Married at First Sight star Daniel McKee has spoken about the "best decision I ever could have made" one year since finding love on the dating programme.
McKee, 28, was part of the popular E4 show's first same-sex couple when he married Matthew Jameson, 40, during the 2021 season.
Jameson, who is from Leeds, and McKee did not know anything about each other before the process but we matched together by the experts for the experiment.
Despite initial fears about the 12-year age gap and the long distance between their settled homes, the couple blossomed during the show and remain strong to this date.
Matthew has moved to Northern Ireland to be with his husband and the couple run Wildbay Retreats together on the Causeway Coast.
Speaking in an interview with Belfast Live, Daniel opened up about his journey for love ahead of a reunion episode of Married at First Sight which will air later this year.
He said: "[The show] was a real whirlwind adventure. I went in with true intentions to find someone who I could spend the rest of my life with and lo and behold, it worked out just as I hoped, if not better.
"The whole process was really one of complete awe and it was inspiring to be part of it. I made friends from the journey and obviously I met my now husband Matthew who also lives in Portstewart with me.
"He moved over from Leeds to live here on the Causeway Coast and we run Wildbay Retreats together.
"It is my business but Matthew is a big part of it. He is a force within the business definitely.
"[They are] all-inclusive wellness meditation retreats... It's an opportunity for people to come together and to experience, learn and implement techniques to allow them to have some inner calm and peace."
The 28-year-old said he was in a "really good place" when he applied for the show and that it "felt right".
He added: "It was during Covid, I'm lucky I had a good experience. I was in London before Covid and I moved home.
"Being on the Causeway Coast I was meditating everyday, going for swims, working from home, so I was really in a strong place where I felt I knew myself. I was ready to find someone to go on that journey with so I applied.
"My parents naturally are very encouraging. I'm very blessed to have such open, welcoming parents and they know I'm quite adventurous in life in general so they encouraged it with open arms entirely and welcomed Matthew whole-heartedly into the family, as did my friends and local people within the area.
"It was the best decision I ever could have made."
Daniel said the couple plan to "get married for real in the future" and will continue to live in Northern Ireland.
He added: "It's so important to take chances, to follow your gut. I think in life we don't follow our gut enough.
"Obviously, it is important to be safe and cautious but I think it's important to take chances. And it's actually okay to fail.
"It's okay to take risks and to learn and to really find yourself in a relationship. Always put yourself out there as the rewards can be great.
"You can find love in places you least expect so I suppose as long as you keep an open mind and you are true with your intentions, love can be around any corner."
Daniel and Matthew met with some former cast members during filming last month for the reunion show to discuss life one year on.
"Naturally everyone goes on a different path, a different journey so it was really special to catch up as we do have that experience together," Daniel said.
Married at First Sight: One Year On (w/t) will air later this year on E4 and All 4.
