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Married At First Sight 2021: Why the season finale will look different

For the past seven seasons, Married At First Sight has filmed its dinner parties and group therapy sessions at a warehouse in Sydney’s Lilyfield.

But things will look very different in 2021, after production of the last two episodes was moved elsewhere.

Daily Mail Australia understands this year’s finale and reunion were filmed at one of Sydney’s trendiest eateries, The Grounds of Alexandria.

New location: This year’s two-part Married At First Sight finale was filmed at one of Sydney’s trendiest eateries, The Grounds of Alexandria, instead of the usual warehouse in Lilyfield

Endemol Shine had to find another finale location with the same look and feel after a rival TV production company booked out the Lilyfield space.

‘The reunion episode was supposed to be filmed in mid-January but it just kept getting pushed back. There was no way they could afford to keep it locked in,’ a source said.

The warehouse is owned by Legs on the Wall, a group which specialises in physical theatre and owns several large spaces on the industrial estate.

Shake up! Endemol Shine had to find another finale location with the same look and feel after a rival TV production company booked out the Lilyfield warehouse (pictured)

Studio 1, which is hired by Married At First Sight each year, costs $7,000 a week to rent.

The space is usually reserved for Channel Nine and Endemol Shine from the start of October to the end of January.

To hire the space for this long would cost approximately $112,000.

And… action! The reunion was filmed over two days at the Grounds of Alexandria restaurant. Pictured: Married At First Sight grooms Cameron Dunne (left) and Jake Edwards (right)

Originally scheduled for mid-January, the season eight reunion dinner party was postponed due to border closures and only took place last week.

This wasn’t the first time the show had faced delays due to the pandemic.

In March last year, it was reported the new season had been postponed in the wake of the first Covid-19 outbreak in Australia.

Throughout production, the cast and crew were all required to undergo mandatory testing for coronavirus.

Perth brides Booka Nile, Beth Moore and Rebecca Zemek, and Melbourne-based Jake Edwards, were all tested for Covid-19 ahead of the show’s reunion this week.

Couples from Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Queensland were all required to self-isolate for 14 days upon their arrival in New South Wales.

Coming soon: Despite the delay, Married At First Sight is only premiering a few weeks later than usual, on February 22 at 7.30pm on Nine. Pictured: brides Beck Zemek and Beth Moore

BUMBLE ON THE TEST: India’s Virat Kohli should get a three-Test ban

England were heavily defeated in the second Test with India claiming a 317-run victory on the fourth day.

The visitors lost all 10 wickets to spin as they were bowled out for 164 to leave the series finely poised at 1-1.

Sportsmail’s David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd has his say on Virat Kohli’s antics, India’s turning pitch and David English and the Bunbury Festival.

England were defeated in the second Test with India claiming a 317-run victory on Tuesday

KOHLI SHOULD GET A THREE-TEST BAN

No word of any disciplinary action against Virat Kohli then? I chuckle and I despair. Cricket is so archaic. The captain of a national team is allowed to criticise, berate, intimidate and ridicule an official on the pitch.

And he was allowed to carry on playing on in the second Test! In any other sport, he would have been sent off the field. Kohli certainly shouldn’t be playing in Ahmedabad next week.

All it would take to show the public the severity of any offence is the introduction of yellow and red cards. This was a straight red — which would mean he misses the next three Tests. The lack of any action from match referee Javagal Srinath sitting there in his nice air-conditioned room beggars belief. Three and a half days and he has said nothing.

Virat Kohli should be given a three-Test ban for his antics during the second Test of the series

PITCH MADE THE TEST A NON-EVENT

This Test, to me, was a non-event. And to be brutally honest I’ve had no real interest in it since the first morning when the pitch exploded. I knew all I needed to know then. The result was inevitable, it was just a matter of time.

For the record, India played better, obviously, and England’s spinners were found wanting in the most helpful of conditions.

OK, you can tell me India got more than 600 runs in the match including a century from their No 8 Ravi Ashwin, but that’s not the point. The point is these two Tests have been played at the same ground, 15 yards apart, but one pitch was prepared and the other wasn’t. This one was an embarrassment. The simple question is, why? I don’t suppose we’ll be hearing from the ICC on this one either. They are an organisation that just pussy-foots around.

Now the show moves on to Ahmedabad and an enlarged 100,000-plus capacity venue. The pitch is usually as dead as a dodo. They have even had draws there. So what, dear reader, do we expect from the pitch in the third Test?

They’ve had months to prepare it. I’m curious to know. Just for the record, I have no problem with turning pitches. It’s just there has to be a pitch.

The pitch made the second Test a non-event, the result was inevitable and a matter of time

FULL ENGLISH ALWAYS DELIVERS

Let’s finish on a lighter note and my old mucker David English. If you think I’m eccentric, this bloke is in a different league.

But he does great work with the Bunbury Festival and will be very proud. And every member of this England side was a Bunbury at Under 15 level.

They get this motto — ‘A Bunbury stands for freedom. Stands for fun. So do a good turn unto others. A Bunbury does his best.’ I wonder if there is a similar message for Kohli?

Lazio president Claudio Lotito and club doctors referred to the federal court over Covid violations

Lazio, their president Claudio Lotito and club doctors Ivo Pulcini and Fabio Rodia have been referred to the national federal court following an investigation into violations of COVID-19 protocols, the Italian Football Federation said on Tuesday.

The FIGC said in a statement that the Serie A club is charged with ‘violations of federal regulations and a lack of observance of the health protocols in force’.

Lazio spokesperson Roberto Rao responded in a statement by saying: ‘We trust in sporting justice, which will be expressed in the appropriate offices, so that the correct reconstruction of the facts is re-established and total non-involvement with the contested accusations is recognised.’

Lazio president Claudio Lotito and the club’s doctors have been referred to the national federal court following an investigation into violations of COVID-19 protocols

An investigation was opened on November 3 over potential violations of protocols regarding COVID-19 testing. The club’s training ground was inspected and swab test results were seized.

Lotito is accused of having ‘failed to enforce, or failed to monitor compliance with, the rules on health checks and the necessary communications to the competent local health authorities.’

The list of violations includes failing to promptly report positive cases to the local health authority, failing to stop three players from attending a training session after receiving positive tests and twice failing to enforce a mandatory 10-day isolation period on an asymptomatic player, who was subsequently involved in a Serie A game.

‘It’s a matter related to the interpretation of the rules around the subject of COVID-19, both in terms of the duty to communicate to the local health authority and the practical interpretation of some parameters of the medical protocol,’ Lazio said in a statement.

The club allegedly failed to stop three players who tested positive taking part in training

The Serie A side are also charged with twice failing to enforce a mandatory 10-day isolation period on an asymptomatic player, who was subsequently involved in a Serie A game