‘Married at First Sight’ Exclusive: Jamie & Doug Spill How They Won ‘MAFS’ Match Game

Married at First Sight husband and wife Doug Hehner and Jamie Otis return for the all-new limited series Couples’ Cam. Meanwhile, the MAFS couple spoke exclusively with Soap Dirt about what it’s like being the original Lifetime success story. What did they reveal?

Married at First Sight: Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner Talk About Being the Original MAFS Success

Soap Dirt (SD): What’s it like as the original Married at First Sight success story?

Jamie Otis (JO): “It’s fun to be the originals…except we were duped! We didn’t get to have a bachelorette/bachelor party and we got married in the conference room of a hotel – do you see the beautiful venues these new couples get nowadays? I guess the budget has improved!” [Laughs]

Doug Hehner (DH): “I’d be lying if I did not feel some pride in being part of the beginning of the Married at First Sight universe, and to see how the show has grown into what it is today. It brings some nostalgia back watching each season, and it feels really good when people say that they got on the show after watching our season”.

SD: What’s the best advice you’ve given a Married at First Sight cast member?

JO: “I think the best advice is to be yourself and keep your mind open. Sometimes your fairy tale looks different than what you thought it’d be”.

DH: “You pair up based on the information you give to the experts. It is a scary concept and decision to make, but it has worked for some people. Be as honest and open to the process. If you are not able to give your wife, your marriage, and the experts 100 percent of your efforts, do not continue with the show!”

Married at First Sight: Jamie Otis - Doug Hehner

MAFS: Jamie and Doug Reveal the Secret to a Successful Marriage

SD: What’s the secret to a happy Married at First Sight marriage?

Jamie Otis: “Communication. 100 percent. Doug [Hehner] was so difficult to talk to when we were newlyweds because he just didn’t talk. We went to therapy and slowly he began opening up to me. I really think that helped save our marriage and make it stronger”.

“Trust and loyalty are great too. And probably most importantly, having fun! Doug makes me laugh every single day. It feels good to be with someone who can make me laugh over corny jokes and silly pranks. Keeps life interesting”.

DH: “Hard work and communication. Get to a place where you are comfortable saying and asking anything to your spouse, and help each other achieve their goals and dreams!” Good advice from the Married at First Sight pair…

SD: Is there anything you’d do differently in terms of past choices?

JO: “I really believe everything happens for a reason and I love our unconventional love story. I wish I wasn’t so scared to open up and love him [Doug Hehner], but hey! It’s part of our story and the fact that he was so patient and kind really showed me his character – and that made me fall in love with him”.

DH: “No. I wouldn’t be who I am without my past choices”.

Married at First Sight: Jamie Otis - Doug Hehner

How Married at First Sight Impacted The Couple

SD: What’s the most significant way Married at First Sight changed you?

Jamie Otis: “I’ve done a 180 since I was on Married at First Sight. I went into marriage so scared to have my heart broken. I wanted true love and a family so badly, but I was scared of all the ‘what ifs’. Also, I was super serious and goal-oriented. And, I didn’t really know how to just relax and go with the flow”.

“My husband [Doug Hehner] taught me it’s okay to joke, laugh, and have fun daily. And, that doesn’t mean you are immature. It doesn’t mean you aren’t focused. He also taught me to loosen up and relax. There are very few circumstances that are so serious it’s worth getting all worked up over”.

Doug Hehner: “I have a family, and the greatest friends and supporters that continue to make me want to be the best possible person I can be for myself, and my loved ones!”

SD: Were you surprised by your spouse’s confessionals after Married at First Sight aired?

JO: “Our show aired six years ago and I haven’t watched in five years! I don’t even remember his confessionals now! [Laughs] I need to go back and watch! And, I can’t wait to show our children one day”.

DH: “When she started to really like me, I could see a change in her face earlier on TV than I noticed when we were together filming”.

Biggest Misconception MAFS Fans Have

SD: What’s the biggest misconception you think Married at First Sight fans have about you?

JO: “I’m a wide-open book. I share a lot of my life on social media and in my first book, Wifey 101. I think most people know me pretty well”.

DH: “That Jamie [Otis] was this mean person to me, and that I just took it, which wasn’t the case at all. Jamie was never mean-spirited on the show [Married at First Sight], or ever for that matter. She was scared and didn’t have a lot of trust in people, and I got that right away. We had a great rhythm going, and understood each other earlier than what showed on TV”.

What’s Next for the Lifetime Pair?

In addition to filming for Married at First Sight: Couples’ Cam, Jamie Otis and husband Doug Hehner also have a podcast, Hot Marriage Cool Parents. Jamie Otis told SD it’s something people don’t ask her about enough. Doug Hehner and his wife talk about Married at First Sight. And, they even have cast members as guests.

Meanwhile, Doug Hehner told SD that he’d love to be on Dancing with the Stars. He said he’d take home “first place”. And, that he’d “rank amongst the best ever”.

Both Jamie Otis and Married at First Sight hubby Doug Hehner welcomed their latest bundle of joy into the world, Hayes Douglas, earlier in May. So, Doug might have to put his DWTS aspirations on hold for now. But, it’d certainly be interesting to see him compete in the celebrity dance competition at some point in the future.

Tune in to brand new episodes of Couples’ Cam, Wednesday nights on Lifetime.

Get more Married at First Sight exclusive interview and scoop every day from Soap Dirt.