Married At First Sight groom Jake Luik shocked his bride Ashleigh Ackerman during Wednesday night’s episode when he made some very cringeworthy confessions.

The pair were participating in a photo challenge, in which Jake, 30, was looking at pictures of the fellow brides and ‘ranking’ them in order of how attractive he found them.

Jake then reached the picture of his New Zealand-born co-star Awhina Rutene and rejected her for a very surprising reason, which caused Ashleigh to lash out.

‘I’m not racist or nothing, but I do like Caucasian people mostly. Awhina is a bit more Maori I think in her physical features, which is probably why she is not ranked higher,’ Jake told Ash.

‘Just because of her physical features.’

A stunned Ash then told the cameras she was shocked to discover Jake held such ‘appalling’ views.

‘Pretty shocked at Jake’s words, to be honest. “I’m not racist, but I normally date Caucasian-looking girls.” And to think it is okay to verbalise that!’ Ashleigh said.

Things took a turn for the worse with Jake’s shock criticisms of the other brides, who are good friends with Ashleigh.

‘I’m not vibing Jacqui [Burfoot], maybe the crazy eyes. Morena [Farina] is a little bit too old [at 57] and out of my comfort range. I’m sure she would have been absolutely stunning back in the day,’ Jake said.

‘Sierah [Swepstone] has an intimidating look to her! Her face screams, “I could stab you in your sleep.” Like I could wake up and she is standing at the end of the bed.

‘And Rhi [Disljenkovic] here, her eye gives me a little lazy eye, but she is pretty I guess.’

Ash was heard cringing at Jake’s shock confession and later told the camera she was taken aback by his harsh words.

‘Like, how dare you say these things about these gorgeous women! Just how he delivered it, you can be honest without being hurtful,’ Ash explained.

‘I thought it was a bit nasty.’ 

Jake then told Ashleigh he would rank her ‘in the middle’ between Sierra and Awhina and apologised for his blunt scoring. 

‘I don’t mean to hurt your feelings. Don’t mean to upset you in any way but I am not going to be that person who chucks you at number one to save face,’ Jake said.

‘If I am being honest I could have even placed you below Sierah, I was tossing between it.’

A devastated Ash later vented to the camera: ‘At least he didn’t put me last. I think I need to decompress.

She then confronted Jake and told him what she thought about his harsh words. 

‘I’m a little bit shocked at the things he had to say, if I’m being honest. I think bashing other people’s appearance is…’

Jake then said he was ‘just joking’ – but Ash told him his words were no laughing matter: ‘Do you think Jacqui is going to find it funny to know you think she has crazy eyes?’

A furious Jake told the camera that Ash’s criticisms ‘really p***ed’ him off because he is not by nature a mean person.

‘I’m annoyed and done! I try to make a joke and she turns it,’ he said. 

Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7.00pm on Channel Nine.