MAFS: Jonesy and Amanda label their ex-producer Bryce Ruthven a ‘narcissist’

Radio hosts Amanda Keller and Brendan ‘Jonesy’ Jones have exposed ‘the real Bryce Ruthven’ after he emerged as Married At First Sight‘s arch villain this season.

Bryce, 30, was a studio producer for WSFM’s Jonesy & Amanda for nine months before leaving to host his own afternoon show in Canberra, after which he joined the cast of MAFS.

The radio duo have been regularly discussing their former colleague on air as his behaviour on the Nine show becomes increasingly problematic, and their segments offer a unique insight into the reality TV villain’s personality.

‘Villain’: Jonesy & Amanda hosts frequently discussed reality TV star Bryce Ruthven, 30, [pictured with ‘wife’ Melissa Rawson] on their WSFM breakfast show between February and March

In February, when Married At First Sight’s new season started airing, the pair spoke about how Bryce had worked for them before he went ‘on to bigger and better things’ at HIT 104.7 Canberra. 

Jonesy and Amanda even admitted that ‘Bryce and I had a bromance’ of which Amanda was slightly jealous. 

‘I’d just be sitting here with my arms crossed while you two pashed off about sports and stand-up paddle boarding,’ admitted The Living Room host.

Insight: Radio hosts Amanda Keller, 59, and Brendan 'Jonesy' Jones, 53, have exposed 'the real Bryce' in unearthed audio from their show

Insight: Radio hosts Amanda Keller, 59, and Brendan ‘Jonesy’ Jones, 53, have exposed ‘the real Bryce’ in unearthed audio from their show

However, she said Bryce was ‘level-headed’ and professional when he worked for them, even if he wasn’t keen on the early starts.

But in a subsequent episode, the radio duo called their former prodigy a ‘fool’ when discussing the infamous scene on MAFS in which Bryce told his ‘wife’ Melissa Rawson she wasn’t his usual type.

‘Have I not taught you anything? You lie like nobody’s business!’ said Jonesy.

Past life: The radio and TV personalities revealed that the Married at First Sight star had served as their studio producer for nine months

Past life: The radio and TV personalities revealed that the Married at First Sight star had served as their studio producer for nine months

Bryce later joined his former colleagues on the program for an interview.

While the tone was cordial, Amanda touched on her former co-worker’s villainous persona on Married At First Sight.

She said: ‘You’re a nice guy. You’re a good guy. And so when these things happen [on the show] you think, “I wouldn’t have seen this in you.”‘

Bryce agreed, saying post-producers on MAFS were ‘cherry picking’ the worst parts of his relationship with Melissa to make him look like the bad guy.

The interview ended on a high note, with Jonesy signing off: ‘That’s our boy Bryce.’

Reunion: Bryce later joined his former bosses on the program for an interview

Reunion: Bryce later joined his former bosses on the program for an interview

But by March, Jonesy and Amanda had begun to turn on Bryce for ‘disrespecting’ the other participants, and acknowledged he was not a well-liked figure in Australia.

‘My wife was saying we should distance ourselves from Bryce,’ Jonesy admitted.

The breakfast hosts took umbrage with Bryce’s way of speaking, with Amanda saying he should work on his diction after using the phrase ‘I’ll tell ya’.  

Turning tides: In a subsequent episode, the radio duo called their former prodigy a 'fool' when discussing the infamous MAFS scene in which Bryce told 'bride' Melissa she wasn't his usual type

Turning tides: In a subsequent episode, the radio duo called their former prodigy a ‘fool’ when discussing the infamous MAFS scene in which Bryce told ‘bride’ Melissa she wasn’t his usual type

By the end of that month, Amanda had become more critical of her ex-colleague.

When Bryce didn’t say he loved Melissa back after she confessed her feelings on MAFS, Amanda declared on air: ‘What’s wrong with him?’

‘He’s the most mean [person in the group],’ she added, then claimed he came off as looking ‘narcissistic’.

Jonesy tried to defend Bryce, implying he was playing the villain to become famous so he could start ‘some sort of career’ in the media.

But Amanda wasn’t buying it, asking: ‘But a career as what? He’s just looking like he’s being hurtful, and what career is that?’

Jonesy later called him ‘my boy Bryce’, but Amanda coldly replied that she’d ‘dropped him some time ago’.

Just one day later, even Jonesy had to admit: ‘I have been cringing every time I see [Bryce] on the show lately.’  

Tactics? Jonesy tried to defend the focus of his one-time work 'bromance', telling his co-host, 'I think he's trying to parlay this into some sort of career'

Tactics? Jonesy tried to defend the focus of his one-time work ‘bromance’, telling his co-host, ‘I think he’s trying to parlay this into some sort of career’

Later that day, Bryce and Melissa joined the Jonesy & Amanda show for an interview so they could tell their side of the story.

The WSFM hosts seemed to accept that Bryce was the victim of selective editing on the show, a view supported by Melissa.

Even Amanda warm to her former producer once more, calling him ‘a nice guy’. 

After the interview, the presenters acknowledged that people on reality shows often get a one-sided edit that doesn’t reflect their true personality. 

They then recalled an incident from 2005 in which Jonesy was accused of bullying Amanda on air, leading to the pair having to undergo professional ‘counseling’. 

Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine 

Full circle: Jonesy and Amanda ultimately seemed to accept that Bryce was the victim of selective editing on the show, a view supported by Melissa

Full circle: Jonesy and Amanda ultimately seemed to accept that Bryce was the victim of selective editing on the show, a view supported by Melissa