The Married at First Sight community is mourning the loss of Andrew Jury, who has died at the age of 33.
News of his death was shared by his fellow contestants - Haydn Daniels, Brett and Angel Renall, and Benjamin Blackwell - who expressed their sorrow and shared memories of their time together in an emotional Instagram post.
Jury entered the public eye as part of the show's first season in New Zealand back in 2017.
Daniels, speaking on behalf of the shocked cast, stated: "Everyone from our series is in shock."
The contestants recalled Jury's resilience and charisma during their shared experience on the show. Despite personal challenges, Jury was remembered as the "life of the party" and someone who valued his time on Married at First Sight NZ.
Reflecting on their memories with Jury, Benjamin Blackwell and the Renalls shared a joint statement: "It's with the heaviest hearts we've come together to acknowledge the passing of Andrew Jury.
"We had the absolute pleasure of filming and participating in a show which leaves us intricately linked for a lifetime. Despite his struggles, Andrew was always friendly and the life of the party during our shared experience and he really valued his time on the show.
"At this time our entire cast wish to send our deepest condolences and love to his family."
Andrew Jury's journey on the show paired him with Vicky Gleeson-Stokes, and although their relationship faced challenges and they ultimately separated, Jury left a lasting impression on the audience and his fellow participants.
Reflecting on his time post-show, Jury's friend Haydn Daniels noted: "He seemed to be aware of his issues and was getting help."
In previous interviews, Daniels candidly discussed the pressures and aftermath of reality TV.
"These shows, if you go on them and if you have any demons or issues, it exacerbates them," he explained to Stuff. Daniels stressed the need for better support systems for reality TV participants, particularly after the intense scrutiny of public exposure.
"I just hope that people can get that wraparound support and hopefully the public can realise what they see on TV is not the be all and end all, and be kinder to people," Daniels added.
Responding to Jury's passing, a Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson conveyed condolences on behalf of Married at First Sight NZ: "WBD takes duty of care extremely seriously and has protocols in place regarding the wellbeing of cast and crew.
"All MAFS NZ contributors have access to mental health professionals throughout the process, including pre-screening, during production and after broadcast."
Our thoughts go out to Jury's friends, family, and fans at this time.
