Katie Price's boyfriend JJ Slater makes defiant statement on online trolls

Katie Price's boyfriend has sent a defiant message to online trolls. JJ Slater, who shot to fame on the 2023 series of Married at First Sight UK, has revealed his experience and the reception he got from viewers at home. Speaking to Express Online on behalf of Casino.org, the Essex lad spoke about why he applied for the show and what he would have done differently. When he first appeared on the show, JJ tied the knot with Bianca Petronzi; however, the marriage came to an end. So much so, JJ admitted that Bianca wasn't "his type" on their wedding day. JJ ended up starting to explore another relationship with fellow bride, Ella Morgan.

Speaking about his experience, JJ detailed: "I just wanted to feel that spark and be attracted to my wife. I guess I was standing there hoping, first, that I'd actually be attracted to her, and second, that we'd get along, that she'd be a good person, and that we could build and grow something together. That was really my mindset going into the show - I was committed to taking the experiment seriously."

He added: "For me, that initial attraction just wasn't there. I've got nothing bad to say about that person at all, but from my side, there just wasn't any chemistry, not romantically and, honestly, not even on a friendship level. There's no bad blood whatsoever, but I just didn't feel that connection."

When asked about how he deals with online trolls, JJ responded: "There was definitely a lot of hate and trolling. At the start, I wasn't ready for that at all; it honestly hadn't even crossed my mind. It wasn't until my first episode aired that my best mate said to me, 'Mate, you're getting battered on Twitter.'

"And I don't even use Twitter! At first, I laughed it off and joked about it, thinking it was fine. But over time, it did start to take a toll on me. I found myself reading comments, worrying about what people were saying, and thinking."

He added: "Now, though, it's been two years, and there are probably more opinions about me in the papers now - not every day, but close - and honestly, I don't even bat an eyelid anymore.

"At first, it was really hurtful and overwhelming, but now it's like a switch has flipped. I just let it go over my head because, at the end of the day, these people don't actually know me."

Following his stint on the dating show, JJ met Katie Price and the pair confirmed their relationship in February 2024.