Thomas and Camille From 'MAFS' Joined the Show To Avoid More of the Dating Scene (EXCLUSIVE)
"So much of dating now is people chasing that instant gratification and honeymoon phase," Camille said.
Published Oct. 15 2024, 11:06 a.m. ET
Most singles sign up for Married at First Sight because they're at a point in their lives where they're tired of meaningless relationships that go nowhere. When it comes to Camille and Thomas from Season 18 that's true for the both of them too, and they both shared exclusively with Distractify that they were tired of relationships ending after the "honeymoon phase."
But besides that, who are Thomas and Camille?
Camille's workaholic attitude prevented her from being able to settle down with the right man ahead of joining the experiment. For Thomas, the biggest hurdle was stepping out from under his former bachelor persona and being open to the idea of finding and keeping love.
They both entered the experiment with open minds and shared with us the challenges of joining the show, marrying a stranger, and what their non-negotiables were heading into it.
Thomas and Camille from 'MAFS' signed up for the experiment to find something more than "the chase."
Both Camille and Thomas had spent enough time in the dating world to know that they were tired of what it had to offer. Enter MAFS, which promises singles the opportunity to be matched by professionals with someone they're compatible with.
While that doesn't always end in perfect marriages, Camille and Thomas were willing to give it a shot.
"So much of dating now is people chasing that instant gratification and honeymoon phase," Camille shared. "Resiliency and pushing through the parts that get uncomfortable, and maybe less exciting at times, is what's severely lacking in the dating world. I had a hard time finding someone who was truly as invested in the long term as I was. In a world with dating apps and social media, it felt like everyone was always looking for the next best thing once that."
Thomas shared that in his younger years, he relied on a bachelor lifestyle. But as he got older, he knew he wanted more, and he was also able to recognize that the "insecurities and fear of failure" held him back from taking that leap.
That is until he applied for and was cast on MAFS.
Camille said marrying a Black man was important to her.
There are always must-haves for the singles on MAFS. While the experts can't always come through on everything, they do help participants where they can. And for Camille, that means finding a Black man.
When we asked her if that was her No.1 deal-breaker, she explained that, as a Black woman, it was "very high" on her list for the right partner.
"There were, and always will be, certain shared lived experiences and intangibles that I was really hoping to be able to connect with my partner on, especially if we're talking about a lifetime to come," she said. "I've always felt that that allows for the potential of an even closer connection."
Thomas's twin brother was familiar with 'MAFS' already.
Even if Thomas wasn't quite sure about what to expect from MAFS, his twin brother was already well-versed in the Lifetime series before Thomas was cast.
"Having watched the show, he assured me that there was a great team of experts that work hard to create successful blind marriages," Thomas shared with us.
Does that mean Thomas and Camille's marriage goes the distance? For now, that remains to be seen. However, they entered the experiment with the full intention of trusting the process. Even if, for Camille, that meant changing her work/life balance, and for Thomas, getting over what he called "neediness" in past relationships.
Watch Married at First Sight on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Lifetime.
