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Married at First Sight is giving the Second City a second go-round. The reality series is returning to Chicago for its 18th season, premiering Oct. 15 on Lifetime.

MAFS Season 17, which was set in Denver, included a runaway bride, a first-ever second-chance wedding, revelations of behind-the-scenes scheming by the cast, and zero successful matches. Can fans expect a less rocky road to love in Chicago? It doesn’t sound like it. Season 18 will feature a “shocking cheating scandal and a couple swap,” according to production company Kinetic Content. 

‘Married at First Sight’ Season 18 premieres Oct. 15 

Man and woman smile for a photo on their wedding day while sitting at a table
Madison and Allen from ‘Married at First Sight’ Season 18 | Mike Purdy of Mood Photo and Video

Married at First Sight Season 18 premieres Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime. (That’s a change from its usual Wednesday night timeslot.) 

The new season will follow 10 Windy City singles searching for love. To that end, they’ll agree to hand their lives over to the show’s trio of relationship experts – Pastor Cal Roberson, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, and Dr. Pia Holec – who will find them the person they believe is their perfect partner. The two strangers will meet at the altar before saying “I do” and embarking on an eight-week marriage. After the experiment concludes, each couple will have to choose whether to stay married or get a divorce on the show’s emotional Decision Day. 

The new ‘MAFS’ season features ‘more twists and turns than ever’ 

Side by side photos of two heterosexual couples on their wedding day
[L-R] Emem and Ikechi; Karla and Juan | Mike Purdy of Mood Photo and Video; Yosmaira Ochoa Photography

Five couples will take the plunge on MAFS Season 18. They are: 

  • Karla and Juan 
  • David and Michelle 
  • Camille and Thomas 
  • Emen and Ikechi 
  • Madison and Allen 

This batch of Married at First Sight couples are more “mature,” according to Kinetic. But that doesn’t necessarily mean less drama. Season 18 will involve “more twists and turns than ever before, including an explosive cheating scandal that leads to a couple swap, which is sure to leave viewers speechless.”

Prior to the MAFS Season 18 premiere, two specials will air on Tuesday, Oct. 8, starting at 8 p.m. ET. First is the MAFS: Matchmaking Special, which introduces the singles. That’s followed by the MAFS: Kickoff Special hosted by Kevin Frazier. 

Side by side photos of two heterosexual couples on their wedding day
[L-R] Camille and Thomas; Michelle and David | Mike Purdy of Mood Photo and Video; Misha Media Photography
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‘Married at First Sight’: 1 Big Change That Could Fix the Show for the Better 

Each new episode of Married at First Sight will be followed at 10 p.m. ET by the Married at First Sight: Afterparty hosted by Keshia Knight Pulliam.

Married at First Sight previously matched singles in Chicago in season 5, which aired in 2016. Three couples got married, and one pair remains together today. Ashley Petta and Anthony D’Amico now have two children, a daughter born in 2019 and a second girl born in 2021. 

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