Pastor DeVon Franklin is defending his decision to join Lifetime’s “Married at First Sight” as a new expert for the show’s upcoming 15th season just months after he filed for divorce from his now-ex and actress Meagan Good.
In a lengthy post on his Instagram account on Thursday, May 27, the 44-year-old producer shared that he was initially presented with the offer to join the reality series last year, and “I agreed to do it … and then the divorce hit.”
As previously reported, Franklin and Good parted ways last December 2021 after the former filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences.” The former couple had already been separated for four months before the filing. Still, Franklin revealed that the producers behind the show “came to me and said that didn’t matter to them because they still felt like I could help their couples.”
He continued, “I was going to tell them ‘No’ because I felt shame and that voice in my head said, ‘you’re a failure, how can you help anybody save their marriage when yours didn’t work out.’ That voice in my head also had me thinking about what would ‘people’ say? Would ‘people’ approve or disapprove?”
Franklin shared that after some self-reflection, he realized that he couldn’t let the opinions of others stop him from taking on the gig. He added, “And then I had to ask myself: Is this how I’m going to live the rest of my life? In fear about what ‘people’ say? And who are ‘people’ anyway? So I went back to the @mafslifetime team and told them YES, I’ll still come. I REFUSE TO LIVE IN FEAR OR SHAME!”
Fans in the comment section praised the pastor for his transparency, including one online user who wrote, “That’s the way Mentor D! Super proud you decided to Live Free!!” Another person commented, “Good for you walk in truth and light, when we stop caring about what people think, we become so powerful.” Elsewhere, fans seemed interested in seeing what the author had to bring to the show.
Later in his post, Franklin revealed he’s actually been able to use his own experiences to help others, writing, “When I went to do the show, something powerful happened. Everything I’ve been through, I was able to draw upon to help a couple successfully sort through their issues” but noted, “You’ll have to watch to find out which couple.”
The former couple’s divorce was finalized last month after the “Harlem” star failed to attend several court hearings. As per their agreement, neither of the stars will request spousal support, and the “Think Like a Man, Act Like a Woman” actress will restore her last name.
