Maltese contestant Luke Debono immediately showed his home roots on the British reality show Married at First Sight on Thursday, with a blunt reaction when he saw his bride for the first time.
As Amy Victoria Kenyon walked down the aisle, Debono exclaimed: “Il-Alla Madonna”.
But those were not the only Maltese words Debono said during the show on Channel 4 in Maltese: "I don't know what to tell you or what I am doing with myself, but I am about to get married to a stranger and then we see what will happen."
The popular reality television franchise is a ‘social experiment’ where strangers are matched by dating experts. They 'marry' moments after they meet. At the end of the series, each couple decides if they want to stay together.
Sadly for Debono, while he was enthusiastic at the sight of his UK bride, who is also a wedding planner by profession, it seems the feeling was not mutual.
Shortly after they shared their vows, Kenyon revealed she was slightly repulsed by Debono and said he gave her the "ick".
The 30-year-old Maltese lives in Kent and is a prison education manager. He describes himself as a “traditional gentleman”.
According to British tabloid The Sun, he trained in Youth Rehabilitation and in his spare time competes in bodybuilding competitions.
He said he wants his future wife to be like a lasagne - “warm with many layers”.
He said he would make the perfect husband as he is fun, likes to "get jiggy with it", and have deep conversations.
Debono described his best qualities as being "kind and a good listener".
While he said he hoped the show would teach him how to be “vulnerable” with his wife, viewers were shocked to find out that he cheated on a previous partner.
The Married At First Sight franchise began in Denmark in 2013 but has been broadcast in more than a dozen other countries.
It brings together couples who have never met based on analysis of their supposed compatibility.
However, the commitment ceremonies in the UK version are not legally binding marriages, so there is no need for divorce if the relationship does not work out.