'I just had a feeling it was going to work'

Covid stopped their Married At First Sight wedding going ahead, but one couple didn't want to miss their chance at love

- SARAH TULLOCH

A couple who were set up by Married At First Sight experts, but never made it down the aisle, have

tied the knot four years after their initial wedding was called off.

Paul, 36, and Ally Todd, 39, were due to appear on series five of the Channel 4 show and their wedding date was set for 22 March 2020. But their big day was cancelled due to the coronavirus lockdown.

The pair had undergone a five-month-long process, including psychoanalytical tests and six weeks of filming – plus stag and hen nights and picking out dresses and suits – before the whole thing was cancelled. And they were left devastated at the prospect of never meeting their perfect match.

Speaking exclusively to new, Ally tells us, “We were all fearful about Covid at the time and, on top of that, anxious about marrying a stranger – this chosen person for you; your perfect match. Then all of a sudden, it’s not happening. It was emotional.”

Neither of them could bear the thought of not meeting their soulmate. Eventually, Channel 4 agreed the eager couple could meet via Skype, and one 90-minute video call sealed the deal for both of them.

Gushing about seeing her match for the first time, Ally says, “He was exactly what I asked for looks-wise, so I really fancied him.

“I’d never believed in love at first sight, because I think you need to get to know a person to fall in love, but we did fall in love pretty quickly after that.”

Eliminating the element of surprise, as they were no longer strangers – which is fundamental to the hit show – Ally and Paul were axed from the series, much to Ally’s relief.

“When Channel 4 said they weren’t going to put us on the programme any more, I was actually thrilled because I was never doing it to be on telly,” she confesses.

“I was really worried about online trolling too, so I actually jumped for joy when I heard.”