‘Married at First Sight’ Getting New Experts in Season 20

Married at First Sight is going to look a lot different in the upcoming 20th season. Deadline exclusively reports the show’s experts – Dr. Cal Roberson, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, and Dr. Pia Holec – have exited the reality dating experiment. 

New experts have not yet been announced. Season 20 will air on Peacock, as opposed to Lifetime, and is reported to be filming in either Seattle or Kansas City. 

“We’re thrilled to be embarking on a brand new chapter of the ‘MAFS’ journey with our partners at Peacock. We’re excited for the future and honored to have worked alongside Dr. Pepper, Pastor Cal, and Dr. Pia,” Kinetic founder and CEO Chris Coelen said. Kinetic is the production company for the longstanding Lifetime series. “Dr. Pepper has been with us from the beginning and Pastor Cal joined us shortly thereafter; their unwavering wisdom, insight, and passion has been a guiding light for us throughout the seasons.”

Schwartz, a sociologist, has been part of the series since it premiered in 2014. Roberson, a marriage counselor, joined in 2016 for Season 4. Holec, an intimacy and relationship specialist, joined the show later in 2022 for Season 15 alongside Pastor DeVon Franklin, the latter whom participated for only one season.

In her statement regarding her exit, Schwartz thanked her fellow experts and reflected on her journey on the show since its inception. “Being part of ‘Married at First Sight‘ has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my professional life,” she said in part. “We spent 19 seasons and almost 13 years working hand-in-hand to bring this franchise to life.”

Roberson appreciated each participant in the show. “I want to thank every single person brave enough to sign up for ‘MAFS.‘ You allowed me into some of the most sacred moments of your lives, and I never took that lightly,” he said in part. “Your courage, honesty, and willingness to believe in the process reminded me time and again why this work matters. Thank you for trusting us with your love stories.”

In the past few seasons, the experts have come up against harsh criticism from viewers who believe they have not properly paired participants. They’ve also been accused of not being as involved in the experiment in terms of counseling the couples from start to finish of filming.