Married At First Sight fans have accused the Nine Network of hypocrisy after it sent a cease and desist letter to a journalist who approached expert John Aiken on the street.

Married At First Sight fans have called the Nine Network hypocritical after it sent a cease and desist letter to a journalist who approached the show’s expert John Aiken in public, comparing his tactics to those used by the network’s flagship news show A Current Affair (ACA).

Nine sent the letter to MAFS Funny podcast host Joshua Fox after the content creator approached Mr Aiken in the Sydney suburb of Double Bay last Friday and started questioning him about the dating show’s ethics.

In footage of the encounter posted by Joshua on Instagram, he said: “The Married At First Sight experts are the real villains of this show.

“Everything they do is just designed to destroy the couples. They need to be held accountable.

“And since all of my emails and messages (to Nine) go unanswered, I’m going full A Current Affair style and tracking them down in real life.

“You know, just taking inspiration from Channel Nine’s second biggest show after Married At First Sight.”

It comes as MAFS participants allege the experts, including Mel Schilling and Alessandra Rampolla, wear earpieces through which producers tell them what to say to the couples during Commitment Ceremony episodes.

It’s further alleged the experts decline to answer the couples’ questions seeking legitimate guidance on their relationship issues and instead prioritise drama and ratings.

Joshua confronted Mr Aiken in a car park and asked if he ever felt “ethically and morally compromised by what you do on the show”.

Mr Aiken said he would not answer the journalist’s questions and started walking to a nearby café.

Joshua followed the expert and asked if “money or fame” made him “go against the principles of a psychologist” on the show, using a technique called the “bounce”.

“Bounce” is often used by ACA reporters and refers to a situation in which a journalist or press pack confronts a person unlikely to want to answer questions, typically resulting in a confrontation or refusal to cooperate.

Mr Aiken, sitting in the café, then got out his phone and began filming the journalist.

John Aiken is an expert on Channel 9’s reality series Married at First Sight Australia. Picture: Instagram
The following day, Nine sent Joshua a legal letter which accused him of the “harassment of John Aiken”.

“Your behavior disrupted the café patrons and concluded with what Mr Aiken perceived as an impliedly threatening statement to the effect of ‘this is not going to end well this year John’,” the letter reads, reported The Australian on Tuesday.

Nine’s lawyers requested Joshua “immediately cease and desist” from approaching, harassing, or attempting to contact Mr Aiken, Ms Schilling and Ms Rampolla.

Fans soon took to Instagram to declare the letter was hypocritical of Nine as ACA reporters continue using the bounce technique.

“A Current Affair does this every day to people,” one person said.

(L-R) Alessandra Rampolla, Mel Schilling, John Aiken. Picture: Nine Network/MAFS
“Haha, the irony of their actions,” another person said.

“Pretty sure their ACA ‘journalists’ are FAR more intimidating/ intrusive with the general public than that exchange,” one more person said.

“Don’t let that get in your way Josh. They do the EXACT same TACTICS ON ACA. Keep pushing you’ll get the answers you’re looking for,” a fourth person said.

Speaking to SkyNews.com.au on Thursday, Joshua insisted his questioning of Mr Aiken was in the “public’s interest”.

“Asking public figures questions that are of public interest is the core foundation of journalism, and I’m glad people agree with this,” he said.

“John (Aiken) is always so vocal on the show towards the couples and saying how he likes to hold a mirror up to them and make them accountable.

“Yet he had nothing to say in real life when someone tried to hold a mirror up to him.”

SkyNews.com.au last month exclusively revealed NSW Police launched an investigation into MAFS following one groom’s violent act where he punched a wall during filming last year.