDA: I would say the word 'cruel'.

OK. That's your word.

Tori, do you see a future with Jack?

I do see a future with Jack. Why?

Why? Yeah.

I think Jack is...would... Not 'would'.

I think...well, no, on the outside, I think he would fit into my world

and I think I would fit into his world

and I think coming into this, I wanted someone to do life with me

and I feel like you are absolutely that person.

(TENSE MUSIC)

Tori, I'm concerned that you are focusing a lot on protecting him

and your relationship

and you're not really paying attention to yourself.

You were talking before about feeling safe and secure with him

and I think that's what I'm having trouble with here...

because I feel like I've seen glimpses of your insight,

whether it's been the group

or whether it's been Jack saying or doing something

that I know you're not comfortable with.

Respectfully, I am my first priority

and I will always be my first priority.

I spend every day with this person. Yeah.

I know who this person is.

I don't waste my time. I don't like people wasting my time.

And I don't know how else I can articulate that

or how else I can put that

for it to be palatable for the group to understand.

Yeah. He is a good person.

And if you were not... If you didn't want to be here...

I wouldn't be here.

..if you didn't feel safe, if you didn't feel respected...

I would not be here. You best believe I wouldn't be here.

..if you didn't think I was into you, I wouldn't want you to be here.

Well, on that note, we're gonna go to the decision.

Stay or leave? And we're gonna go with you, Jack.

I will stay.

Show me. Strong stay.

It's a strong stay.

Tori, you're up. Stay or leave?

I said 'stay'.

OK.

Well, look, I think what comes out tonight

is that there has been inconsistencies,

which we'll always call out.

If there are behaviours going on in a relationship

that don't match what you're saying in terms of your feelings,

you need to know about it.

Go back to the group.

(APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Our last couple up on the couch...

MEL: Andrea and Richard.

(APPLAUSE) (ANDREA CLEARS THROAT)

Evening. RICHARD: Guys.

Hello. Good evening.

Well, you two...

You've had a big week. Yeah.

We saw things really escalate between the two of you last night...

Yeah.

And, in fact, Andy, it's the first time we've seen you

really, really become quite angry

and just stand up and really express how you're feeling.

Yeah.

We're really keen to understand where things are at between you now.

Andy, why don't we start with you?

I'm feeling pretty devastated, actually.

I've had a really frustrating week,

where I feel like...

well, I know that Richie has not been listening to me

and hearing what I'm saying.

I feel sad...

because we were good, we were working on stuff.

We'd have bumps.

We'd go back a bit, but I was here and I was open and trying

and Richie spent last week

telling me I'm being dishonest

and that I'm not trying.

Richard, from your perspective, is this an accurate description?

From my perspective, it's not a totally accurate description, no.

The thing is, is when I'm asked what's going on,

why isn't this relationship moving forward, why isn't it building,

you know, Andy gets really upset

when I start saying things like that, yeah?

And I appreciate that,

but I have to also say what I have to say

and what I'm feeling, you know.

And to say to someone "You're not listening to me"

is kind of like saying "You're wrong."

Like, "You're in the wrong here."

(SIGHS)

So, we don't agree.

Yeah, we just don't, you know... Exactly right.

JOHN: There's a real disconnect between you two

and we've seen this for a long time.

Richard, what do you think your role has been

in getting you to this place?

I know I'm quite full-on, I'm quite intense and I'm very self-expressed.

Even when I type on a keyboard, I (BLEEP) type like that

and, yeah, I'm like that... That's true.

..you know. It's very loud.

I'm like that, you know.

So, I reflect on that

and I go, "Well, that's something that comes across wrong and badly"

and I think in this case it probably has a little bit.

And I know I could've been more patient.

So, I could've been that guy, super cool, "Yeah, whatever, no worries."

I didn't because I didn't want to be here as just good mates.

I mean, we're getting on, and we're having so much fun together...

Some of the couples here are in that space and they fought to get THERE,

but we started somewhere very different.

Like, so different.

Richie, we didn't know each other those first two weeks.

We didn't know each other.

It was chemistry. It was lovely.

And then we settle into a relationship,

we get to know each other

and there's things I don't like...

..there's things you don't like and we're trying to navigate that.

(SAD MUSIC)

Richard, you look pretty broken to me.

Yeah, mate, well...

(SIGHS)

I am pretty broken, yeah.

I came into this experiment with high hopes and big dreams

and a skip in my step and a smile on my face

and I was, "Here we go, buddy," you know,

and it's ended in a devastating, shattering way.

The thing is, my gut's been telling me

that she hasn't been into me for a long time.

I can see it. I can sense it.

You know, like... Like, when you know, you know.

At the core of my being is a feeling that I'm a bad person.

You know, I...

I'm on this planet

to make a positive contribution to people and their lives -

that's through my work and what I do

and that's what I believe and that's what I'm about.

So, in that sense, I've failed massively, you know,

with this lovely woman, you know.

(SIGHS)

It just feels really, um...

(CRIES)

Yeah, man, it just feels really hard and really tough, you know.

Really, really tough.

(SAD MUSIC)

MEL: OK, you two.

I think it's time for us to go to the decision.

OK.

Andrea, we'll start with you. Yep.

It's probably no shock to anyone.

Richie and I have agreed to just leave.

I've written 'leave' too as well. Yeah.

(SAD MUSIC)

OK?

WOMAN: Oh...

Before I let you go, I just want to give you both the opportunity

to say any last thoughts to each other.

Honestly, I had the best time with you, Richie,

and I have so many happy memories.

Yeah.

Richard?

I will say to Andy

that those ten days that we spent together, I will never forget...

never forget in my entire life.

(CRIES) It was so good. Yeah.

It was so (BLEEP) great.

The whole, yeah...

I mean, that's it, so, what a win, you know.

If I walk away with that, that's...that's a win for me

and I'll take that any day, yeah.

Thank you so much.

You're welcome. Mmm.

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

NARRATOR: Tomorrow night...

I'm alive! (LAUGHS)

..Lauren is back.

And don't say you're just hoping for a root.

(LAUGHS)

RIDGE: Honey, I'm home.

Our couples pack up and head home as part of homestays week.

In you go!

Over two big nights...

(TIM LAUGHS) SARA: Welcome home, sweetie.

..our newlyweds discover how their other half live.

And for some, it's an eye-opening experience.

LUCINDA: It's a real bachelor's pad, this one.

(BARKS)

TIMOTHY: She's not that well trained.

She pissed on the carpet.

Why did you lie?

Hard conversations will be had...

Did you think you would get away with it?

We're not rehashing.

..as they discuss plans for life after the experiment.

I got the impression you were basic. WOMAN: Yeah.

Tori comes face to face with some of Jack's most beloved clients...

I've always kind of been, like, one of the boys.

I feel like when I come across a girl that only has guy friends,

it's usually because they're sleeping with all the boys.

(RINGING TONE)

But a last-minute disappearing act

threatens to derail homestays for Jayden.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Captioned by AI-Media ai-media.tv