MAFS 2020 Episode 21 recap: Aleks and Ivan successfully avoid Trisha's Commitment Ceremony intimacy questions

It's time for another Commitment Ceremony, and the major question this week is "Will Steve actually come back to participate or is he still hiding in a lift somewhere?"

And how far did Josh get following him and yelling "Steve!" before someone yelled out "Alan" from a passing car?

Other than Mishel and Steve, we're heading into this Commitment Ceremony with most of the couples in a reasonably OK place.

Connie and Jonethen aren't going all that well. KC and Drew are still fighting over a plushie of Rick from Rick and Morty, which is a sentence that doesn't get any less strange the more I type it.


After a shaky week last Commitment Ceremony, Josh and Cathy have had a pretty good few days. As with all couples, trampolining and Mexican food have done the trick.

Josh tells the experts that everything's going well. He put his previous resentment towards Cathy behind him. They had a great week and everything is hunky-do…

"Except I'm worried we're going to be just friends next week," he says, without a care in the world.

He seems like he's half friend-zoning Cathy and half saying he's worried he's going to be friend-zoned.

Cathy is upset and feels a bit blindsided, but as she continues to talk it seems like the friend-zoning might be coming more from her side of the fence.

"Tough time for you guys, isn't it," offers expert John. Thank you for that, John.

Their decision: Both stay. Their joint battle against the friend zone will continue for another seven days.


Michael, he of the light infidelity and truly terrible jokes, says he's been spending every waking minute trying to make it up to Stacey.

"We were in bed by 9pm watching Ocean's Eleven, and the only thing that was stolen was my heart," he says.

In my view, that's an instant dumping offence. I'm surprised we didn't get footage of Stacey desperately trying to change her answer.

Stacey and her BOMB SLEEVES are giving Michael a second chance, and she even super casually drops the L-bomb.

"Does that mean you're in love with him?" asks John Aiken.

Stacey says, "Um, yes." They both admit to being in love with each other, with is honestly one of the biggest plot twists in Married At First Sight history.

When my significant other admits their love for me, I have always dreamed it would be in front of a panel of experts and other couples who are constantly shaking their heads.

Trisha asks if they've talked about moving in together, unable to contain her delight.

But the truth about Michael's fake dinner lies in wait, ready to disrupt this relationship.

It's Chekhov's Uber Eats.

Their decision: Both stay.


Aleks and Ivan have some adorable minor issues around sleeping times and when the other one wakes up. Haha, cute! What a lovely innocent couple.

Trisha is not here for this insignificant, small-time nonsense and asks the big question.

"How's intimacy going? Remember, it's Married At First Sight, not 'Friends'."

Unfortunately for Ivan, he can't use the 'Do you normally ask couples about their intimacy' line against Trisha because she absolutely does ask people about their intimacy on a daily basis.

Not even just in her job. If you and your partner see her at the shops at any point, run.

Aleks and Ivan are both sidestepping the question and saying it's not a topic they want to discuss.

Ivan was not pleased to be asked about the 'intimacy' in his marriage. (Nine)

It's actually more tense between Aleks and Ivan and the experts than it has been between some of the couples, and they say that if they're continued to be pushed to talk about sex in this forum, they'd prefer to leave the experiment and pursue the relationship outside of it.

The experts get nowhere, explaining they just want to make sure Aleks and Ivan are talking about the issue and John quickly moves on to a decision.

Their decision: Both stay, though I feel like if they had the option to leave the experts, they might have.


Lizzie and Seb are going well, with Seb passing the relatively simple test of 'turning up'.

With little to complain about, Lizzie inexplicably starts lecturing Aleks and Ivan about being open with the experts.

"How's intimacy going?" asks Trisha, unperturbed by previous experience.

Seb says he thinks that will come with time and trust but they haven't consummated the marriage yet.

Their decision: Both stay, with Lizzie especially relishing the decision.

OK, that's the happy couples out the way.


Connie's in a good place, but Jonethen is in The Good Place (you know if you've seen the show). He feels like he's walking on eggshells and feels upset and responsible that the relationship isn't going well.

If there's a silver lining, they don't seem angry at each other, or toxic — just mutually frustrated they can't get on the same page.

Their decision: Jonethen writes leave this week and Connie writes stay, in a 180 of the previous Commitment Ceremony. Hopeful music swells. Maybe these two crazy kids can get there!


KC and Drew explain that the wedding was amazing, but that the honeymoon was dramatic because of an unwanted intruder: A Ricky and Morty doll gifted to Drew by his housemate.

KC says she feels like Drew called her names, Drew says he thinks a mountain is being made out of a dollhill. (Here all week.)

KC mentions the joke Drew made about his housemate spraying perfume on the doll and that's too much for Stacey and Michael, who start laughing.

Mel tells them off and says they're being disrespectful and KC is very upset. Now I feel bad! This is why they don't invite me to the Commitment Ceremonies anymore.

Drew apologises for upsetting KC. Trisha says it's good that they named the issue, identifying jealousy as the main problem.

John says not to throw the word 'jealous' around too much. He then throws subtle shade at Aleks and Ivan: "Thanks for being so open and honest with us."

KC breaks down during the Commitment Ceremony. (Nine)

Their decision: Both stay.


I can't see any way this isn't a joint leave, but here we go.

Mishel explains that she's upset Steve confessed his lack of attraction to her to the cameras but not to her directly.

Steve says he didn't say anything early on because he wanted to give the attraction time to grow, and it didn't.

I think the best we can hope for is that they leave as anything north of enemies.

Mishel clarifies she wasn't upset about the lack of attraction, but the 'betrayal' of telling the cameras one thing and her another is what that really upset her.

Mel and John say some intelligent things about why they're at a crossroads and we move on to the decision.

Their decision: Steve writes leave and Mishel writes stay.

Steve says he adores Mishel — the very same woman who said he would be the first thrown into a pit of dumb people, among other things — and would do anything for her, but he is going to leave.

Mishel, on the advice of her daughter Eva, has decided to go against her first instinct and writes stay.

Tune into more Hostaged At First Sight on Monday night (jokes).


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