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I wish viewers saw the real me, says MAFS bad guy Steven Springett

EXCLUSIVE: Married At First Sight UK's Steven Springett says viewers never saw the real him as he opens up about being branded a villain and his son's autism journey

Married At First Sight UK star Steven Springett has opened up about life after the show, admitting he wishes viewers had seen the "real" version of him instead of the villain many believed he was.

The reality star, who appeared on last year's series alongside Nelly Patel, says he's now focused on a far more important mission helping autistic children and supporting parents navigating the same challenges he faces with his six-year-old son Reggie.

Since leaving the experiment, Steven has thrown himself into charity work and awareness campaigns, inspired by his son's autism diagnosis and sensory needs. "I'm trying to set up things linked to kids with autism, like my son, and find more support for people with sensory issues," Steven told Daily Star.

[MAFS UK Steven]

Steven says he was the "bad guy" of the show(Image: Channel 4)

"There needs to be more help and support out there. Hopefully I can raise more awareness going forward."

Steven says one of the biggest struggles parents face is a lack of understanding and support, particularly for children who are non-verbal.

"My son can sing, but he can't construct a conversation," he explained. "I'd love to see more support and research into why some children can mimic songs and phrases but can't communicate what they need."

The dad-of-two admits everyday life can be mentally exhausting for families.

[Steven starred on MAFS last year]

Steven starred on MAFS last year(Image: stevespringett4/Instagram)

"When you're a single parent or even a co-parent, sometimes you feel like there's no one there to help you," he said. "It's mentally gruelling on parents."

While Steven is now using his platform for good, he admits he's still frustrated by how he came across on MAFS after he was deemed the "bad guy".

"I'm not once going to blame the edit because I said what I said," he explained. "But I would have loved viewers to see more of the fun side of me."

Steven believes audiences only saw him during the most difficult moments of the experiment, while many lighter scenes never made it to air.

"There were loads of good moments between me and Nelly that people never saw," he said. "After we'd left the experiment we were in the apartment dancing and having a laugh. But from TV you'd think she hated me."

[Steven is working with autism charities]

Steven is working with autism charities(Image: stevespringett4/Instagram)

The reality star says he quickly realised he had been cast as the show's villain.

"Once I'd made certain comments, I knew exactly how I was going to be portrayed," he admitted.

"But I'm a naturally laid-back, fun person. People who've met me since the show always say, 'You're so different to how you were on TV.'"

Steven insists he isn't trying to rewrite history and accepts responsibility for things he said during filming.

"I'm not shying away from anything," he said. "I can be brutally honest at times. But all people got to see was angry Steve."

Now, rather than worrying about reality TV reputations, Steven is focused on making a difference.

"For me, it's about helping families like ours," he said. "If I can make people feel less alone, then that's what matters most."

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