MAFS: Jesse ‘upset’ when wife Claire asked him if he was autistic

Quirky Married At First Sight star Jesse Burford was left ‘upset’ when his wife Claire Nomarhas asked him if he had autism.

The conversation took place during the newlyweds’ turbulent honeymoon in the Whitsundays, but did not make it to air.

Kindergarten teacher Claire asked her husband if he was on the spectrum after they started bickering about seemingly minor things, such as her interest in astrology.

But the question backfired and Jesse, 30, was ‘pretty upset’ by the suggestion he had an undiagnosed developmental disability, a source told Daily Mail Australia.

A friend of Jesse’s confirmed last month he has not been diagnosed with autism, adding that he does not believe he fits the criteria for the disorder.

Quirky MAFS star Jesse Burford (left) was left ‘upset’ when his wife Claire Nomarhas (right) asked him if he had autism. The conversation took place during the newlyweds’ turbulent honeymoon in the Whitsundays, but did not make it to air

It comes after a heated debate started on Reddit when a user familiar with the condition said Jesse exhibited several symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, and that it was ‘p**s poor’ for producers to portray him so negatively on screen.

In the comments, viewers even said the way the show edited him as a ‘villain’ was unfair in light of the possibility his behaviour may not be entirely his own fault.

‘Look, as someone that has a fair bit of experience with people on the spectrum for work, I’m willing to put a large chunk of cash that Jesse [has] high-functioning autism,’ one Reddit user wrote. 

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It comes after a heated debate started on Reddit when a user familiar with the condition said Jesse (pictured) exhibited several symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, and that it was ‘p**s poor’ for producers to portray him so negatively on screen

‘If this is the case, I actually think it’s pretty p**s poor from the producers to have him on and portray him in such a negative light.’

‘I’m not taking away from some of the terrible things he’s said, but I don’t know I just think the guy probably isn’t getting the help he needs and shouldn’t be plastered on TV as this villain as he is.’

This post received 61 per cent upvotes, indicating more than half the users on the subreddit agreed with this opinion.

In the comments, viewers even said the way the show portrayed him as a ‘villain’ was unfair in light of the possibility his behaviour may not be entirely his own fault 

‘Look, as someone that has a fair bit of experience with people on the spectrum for work, I’m willing to put a large chunk of cash Jesse [has] high-functioning autism,’ a Reddit user wrote

Other users flocked to the comments saying they agreed Jesse could well have autism spectrum disorder. However, a source close to Jesse has confirmed he doesn’t have autism

Other users flocked to the comments saying they agreed Jesse could well have autism spectrum disorder.

‘I thought autism as soon as I observed Jesse after the first episode,’ one said.

‘The stuttering, the stilted talking, the awkward[ness] in nature and fleeting eye contact, that overwhelm[ed feeling] being around noisy energetic people who knock the stability out of your brain and make you feel like you’re being squashed by a battery press.

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 The debate continued over on Twitter, where one viewer wrote: ‘Hear me out, but I feel kind of bad for Jesse because I suspect he has an undiagnosed spectrum-based condition’

One said it was ‘painful’ to watch Jesse ‘go back into his shell’ at the explosive first dinner party, which is how many autistic people react to confrontation

‘The awkward reactions, the socially inappropriate comments with awkwardness written all over his expression. The losing his voice and freezing when put under pressure. The inability to socially communicate.

‘An analyser even of his own behaviour… Unable to confront, withdraws, I could go on and on.’

A similar comment read: ‘As someone who has autism myself, I never saw Jesse as being on the spectrum. When other people began to mention it, I do recognise some autistic traits in his behaviour. Either way, I think his issues are likely caused by past relationship traumas.’ 

One Twitter user said it was ‘so sad’ watching Jesse at the dinner party, adding: ‘He was visibly struggling to find the words to express his actions. And nobody picked up on it’

The debate continued over on Twitter, where one viewer wrote: ‘Hear me out, but I feel kind of bad for Jesse because I suspect he has an undiagnosed spectrum-based condition.’

Another tweeted: ‘I totally agree and was thinking the same thing. They purely put him on for good television not to find love. It definitely comes across that way to me.’

One said it was ‘painful’ to watch Jesse ‘go back into his shell’ at the explosive first dinner party, which is how many autistic people react to confrontation.

Another responded: ‘It was so sad. He was visibly struggling to find the words to express his actions. And nobody picked up on it.’ 

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a range of developmental disabilities, including autism and the since retired diagnosis of Asperger syndrome, that cause significant social, communication and behavioural challenges 

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a range of developmental disabilities, including autism and the since retired diagnosis of Asperger syndrome, that cause significant social, communication and behavioural challenges.

Men and women with ASD communicate, interact and learn differently to typically developing adults, with cognitive abilities ranging from gifted to severely impaired.

Some of the language used in the Reddit thread is outdated as terms like ‘high-functioning autism’ and Asperger syndrome are no longer used by doctors, and the term ASD is preferred.

Some of the language used in the Reddit thread is outdated as terms like ‘high-functioning autism’ and Asperger syndrome are no longer used by doctors, and the term ASD is preferred