The most recent Married at First Sight announcement took fans by surprise as it was announced that all three MAFS experts would be leaving the show ahead of Season 20. Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Cal Roberson, and Dr. Pia Holec were all expected to remain in their seats for the upcoming Season 20 but production had another idea.
Following the first successful season on Peacock, the show is undergoing a major shakeup, with the beloved MAFS experts being ousted and replaced by fresh faces, including a few surprises. When the announcement was made, each of the experts also shared a statement about their time on the show.
But it seems that isn’t all Pastor Cal has to say about it, and based on his most recent comments, we can read between the lines.
Pastor Cal Roberson opens up about leaving Married at First Sight
After the shocking Married at First Sight announcement about the MAFS experts shakeup, Pastor Cal Roberson was featured on an episode of What’s the Reality? podcast, hosted by Love is Blind alum Amber Desiree “AD” Smith.
The episode is aptly titled “Pastor Cal’s Shocking Exit From Married at First Sight” and, in it, he talks about the reason for his departure.
He told AD that he is “on to some bigger and better things” before sharing, “I wish the new experts the best and I think the show is going to be taking on a different turn and I think this is just a part of the evolution of the show.”
But it was his next statement that has us wondering how he really feels about being replaced. Pastor Cal laughed and said, “We’re passing the torch and the new experts will be coming on. They won’t be me.”
He certainly got that right. Pastor Cal was a MAFS expert for 16 seasons and was both a fan-favorite and a staple of the show. Without his guidance, Married at First Sight isn’t going to be the same.
Exiting MAFS experts are mostly silent after series departure
Aside from a very sanitized, PR-polished exit statement shared along with the recent announcement that they are being replaced for Season 20 of Married at First Sight, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Cal Roberson, and Dr. Pia Holec have been unusually quiet on social media.
One might think that in a time like this, they would be addressing questions about their exit. But instead, all three have been silent on social media and even Pastor Cal’s appearance on What’s the Reality? felt careful.
We’re still waiting to hear more about the upcoming Season 20 of Married at First Sight. So far, we’ve been teased with a clip that aired at the end of the MAFS Season 19 reunion and it was shared that this new season would air in 2026. With the latest announcement, we can only hope that more information is coming soon.
Married at First Sight Season 19 is available to stream on Peacock. Most previous seasons can be streamed on Hulu.
