Married At First Sight star Josh White has opened up about his rocky marriage to ‘horny bride’ Melissa Sheppard in his most revealing interview to date.

In a wide-ranging sit-down with Daily Mail Australia, the advertising director, 40, also spoke of still being legally married when he joined the show, adding that producers knew about his pending divorce.

‘Yeah, I was still married [to my ex-wife]. The production knew about [it]. I said that my divorce was going through soon,’ he explained.

He also spilled on his post-show romance with MAFS bride Lyndall Grace, which took place in December after she dumped her husband Cam Woods at the final vows.

Josh explained their friendship blossomed following Lyndall’s exit from the show when they started having deep, meaningful conversations.

Married At First Sight star Josh White has opened up about his rocky marriage to ‘horny bride’ Melissa Sheppard in his most revealing interview to date

In a wide-ranging sit-down with Daily Mail Australia, the advertising director, 40, also spoke of still being legally married when he joined the show, adding that producers knew about his pending divorce. (Pictured with his TV wife Melissa Sheppard on their wedding day)

‘I started talking to Lyndall after she had left the show. It was just a friendship that kind of like moved over time.’

‘We had a lot in common. We think very similarly about a lot of things,’ he added.

The single father of two said it was their mental connection that drew them closer, which eventually culminated in them kissing at the MAFS wrap party.

He also spilled on his post-show romance with MAFS bride Lyndall Grace, which took place in December after she dumped her husband Cam Woods at the final vows

‘When I look back about my time in that experiment, one of the things I kept on saying was [I value] deep conversations,’ Josh explained.

He continued: ‘We did share, as reported, a kiss. Yeah.’

When asked about reports he travelled to Perth in January to meet up with Lyndall – only to discover she already had a boyfriend – he confirmed it was all true.

Josh on claims he was going through a ‘messy divorce’

Josh slammed Mel for commenting on his divorce proceedings, emphasising he never spoke about his ex-wife on the show and believes she deserves respect. 

Mel had brought up Josh’s real-life marriage during an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show the morning after the pair left the experiment.

‘It wasn’t a messy divorce, but even if it was, I think it’s pretty despicable for someone that has nothing to do with my relationship with my ex-wife to comment on that the way she she did,’ he told Daily Mail Australia. 

‘I never spoke about my ex-wife on the show. I think that she deserves the utmost of respect,’ he added.

‘I would never talk about her. [My ex] did not apply for the show, she didn’t go through the experience, and I have the utmost disrespect for her.

‘I would never talk about her private manner like that.’

Josh was particularly hurt by Melissa’s claim he shed ‘crocodile tears’ for sympathy. ‘They weren’t crocodile tears,’ he said

Josh responds to Melissa saying he cried ‘crocodile tears’ on the show

Josh was particularly hurt by Melissa’s claim he shed ‘crocodile tears’ for sympathy.

‘They weren’t crocodile tears,’ he said. ‘They were real tears from someone who had gone through a difficult experience.’

He said her remarks were so spiteful he is still upset by them to this day. 

Josh also debunked claims he had ‘custom contract’ that gave him more freedom than the other MAFS participants

Josh denies having a ‘custom contract’

Josh also debunked claims he had ‘custom contract’ that gave him more freedom than the other MAFS participants.

This claim, first reported by a gossip website, was described by Josh as ‘outrageous’.

‘No, I never had a custom contract,’ he said, adding that all he asked of producers was an understanding of ‘when I could see my children’.

These arrangements are commonplace for parents who appear on MAFS. 

‘I was told over the 12-week run of the show when I could go back and see my kids, which was essentially every second week,’ he said. 

‘That’s not a custom contract – that’s literally just finding out when I can go and see my kids.’

 ‘No, I never had a custom contract,’ he said, adding that all he asked of producers was an understanding of ‘when I could see my children’

On his friendships from the show

Josh said his philosophy was to try to make friends with everyone in the cast, including the brides and grooms.

‘I remember after the bucks night I set myself a little task when I got home. I wrote down all of the guys’ names and then where they were from, what they did for work,’ he said. 

‘Not just from a memory task, but also just to try to get to know them because then the next day when we all met up everyone was kind of like, “Oh, how do you remember my name?” And I was like,” Oh, well this is the reason why.”

‘And, you know, getting to know the women was just as important. I mean, it would make sense to be friends with them as well.’

Josh said his philosophy was to try to make friends with everyone in the cast, including the brides and grooms. Pictured with Harrison Boon