MAFS groom Ryan Donnelly seeks AVO from TV wife, Jacqui Burfoot

A Married At First Sight groom claims he was left fearful after his estranged on-screen bride posted about him online.

Ryan Donnelly and Jacqui Burfoot were paired together in the most recent season of the hit Australian reality TV series, but chose to separate during an insult-laden final vows ceremony.

Burfoot has previously been granted an interim restraining order in Tasmania preventing Donnelly from talking about her on social media, now Donnelly has retaliated by applying for an apprehended domestic violence order against Burfoot, which came before Sydney’s Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday.

The ex-reality TV star told reporters he had suffered “a lot of harm” and received menacing messages as a result of claims Burfoot made about him online.

The 37-year-old applied for a restraining order that would stop his TV wife publishing anything about him or his friends on social media for two years.

It would also bar Burfoot from assaulting, threatening, stalking, or intimidating Donnelly or damaging anything he owns - including harming his dog Freya.

If the ADVO was granted, she would be prohibited from approaching him or trying to contact Donnelly, except through her lawyer.

Burfoot, who is living in Tasmania with another MAFS groom, was required to appear in court on Wednesday but instead sent an email opposing the restraining order.

Magistrate Shane McAnulty told the court he was unwilling to grant the order in her absence and asked the parties to prepare submissions before the matter returns to court on June 24.

Donnelly and Burfoot engaged in a tumultuous nine-month relationship on screen which ended with them trading barbs at the final vow ceremony.

Burfoot is now engaged to her MAFS co-star Clint Rice, who proposed to her at a viewing party for the finale of the show.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) / Lifeline 13 11 14.