EXCLUSIVE: After a week of going in circles, Sam decided to air his and Chris’ problems in front of the group at the Dinner Party – but it wasn’t his co-stars he was really speaking to.

The groom told nine.com.au he was really appealing to the experts, who he knew were watching the night play out in another room.

At the table, both Chris and Sam shared their perspectives on the ongoing issues in their relationship.
Sam and Chris got nowhere at the table. (Nine)
He appreciated hearing the thoughts of the other couples, but their advice wasn’t what he was looking for.

“I was talking for the experts, if I’m to be so honest,” Sam admitted.

“It wasn’t about what the table thought. It was about me letting the experts see what it’s been like, to find out, ‘Am I communicating okay? Is Chris saying the right things? Are we hearing each other?’

“I thought the only way forward was for the experts to get a glimpse into it before we actually sat down at the Commitment Ceremony.”
It had been a week going in circles and Sam was at a loss of how to fix things. (Nine)
 

Sam said he’d recently rediscovered how little voice he had in their relationship.

“I’ve been rereading my journal from the show, and at the first Commitment Ceremony, Chris just spoke over me. I really didn’t get a chance to speak, and that just continued.

“At the start it was just more he would not really let me speak and always had to speak for me, and then it became defensive,” he said.
They looked rock solid at their first Commitment Ceremony, but Sam felt weary of Chris speaking over him. (Nine)
Having been in a similar situation before, Sam knew he had to speak up.

“I’ve been in a relationship like this before where I did let it go, because I did really love the person, and it was just an awful, awful time for me,” he shared.

“So I thought, ‘If I want a happy relationship with Chris, I need to try to nip this in the bud now, and if I can’t nip it in the bud and it doesn’t work out, it wasn’t meant to be.’ ”

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Appearing on Today Extra, Chris said he regretted how he handled Sam’s concerns.

“This is what this experiment does. It holds a mirror up to you, and you can decide to make changes and make growth, or you can stay the same, and I’ve decided to take on the feedback and better myself as a human,” he said.

Chris also reacted to shocking, previously unseen footage aired on MAFS: After The Dinner Party, which showed him and Gia belittling Sam for living in shared accommodation and not paying for dates.

“It was awful, and it came from a place of defence,” he said.

“That’s what I do from a bit of emotional trauma. I have my best mate living with me at the farm, so I live in share accommodation. I have nothing against it.

“It was such an elitist, bitchy, awful thing for me to say, and Sam, I’m so sorry.”