What Was the Real Reason for Jamie and Dave’s Split on MAFS Australia? Find Out More

Married at First Sight Australia’s twelfth season introduced one of the most talked-about duos: Jamie Marinos and Dave Hand.

Their connection was clear from the start, but things took a surprising turn once the cameras were off.

Fans have been curious to know what really caused their breakup, especially since Dave mentioned that a key reason for their split didn’t make it into the show’s final cut.

Recently, Dave revealed that the main reason for their split wasn’t shown to the audience. He explained that during a counseling session—one that never aired—he had a breakdown where he voiced his worries about not being able to develop feelings for Jamie because of personal challenges he was facing at home.

Specifically, Dave’s father was going through chemotherapy, and the stress of worrying about his dad’s health made it hard for him to fully invest in the relationship or enjoy the experience. He shared,

“After the retreat, it became clear that my dad’s chemo was really affecting me. I brought it up and said, ‘I’m worried that my feelings aren’t developing with Jamie because of what’s happening at home.’ I felt like I was torn in two… it made it difficult to enjoy myself.”

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On her end, Jamie felt that Dave was pulling away after the show wrapped up. She expressed that it felt like Dave was with her out of obligation rather than true interest. Ultimately, Jamie chose to end things, saying,

“Once we got back to our usual lives, it became painfully obvious that he wasn’t genuinely interested in me. I don’t want to be in a relationship where it feels like someone is just there out of obligation, and that’s how it started to feel.”

Since the breakup, Jamie and Dave haven’t been in touch. Jamie has been candid about the emotional impact of rewatching the show and how challenging it was to reflect on Dave’s behavior from a distance.

“Dave doesn’t deserve to have access to me, I’m sorry. I put in a lot of effort to try and keep a friendship… but Dave put me through a lot during the experiment, and it’s really tough to watch back,”

she explained.

The edit of the show suggested that Dave’s feelings simply faded, but the reality was much more layered. His personal struggles, particularly regarding his father’s health, significantly contributed to his emotional distance—something he says he communicated to the producers, but it ended up being cut from the final show.