MAFS expert Alessandra Rampolla issues stark warning over ‘sex fog’ as Intimacy Week explodes – and reveals what viewers DIDN’T see

Married At First Sight expert Alessandra Rampolla has delivered a blunt reality check as Intimacy Week plays out on screen.

Speaking from her home in Puerto Rico, where she watches episodes sent to her in advance, Alessandra, 51, said this year’s Intimacy Week has been one of the most complex in recent memory.

‘I think it’s one of the most interesting intimacy weeks we’ve had in a little while,’ she said.

‘Intimacy Week hits different couples in different ways, and we have a number of couples in different stages in their relationships and how intimacy can be impacted in them. I’m excited about this week.’

But she admitted unresolved tension among the brides heading into the week could have serious consequences.

‘If your focus is not in your relationship, then of course your relationship is going to suffer the consequence of that,’ she explained.

‘It’s always interesting when the social dynamics really start interfering with the relationships, which is the reason the participants are there to begin with.’

Her comments come after a dramatic episode saw Steven Danyluk pull away from Rachel Gilmore during what should have been a pivotal bonding moment.

Alessandra described the situation as ‘a really interesting’ turning point.

‘Both of them have been so courageous and really showing up in their ability and being quite honest and open with one another,’ she said.

‘They’ve built what we have observed as being a really strong connection. But these are grown adults who have been living together, sleeping in the same apartment in the same bed for a couple of weeks now. To suggest just a kiss is not really the most extravagant suggestion you could have as a couple attempting a marital relationship.’

She added that when there is ‘a vibe’ but one partner fails to lean in, it becomes ‘something to look at’ – especially during a week designed to test closeness.

Meanwhile, Alessandra weighed in on Julia Voghl and Grayson McIvor’s tense dynamic, after Grayson admitted he felt their relationship was centred on Julia’s needs.

‘The dynamic developed with one another was one where Julia was very much setting the pace,’ she recalled.

‘After a few weeks, Grayson really started to feel that he wasn’t comfortable in that space and it took him a little bit to speak up.’

She stressed that while respecting boundaries is crucial, shrinking yourself to accommodate a partner is equally damaging.

‘You do want to be mindful of your partner’s comfort level and you have to respect boundaries,’ she said.

‘But you also don’t want to shrink yourself and your needs and your expectations and your happiness simply to accommodate the other. It has to be a negotiation.’

One of the biggest themes emerging this season has been couples leaning heavily on physical chemistry – and Alessandra did not hold back.

‘Yes, absolutely, the sex fog is real,’ she said.

‘When you do have that strong sexual chemistry at first, it can be very blinding. You can overlook huge red flags just because you’re so enthralled and in the moment and in the endorphin and the kind of sex fog that you can get into.’

While viewers have seen brides like Gia Fleur and Stella Mickunaite speak confidently about their electric chemistry, Alessandra revealed deeper conversations took place off-camera.

‘What we saw on television didn’t show it, but we did go into re-exploring whether or not it was only a physical thing,’ she said.

‘Some couples go at it right away and then they fizzle out. Others wait and then become really strong. It really depends on the particular couples and how they manage their relationship.’

She also addressed why some participants, like Rebecca Zukowski, appear to minimise their own needs despite visible hurt.

‘People want to be chosen, they want to be liked, they want to get the fairy tale,’ Alessandra said.

‘I think sometimes in order to achieve the goal that they have in mind, they start short-changing themselves.’

According to the expert, it is a ‘delicate dance’ of give and take.

‘You have to allow space and freedom and comfort for the other person, and you also must have that for yourself,’ she added. ‘You can’t be egotistical about it.’

When it comes to being friend-zoned, Alessandra believes confidence plays a major role.

‘A confidence issue can absolutely friend-zone someone,’ she said.

‘But we see it much more often coming out of lack of real interest. Too often we see people who simply do not give it a go, and that’s when viewers and certainly we as experts take note of that.’

As for whether what audiences are seeing accurately reflects what really happened during filming, Alessandra insists the edits have been fair.

‘I think what we’re seeing is absolutely accurate,’ she said.

‘Of course there’s always so much that is missed, but I think everything has been absolutely fair and oftentimes very kind to everybody involved. I would not say it’s been worse than what we actually all lived.’

Off-screen, Alessandra continues to juggle her long-standing international career alongside her role on Married At First Sight.

‘I had a career for 20 some years before arriving in Australia,’ she said.

‘I’ve just added Married At First Sight to my roster.’

Now splitting her time between Australia and Puerto Rico, she says beach life keeps her grounded.

‘I live by the beach here in Puerto Rico and when I’m in Australia also, so the beach life is a big part of regulating me,’ she said.

And while she admits she would prefer cast members not to spoil the series while it airs, she understands the modern media landscape.

‘I would love for the sake of the show and the fans to be able to have the experience of the journey,’ she said. ‘I don’t love it when there’s spoilers, but I understand it’s part of culture nowadays.’

As for her future on the show, she remains open.

‘Australia has become my second home,’ she said.