Married At First Sight's  runaway groom Eliot Donovan has been seen catching up over drinks with one of the show's most controversial figures, Bryce Ruthven. The pair were spotted at a North Burleigh venue on the Gold Coast on Saturday. Eliot, 35, appeared relaxed as he enjoyed a beer with Ruthven, 34, in what appeared to be a friendly meeting between two of reality TV's most notorious grooms. Dressed casually, Eliot sported a black unbuttoned shirt and cap, while Bryce kept it simple in a white tee and cap, as they laughed and chatted over drinks.

Bryce made headlines during his 2021 season of MAFS due to his tumultuous relationship with wife Melissa Rawson, which was plagued by accusations of gaslighting and manipulation. He infamously ranked his bride fourth in attractiveness among the season's brides and faced ongoing allegations of having a secret girlfriend during filming. Married At First Sight's runaway groom Eliot Donovan (left) has been seen catching up over drinks with one of the show's most controversial figures, Bryce Ruthven (right).

Eliot, 35, appeared relaxed as he enjoyed a beer with Ruthven, 35, in what appeared to be a friendly meeting between two of reality TV's most notorious grooms. His on-screen behaviour led to widespread backlash, though he and Melissa have since remained together, marrying in real life and welcoming twin sons. Eliot has been the talk of the week, following his TV debut on the Channel Nine dating series on Monday.

He was initially paired with Lauren Hall, a 37-year-old business owner from Brisbane. Their relationship quickly faced challenges, leading to Eliot's abrupt departure from the experiment shortly after their wedding. Reports indicate that Eliot was dissatisfied with the match and left within hours of the ceremony, a move described as disrespectful to both Lauren and the production team. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Eliot explained that his departure wasn't due to any major fallout or lack of physical attraction, but rather because he didn't see a long-term future with Lauren.

'I left because I didn't find love. I was there to find love, and I didn't see a future with Lauren,' he admitted. 'Yeah, of all the reasons to leave, I think that's a pretty fair one. It wasn't because of anything physically wrong with her or anything like that. Speaking to Daily Mail, Eliot explained that his departure wasn't due to any major fallout or lack of physical attraction, but rather because he didn't see a long-term future with his bride.

'It was more just like a long-term thing, and I didn't want to go through the motions and fight with this person for three months just to milk the opportunity.'. When asked whether his experience had made him lose faith in the experts' matchmaking abilities, Eliot admitted that while he was open to their advice in some areas, he wasn't willing to compromise on certain aspects of his future. In the clip shown on Monday's premiere episode, the Queensland business owner who described himself as a 'catch' shocked other grooms by how uncompromising he was in his requirements for a wife.

'There was definitely things on my non-negotiables, right?' Eliot said. 'I wanted someone that was younger than me, preferably someone under 30' he added. Eliot also complained that his new wife was a little too 'superficial' for his tastes due to her love of designer goods. 'There's some superficiality there, you know, I'm not into like luxury luggage' the disgruntled groom said. 'There's just some things that I know I'm not willing to compromise on.'.

The Queensland business owner packed his bags after deciding the marriage isn't for him. He was initially paired with Lauren Hall, a 37-year-old business owner from Brisbane (pictured). Eliot was quickly cast in the role of villain by fans of the Channel Nine reality program  after just a few minutes of the first episode. His former bride, Lauren, was paired with a new partner, professional golfer Clint Rice.

Insiders revealed that the cast and crew were left in a state of disbelief when Eliot suddenly reappeared on set, arriving late for the dinner party. 'It was like the ultimate plot twist,' a source close to the show dished. 'Lauren and Clint had just started to get comfortable with each other when Eliot showed up out of the blue. 'The look on Lauren's face was priceless – she was completely gobsmacked. And Clint? He was not impressed at all.'.

'Lauren's new groom Clint let him absolutely have it.'. Eliot's abrupt exit made headlines when he walked out just hours after his wedding to Lauren, citing a lack of connection. His return, however, seems to suggest that he had unfinished business, not only with Lauren but with the other participants as well. According to a well-placed insider, Eliot's return wasn't just about mending fences with Lauren.