Ridge Barredo, a participant on the reality television show Married At First Sight, has stated he will not return to the program following a knee injury sustained while competing in the men's 110kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Barredo, 30, experienced a knee injury during his third and final clean-and-jerk attempt at 190kg. The incident caused him to fall onto his back. Medical personnel attended to him on the platform before he was seen leaving the arena on crutches.
"I heard a pop on the third attempt. I tried to give it my all," Barredo said. "The initial pain was an eight or nine out of 10. I'll get some scans but, hopefully, it's not too serious. It's a first for me, which was a bit scary."
Prior to the injury, Barredo had successfully lifted 155kg in the snatch portion of the competition. Had his final clean and jerk attempt been successful, he would have placed fourth. However, the failed lift meant he did not achieve an overall ranking.
Barredo's partner, Jade Pywell, and her daughter Victoria had traveled from the Gold Coast to watch him compete in his third Commonwealth Games. Despite the potential need for extensive rehabilitation following the injury, Barredo expressed his commitment to continuing his weightlifting career.
"The future is [to] rehab the injury, see how it goes, get the body back ready, and then just listen to the coach and then keep going," he stated. "Because I'm not done yet. No way. Not a chance." He also indicated an interest in competing in a fourth Commonwealth Games in 2030.
Barredo met Pywell while filming the 2024 season of Married At First Sight. The couple is noted as being one of the few remaining together from season 11. He relocated from Sydney to the Gold Coast to be with Pywell and Victoria.
He credited Pywell's support for his ability to return to the Commonwealth Games, acknowledging the demanding training schedule's impact on their relationship. "Jade and I are still together after meeting on the show. Probably one of, like, eight couples all time to be still together," he said. "So very grateful, very lucky. Jade's a big part of the reason why I'm here, and I'm very grateful that she's been so supportive for me."
Pywell shared a photo of Barredo on crutches with a bandaged knee, expressing pride in his achievement of competing in three Commonwealth Games. The couple had planned a four-week European trip following the Games, contingent on the outcome of Barredo's upcoming medical scans.
While Barredo plans to continue his athletic pursuits, he firmly stated his intention to avoid reality television in the future. "My TV career is definitely done, I've found my partner. I'm off reality TV. Wouldn't recommend it," Barredo said. "If you want to have some fun in a toxic environment, go for it, but personally I wouldn't be going back."