MAFS Is Over So Let’s Unpack Who’s Gained The Most IG Followers & How Much Money They Can Earn

Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2026 has officially finished airing in Australia, which means it’s time to deep dive into how many followers the brides and grooms have gained on Instagram and how much money they can potentially earn from their newfound social media careers. Because while they might not all have found love in the experiment, there’s a chance they can still walk away with the thing they wanted most: fame.

Unlike previous seasons where contestants had to wait for the show to finish airing in the UK to log back into their Instagram accounts, the 2026 cast regained access almost immediately after the Reunion episodes aired last week. They’ve since posted relationship hard-launches, spicy Q&As, day in the life vlogs and apology videos to their thousands of newfound followers, and almost half of them have already gained a coveted blue tick.

As their social media careers begin to flourish, PEDESTRIAN.TV has tracked each cast member’s Instagram growth and worked out how much money the brides and grooms could potentially earn now that the show is over.

Keep in mind, these follower counts will continue to grow as the show airs in the UK and around the world, but some clear favourites have already been established.
Which MAFS 2026 participants are destined for social media fame? (Credit: Channel 9)

Who is the most followed MAFS 2026 participant?

He may have quit the show at the third Commitment Ceremony, but Luke Fourniotis has ended up being the most-followed 2026 participant on Instagram with 166,000 followers at the time of writing.

The 30-year-old cattle farmer became a fan favourite thanks to his positive demeanour during his difficult relationship with Mel Akbay, and he’s been sharing countless shirtless videos on his farm since logging back into his account.

According to data from National Accounts, Luke could earn upwards of $1350 per sponsored Instagram post. Not bad for someone who only appeared in a handful of episodes!

Alyssa Stevenson, who is the director of bespoke talent management company ASM and represents MAFS 2025 groom Dave Hand, told P.TV that Luke’s following gives him “the strongest chance of building a long-term career off the back of this season”.

“He’s incredibly brand-safe, widely liked, and resonates well with a broad audience, which is exactly what brands look for,” she shared.

“Luke’s following has grown quickly because he feels authentic. What you see is what you get — he’s down-to-earth, relatable, and doesn’t try too hard. He also fits that ‘good-looking country boy’ archetype that audiences in Australia and the UK consistently warm to. It makes him both aspirational and approachable, which is a powerful combination on social media.”
King of never wearing a shirt. (Credit: Instagram)
In second place is Gia Fleur, who has 131,000 followers and could potentially earn up to $1,100 per sponsored Instagram post.

The mum-of-one was the most-followed participant before the show aired with 51,000 followers (and already had a blue tick), and has since signed with talent agent Max Markson — who also represents MAFS brides Cyrell Paule and Jessika Power.

Stella Mickunaite is the third-most followed participant from this year’s season with 114,000 followers, meaning she not only walked away from the experiment with a fiancé, but also the potential to earn up to $985 for a single sponsored post.

Her positive portrayal and “power couple” status with Filip Gregov will likely make her a favourite for brands to work with, and she could easily follow in the footsteps of Jules Robinson, Evelyn Ellis and Rhi Disljenkovic post-show.
Gia is the second most followed participant on Instagram (Credit: Channel 9)

How MAFS 2026 stars can create a lasting following

Alyssa revealed that the best way for cast members to turn short-term attention into a lasting following is to post consistently and with intention.

“When people try to cover too many different content pillars, it can dilute their brand and make it harder for both audiences and brands to understand what they stand for,” she said. “The ones who succeed are those who stay focused, build trust with their audience, and evolve their content without losing that core identity.”

The talent manager added that while a big following helps, it’s not enough to create a continuing career in the spotlight.

“Without a clear strategy, it’s very easy to lose momentum post-show,” she explained.

“Talent need to know their lane and what they stand for, what content they want to create, and how they can add value to brands. Posting aesthetic content alone doesn’t cut it anymore. The people who build real careers are the ones who understand content, stay consistent, and can translate their audience into something commercially viable.”
Power couple! (Credit: Channel 9)

The most followed MAFS 2026 stars revealed

If you’re nosy like me, here is the official ranking of the MAFS 2026 participants based on the number of Instagram followers they currently have, although this will likely grow over the next few months:

Luke Fourniotis (166k)
Gia Fleur (131k)
Stella Mickunaite (114k)
Alissa Fay (104k)
Scott McCristal (73.8k)
Rachel Gilmore (71.8k)
Sam Stanton (70.2k)
Chris Nield (51.5k)
Bec Zacharia (51.4k)
Joel Moses (48.1k)
David Momoh (45.6k)
Danny Hewitt (36.1k)
Filip Gregov (35.4k)
Chris Robinson (33.4k)
Grayson McIvor (28.5k)
Julia Vogl (27.5k)
Steven Danyluk (25.2k)
Brook Compton (21.9k)
Rebecca Zukowski (16.9k)
Mel Akbay (12.8k)
Stephanie Marshall (11.6k)
Tyson Gordon (5185)
Juliette Chae (4266)
Steve Powell (3300)

Time will tell how international viewers will react to this year’s cast — and whether the participants will be able to nurture their follower count or simply let it drop off — but it looks like many people are in a great position to build a social media career, if that’s what they want.

And honestly, who could blame them — if you’re going to be gaslit on national TV for three months, you may as well get a teeth whitening sponsorship out of it.