While every season of Lifetime’s Married at First Sight brings a new selection of singles looking to marry a stranger in hopes of finding their happily ever after, the constant is usually the experts. Over the last few years, the relationship advisors who’ve supported the newlyweds before and throughout the eight-week experiment have been the same faces: Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Calvin Roberson and Dr. Viviana Coles. But for the 15th season of the series, set to debut this summer, fans are getting new faces.
As Coles exits the series, entering the expert role is DeVon Franklin. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because you know him well. Aside from being an actual relationship advisor, Franklin is also a Hollywood producer and a New York Times bestselling author. He joins fellow freshman expert Dr. Pia Holec, a celebrated psychotherapist with a specialty in sex and couples’ therapy. They will help to provide guidance to the couples.
Franklin has written four books, two of which were centered on love and relationships. That includes 2019’s The Truth About Men: What Men and Women Need to Know and The Wait. The latter was co-written with ex-wife, actress Meagan Good. The couple were married for over nine years before Franklin filed for divorce in December 2021.
“After much prayer and consideration we have decided to go into our futures separately but forever connected,” they said in a joint statement. “We celebrate almost a decade of marriage together and a love that is eternal. There’s no one at fault, we believe this is the next best chapter in the evolution of our love. We are incredibly grateful for the life-changing years we’ve spent together as husband and wife. We are also extremely thankful to God for the testimony being created inside us both and for blessing our lives with each other.”
They have since finalized their divorce amicably.
Franklin and Holec (pictured above) will support the five couples being paired from San Diego, the show’s very first foray into the West Coast. The Season 15 premiere is July 6 at 8p/7c on Lifetime, preceded by a Matchmaking Special June 22 and the Kickoff Special with Kevin Frazier on June 29, both at 8/7c. Married at First Sight: Afterparty, an insiders look at all the love and drama that plays out in front of cameras, will follow each new episode of the series. It’s hosted by Keshia Knight Pulliam and airs Wednesday nights at 11p/10c.