Lifetime Keith Manley and Iris Caldwell feature on season 9 of "Married at First Sight."
Keith Manley and Iris Caldwell are tying the knot on tonight’s episode of Married at First Sight, but Manley still doesn’t know that Caldwell is a virgin. How will he take the news that he might be his wife’s first husband and her first lover?
Us Weekly‘s sneak peek of tonight’s episode shows Manley’s mother asking Caldwell about the color of her very white dress. “So the purity of the white is definitely purity, reflecting for me. I’m a virgin,” she says. “This choice was something on a religious standpoint for me. So, it’s been hard. It’s been hard for sure. But it was for my husband. It’s a big deal.” Check out the clip below:
Caldwell has admitted in the past that religion is a very important part of her life, which is why she has decided to remain a virgin until married. Her Lifetime bio reads, “She believes in traditional gender roles and wants a husband who can live up to those expectations.”
Manley’s mother is definitely surprised by the news, judging by her reaction in the clip. “Oh my God,” Manley’s mother tells the cameras. “My daughter-in-law is a virgin.” Despite her surprise, she is also impressed and tells Caldwell that it “says a lot about [Caldwell]” as a person, as well as her “upbringing.” Manley’s mother then hugs her daughter-in-law tightly while Caldwell thanks her for her support.
However, his mother also tells the cameras that she doesn’t know how many virgins her son has been with in the past, and says it’s “huge” that he is marrying a virgin.
Initially, Manley’s parents weren’t very supportive of their son marrying a stranger, nor were they excited for his role on the show at first. When he broke the news that he was going to be meeting his wife on a reality show (the same day they are getting married), his mother responded “I just lost my appetite.” She told the cameras: “I take marriage very seriously, having been married for 30 years. For him to be getting married in 10 days to someone he has not laid eyes on is unnerving for me.”
Caldwell’s mother was more supportive and excited for her daughter, telling the cameras “I know she’s ready for this next stage in her life, and I know she’ll give it 110%.” Her father wasn’t thrilled with the idea at first, but he eventually came around, according to Distractify.
For those who are new to the series, MAFS sets willing participants up with a person whom they marry without ever knowing each other beforehand. The show then follows the ups and downs of the newlyweds as they navigate their lives with their new, “stranger” spouses.
Married at First Sight Season 9 premieres Wednesday nights on Lifetime. Tune in to catch tonight’s episode.
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