Married at First Sight star Jamie Thompson is opening up about marrying Elizabeth Bice on Season 9 of the Lifetime reality series and his hopes for the extreme experiment as well as his future with his wife.
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Season 9 of Married at First Sight was filmed in Charlotte, NC, and premiered on June 12.
The wedding of Jamie, a 35-year-old from Columbia, SC, and Elizabeth, a 29-year-old from South Carolina who was raised in Mooresville, NC, will be shown during Episode 2.
Jamie and Elizabeth were matched by Married at First Sight experts Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Calvin Roberson, and newcomer Dr. Viviana Coles based on compatibility, goals, hobbies, religious views and more.
After meeting for the first time at their wedding ceremony, Jamie and Elizabeth's life together was documented over the course of eight weeks -- including their honeymoon and moving in together.
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Jamie admits he didn't always make the right choices when it came to dating and so he hoped the experts would find him a passionate travel companion, while Elizabeth was looking for a spouse who would embrace her bubbly and very outgoing personality.
During an exclusive interview with Reality TV World, Jamie shined some light into who he is and what he's looking for in his ideal spouse. Below is the concluding portion of what he had to say.
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Reality TV World: What were your fears when beginning the process, other than the obvious prospect of getting divorced? Were you worried your partner may just be going on the show for attention or fame?
Jamie Thompson: I definitely had fears that my future wife may not be fully 100 percent committed in that she may just being doing it to get on TV.
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I did have faith however in the experts and the process that the people just looking for attention get weeded out. Once I met Elizabeth, I saw what a big heart she has and that she wasn't just in it for the attention and fame.
Reality TV World: How important was physical appearance to you on the show, honestly? Did you believe instant chemistry or physical attraction was necessary for a marriage to work, or did you feel you could grow to view someone as attractive over time?
Jamie Thompson: Physical appearance was very important to me. I asked specifically for someone who led an active lifestyle and who valued personal appearance.
However, I told myself that I would be open to letting attraction grow and to have faith in my match's compatibility with me. For me personally, beauty is both on the inside and outside.
I definitely want to be physically attracted to my partner but also value and respect the person she is on the inside.
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Reality TV World: What was your reaction when you saw Elizabeth walking down the aisle on your wedding day? Were you attracted to her?
Jamie Thompson: The first things I noticed were her red hair and that she was tall, fit, and pretty! I specifically asked for a tall, fit girl so I could have not been more pleased.
Elizabeth was super nervous coming down the aisle and at the altar, but I still admired her courage and bravery to go through with all of this. So, for me, I was attracted to her both in and out. I couldn't stop kissing her all day!
Reality TV World: Going into the experiment, what did you believe was going to be the hardest part for you -- moving in together, communication, etc? And what part were you looking forward to the most?
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Jamie Thompson: I knew one of the hardest things for me was going to be letting go of past experiences. I think all of us came into this with a little bit of baggage from past relationships in our lives. I knew it was going to take work to build a relationship with my future wife.
I was looking forward to honestly just being married to someone that I could build an awesome life with. In my past, I dated a lot of really great girls but could never find the one I wanted to be with long term. I was very excited to see who the experts selected for me and why!
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Reality TV World: Many singles get Married at First Sight because they'd like to start a family as soon as possible. What's your ideal time line for children, if you want to have kids at all? Were you worried your partner might not be on the same page?
Jamie Thompson: For me, children are a possibility of the future. I'm not 100 percent sold on having kids and want to make that decision with my spouse.
I knew I did not want kids right away and that I really wanted time together with my new wife before even having that conversation.
I was hopeful that the experts would match me with someone who had the same feelings. I specifically said I did not want to be matched with someone who was looking for kids asap.
Reality TV World: What are your views on gender roles? Do you view yourself as being more of a traditional husband in that you'd want to pay most of the bills, or did you want a 50/50 partnership? As viewers saw last season, this topic created a lot of problems for Jasmine McGriff and Will Guess, who ultimately chose to divorce.
Jamie Thompson: I view a relationship/marriage as a partnership. I don't think any one person should have to carry most/all of the weight in one particular aspect of life whether it be finances, chores, parenting, etc.
I definitely believe that the man should be the man of the house though. Too many men don't act like men these days.
Reality TV World: Married at First Sight unfortunately has a low success rate of couples who decide to stay married long-term. Was that a big concern of yours when choosing to participate in the experiment? What made you want to trust and put your faith into the show experts?
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Jamie Thompson: I honestly wasn't concerned at all with the success rates. I knew I wanted this to work long term going into it and hoped I would be matched with someone who felt the same way.
After meeting the experts in the workshops, I really trusted that they were picking couples who they genuinely felt could last together. My fears of this all being just for show were gone right then and there.
To read the first half of Jamie Thompson's exclusive Married at First Sight interview with Reality TV World, click here.
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