Married at First Sight expert Pastor Calvin Roberson seems to be backing up Dr. Pepper Schwartz's recent suggestion that the show's experts advised Paige Banks to end her marriage to Chris Williams and stop all contact with him but Paige rejected their advice.
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Late last month, Pepper wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post, "We can tell Paige what we think is in her best interests (i.e. cut all interaction) but that doesn't mean that she agrees with us and wants to end the relationship," according to screenshots captured and reposted by @Mafsfan Instagram account.
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"She is an adult, a person determined to see this experiment through, and she considers what we say, but she does what she wants to do."
Pastor Cal took to Instagram earlier this week with a similar post, and while he did not name Chris or Paige directly, many Married at First Sight fans assumed his comments were in reference to the Season 12 trainwreck couple.
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"I speak with a purpose; to motivate and inspire people to be their best selves and live their best lives. Some folks listen, some don't and that's okay," Pastor Cal wrote.
"I expect adults to make adult decisions. Barring imminent physical harm or danger, I can't force anyone. I won't threaten harm. And it's not in my nature to pour salt in open wounds."
Pastor Cal continued, "I am a fierce protector who personally understands the flaws of being human. I have reached this place in my life where I now live life by the code of love (for my God, myself, my family, and others).
"Some may not agree with my philosophies and that's okay. Doing me is working out great for me. #youdoyou #period #bethebestyou #onpurpose #positivevibes," he concluded.
Pastor Cal and Pepper have also both previously stated Paige was given the option to leave her marriage and film the rest of Season 12 as a single woman while the show was in production in Summer 2020, rejecting speculation that Paige was stuck in her relationship for contractual obligations.
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When Pepper posted her statement late last month, she also insisted, "We give honest feedback but not everyone can listen and use our insights and critiques to be a better person."
Pepper also noted she was "horrified" by the traumatic events and disrespect Paige had to endure during the Married at First Sight process and Chris' actions were "offensive" and "appalling" to watch.
"Does a lot of it break my heart, as much of it has broken yours? Do I understand your disgust? Of course I do," Pepper explained at the time.
"We must take responsibility for this match -- but I assure you the Chris we all see now, is not the Chris we met and married to Paige."
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Ever since Married at First Sight's twelfth season premiered in early January on Lifetime, viewers have expressed outrage over the experts casting Chris on the show and matching him with a sweet, religious woman like Paige.
On his wedding day, Chris lamented to production about how he lacked an attraction to his wife, but then he went on to have sex with her twice in 24 hours.
A defeated and confused Paige nearly checked out of her relationship at that point, but she chose to persevere -- only to discover at the beginning of her honeymoon in Las Vegas that Chris' ex-fiancee, Mercedes, was about six weeks pregnant.
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Pepper actually acknowledged that allowing Chris to participate in this experiment was "a bad call" and there are simply "no excuses" for casting him on the show.
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Shortly after Pepper posted her statement and deleted it, Chris slammed her on Facebook and said "maybe it's time to retire."
Although Chris begged Paige to stay with him and promised she'd be his No. 1 priority going forward, he eventually told Paige -- despite continuing to sleep with her almost daily -- that he was still in love with Mercedes and wanted to get back together with her.
After disappearing for a few days in Chicago, Chris told Paige when they reunited in Atlanta, GA, that he wanted a divorce.
"He already spoke to, like, a divorce attorney and everything. Like, I cannot believe this sh-t at all... I jut feel f-cking disgusted right now," Paige lamented.
"I feel disgusted for having any type of intimacy with this man. F-ck that! No! I am done, period! I'm done. This is bullsh-t! All that m-therf-cker dramatic-ass sh-t he done dragged me through? F-ck you! F-ck that b-tch!"
But after the conversation, Paige said Chris had whispered into her ear that he was falling in love with her.
The latest Married at First Sight episode featured Paige and Mercedes meeting face to face, with Mercedes announcing that she had no intention of taking Chris back. Paige also determined she was going to walk away from the relationship.
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