After all three couples from Season 2 of “Married at First Sight” decided to get divorced after the cameras stopped rolling, the new season is under pressure to make matches that will last.
So the series has moved from the New York metro area to Atlanta, where singles would be geographically compatible — since they all live in the same city — and has expanded the casting search to 2,500 potential singles.
The six selected will be introduced in Tuesday’s two-hour-plus Season 3 premiere (9 p.m. on FYI). Though since they got married in June, these brides and grooms didn’t know the outcome of Season 2 when they went through it themselves.
“I wouldn’t say it concerned me that last season the couples didn’t work out because every marriage is different and every relationship is different,” Season 3 participant Vanessa Nelson tells The Post. “I didn’t let that make me pessimistic or make me have a negative outlook on my own marriage.”
A fan of “Married at First Sight” since Season 1, Nelson decided to sign up after having a hard time meeting someone compatible in the Atlanta dating scene.
“Atlanta has such a culture of party and ‘Let’s have fun.’ A lot of people don’t expect that of a Southern city,” she says. “It’s where people go to have a good time and be young forever. It’s difficult to find a guy who’s somewhere in your age range who’s really ready for a serious relationship.”
Fellow Season 3 participant David Nelson, who had never seen the show before signing up, and took the plunge because he really wanted to be married and tended to overcommit too soon with the women he dated.
“What really attracted me to this experiment was no matter what you’re starting off at the same point, you don’t have to have the ‘define the relationship’ talk,” he says. “The biggest obstacle has been getting on the same page and this experiment eliminates that because square one we’re married. You can’t move much quicker than that.”
The three new “Married at First Sight” couples will be revealed in Tuesday’s season premiere. Here’s a look at the brides- and grooms-to-be.
Neil Bowlus, 31
A laboratory compliance specialist, Bowlus’ parents divorced when he was young but his mom is happily remarried. He believes in the effectiveness of arranged marriages because his grandparents had an arranged marriage.
Dating history: Lots of online dating without much success.
Ideal qualities in a spouse: Someone who can keep up with his active lifestyle as he enjoys running marathons, hiking, skydiving and snowboarding.
Ashley Doherty, 30
A nanny and nursing student, Ashley’s parents separated when she was young but her mom remarried and she is close with her stepfather.
Dating history: Several serious relationships; the last one ended a few years ago.
Ideal qualities in a spouse: Caring, mature and ambitious.
Why she wanted to get married at first sight: She is frustrated with the current dating scene and ready for marriage and a family.
Vanessa Nelson, 26
A corporate events manager, Nelson grew up a military brat, moving around a lot as a kid. Her parents divorced when she was in high school and she hasn’t spoken to her father since.
Dating history: Single for two years following a long-distance relationship that lasted four years.
Ideal qualities in a spouse: Adventurous and romantic.
Biggest fear: “Not having any sort of attraction [to my spouse], any spark, anything in common, not even be able to sit down and have a conversation.”
David Norton, 29
A software account executive, Norton is a serial monogamist and self-proclaimed romantic. His dad, who died when he was 7, was once a contestant on “The Newlywed Game.”
Dating history: Single for two years, he planned to propose to his last serious girlfriend but she abruptly ended the relationship days before he was going to pop the question.
Ideal qualities in a spouse: Athletic, adventurous and funny.
Biggest fear: “That someone would feel a connection, whether myself or my spouse, and the other person wouldn’t.”
Samantha Role, 30
A bank manager, Role’s military family moved around a lot when she was growing up and her parents divorced when she was a teenager. Her relationship role model is her grandparents, who were married for 60 years.
Dating history: Single for 2½ years.
Ideal qualities in a spouse: A “man’s man” who enjoys hunting and fishing.
Tres Russell, 27
A luxury car salesman, Russell was raised by his grandmother and aunt after his mom left when he was 3 years old.
Dating history: Last serious relationship lasted three years.
Ideal qualities in a spouse: Great personality, fun, caring, intelligent and athletic.
Why he wanted to get married at first sight: He believes in soul mates but feels it has become increasingly difficult to find true love; his friends are getting married and he feels pressure to settle down as well.