Why Ella had to get her ‘inspiring’ nan on Married At First Sight
Why Ella had to get her nan on TV. (Channel 4)
Married At First Sight star Ella Clarke has shared why it was so important for her to get her “amazing” nan involved in the E4 reality series.
Ella is getting a second chance at love, after finding a spark with castmate JJ Slater – who was rather controversially in a couple with someone else when they met.
After deciding that they were better suited to each other than they were to their original partners, Ella and JJ were allowed to re-enter the dating series as a new couple, sparking a very mixed reaction from viewers at home.
Now that the new couple has overcome the height of the drama – at least we hope – Ella has introduced her new “husband” to one of the most important people in her life: her nan.
The reality star, who came out to her castmates as transgender earlier at the beginning of the series, explained in an interview with E4 why introducing her nan Valerie to JJ – and all of the viewers at home – was a priority for her.
“It was so important for JJ to meet my nan, just purely because obviously I live with her, she is like my fairy godmother,” she explained.
“Like, she’s 90 and to be that open-minded with your granddaughter and, obviously, my transition – she was fully supportive.”
Ella wanted to make sure that MAFS fans saw her relationship with her nan, so they’d know that older relatives are more than capable of accepting and supporting trans people.
“All of my friends have said, ‘Oh, my gran would never accept it.’ Like, the older generation, I think that we kind of make excuses for OAPs to be like, ‘Oh because they’re older, you know, they just don’t accept it.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, my nan has’,” she said.
“So, to me she’s inspiring to young trans boys and girls, or anyone, actually, who’s trans that watches this show can be like, ‘See, her dad supports her, her family, her brothers, her mum, her nan.’ So I’ve got an amazing relationship with her.”
Ella’s nan won viewers’ hearts early on in the series before Ella tied the knot with Nathaniel.
The reality star explained that living with her 90-year-old nan had affected her love life in the past, revealing that she once snuck a date out the window to keep Valerie from seeing him.
Ahead of the ceremony, Ella’s nan warned her: “You’re the only single one of all my grandchildren – and I’ve got loads of them!”
When Ella asked Valerie if she thought her granddaughter had good taste in men, Valerie chuckled and quickly replied: “No.”
Valerie wasn’t able to make it to Ella’s first wedding ceremony, but was sure to get a good look at her granddaughter’s partner Nathaniel on FaceTime later that day, warning him: “You’re gonna have me to contend with.”
Of course, Nathaniel didn’t get far enough with Ella to have a proper face-to-face with Valerie. Hopefully, JJ will have a bit more luck!
