Love Is Blind UK has arrived on Netflix, and honestly our group chats have never seen so much action. The UK version of the iconic reality series sees a group of singles date each other through pod walls (without ever physically seeing each other), in the hope to build a connection strong enough they'll get engaged. One of the couples who did end up getting engaged are Tom and Maria, who made it all the way to their wedding day. But are Tom and Maria from Love Is Blind UK still together now?
Their journey hasn't exactly been smooth sailing, with Tom being torn between his feelings for Maria and Tash, but they ended up getting engaged and had a very cute, albeit red lipstick covered first meeting. But are they still together now? Well here's what we know so far.
What's happened for Tom and Maria during Love Is Blind UK?
38-year-old PR and advertising consultant Tom and 30-year-old makeup artist Maria were first introduced to viewers in episode two of Love Is Blind UK.
Before starting her dates Maria said she was looking to find someone she would still be laughing with in 60 years time, which is a good thing to note as her first date with Tom was full of laughs. And Tom said he was looking for someone who was assertive and knows themselves.
Throughout their dates they were both very vulnerable with each other. Tom revealed how his dad leaving him when he was younger has impacted his relationships, and Maria was candid about the impact of losing her dad during the COVID pandemic.
However, things weren't exactly simple, as Tom was also getting to know 32-year-old careers co-ordinator Natasha aka Tash. The pair seemed to get on very well and also built a strong connection.
Tom and Maria then hit a bit of a speed bump when they had a discussion about what their potential marriage would like with Maria expressing she was happier to take on the more "traditional" role of a wife because it would make her happy. However Tom expressed he didn't want a "stay at home wife" and Maria reiterated she didn't want to stop working but did want to stay at home if they were to have kids at the start of their children's lives.
Tom then proposed to Maria and there were a lot of tears (in part from us viewing). The pair met for the first time face to face and it's safe to say Tom's jaw needed picking up from the floor. The couple kissed a lot with red lipstick covering Tom's face in the process.
Tom and Maria then headed on the retreat in Corfu, and continued to approach difficult subjects, like his initial judgement around her job, and how she believes men should pay for everything in a relationship.
Tom wasn't happy about the idea that Maria wouldn't want to contribute financially, and was also concerned about their differing family values. However, when they met each other's families, things went well - Maria's mum expressed her approval of him, and Maria shared how her late father would have loved him.
What happened for Maria and Tom on their wedding day?
Unfortunately for fans of Maria and Tom, the pair didn't get married on their wedding day. Tom said 'I do not' at the altar, putting it down to their differing views on money and what each partner should bring to a relationship.
"I love you," he told Maria in front of their friends and family. "I just feel like right now is not the right time for me. We've had some differences in values and I haven't had enough time to really understand how those differences will affect our life day-to-day. You look so beautiful."
He then walked back down the aisle, and said in a cutaway interview, "It was far harder saying no to Maria at the altar than I ever envisaged. She's someone that I'll always love and respect. But if Maria and I had children, my concern would be if I had a boy, she would teach him to pay for most things, when my lad would be dating for the first time.
"If I had a little girl, I wouldn't want that little girl to expect that the guy pays for everything. I would want to raise that little girl to be a strong, independent woman that contributes herself. I don't think we had enough time to address those things."
So, while they're not married, are Tom and Maria still a couple? Did they give things a go outside of the experiment? Well...
Are Tom and Maria still together now?
The pair both follow each other on Instagram, so hopefully that's a sign that there's no bad blood between them.
Speaking on Instagram Stories on 14th August 2024 (the day the second batch of episodes came out), Maria answered a question about whether she had any regrets from her time on the show.
"I try not to live with regrets. Obviously, all the episodes have come out today, and I knew that was when things were going to get stickier. And you do kind of think, 'Could I have done that a bit differently?' But I just have to remember I was acting and behaving on what was happening and going on at that time. I'm trying not to, but in these types of situations it's hard."
She also answered a question about whether she would change anything from her time on the show, adding, "I try to think everything happens the way it was supposed to, and my journey would have happened in the exact [same way] if I had to do it again. The only thing I would say is I would've tried to enjoy it a bit more. I got a bit bogged down as it went on, and I got inside my own head a bit too much. So I would've tried to enjoy it a bit more. Get out of my own head a little bit more."
Hmm. Not sure it's looking good for these two. Maybe we'll hear more at the reunion!
Love Is Blind: UK episodes one to eight are available on Netflix now
Your cheat sheet on Love Is Blind UK
Which couples are still together?
Emma and Matt's relationship timeline
Get to know the cast in detail
Lydia Venn is Cosmopolitan UK’s Senior Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer. She covers everything from TV and film, to the latest celebrity news. She also writes across our work/life section regularly creating quizzes, covering exciting new food releases and sharing the latest interior must-haves. In her role she’s interviewed everyone from Margot Robbie to Niall Horan, and her work has appeared on an episode of The Kardashians. After completing a degree in English at the University of Exeter, Lydia moved into fashion journalism, writing for the Daily Express, before working as Features Editor at The Tab, where she spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Talk Radio. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of Gilmore Girls and 00s teen movies, and in her free time can be found with a margarita in hand watching the Real Housewives on repeat. Find her on LinkedIn.
