A couple who matched on Married at First Sight and went on to have a baby girl say the new pairings should "take a chance" to find love.

Ally Acklan, 38, and Paul Todd, 35, were put together by experts on the reality TV show but had their wedding cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown in the UK.

Paul, a train driver, took matters into his own hands and begged the producers to give him Ally's details - and reached out to her.

The pair quickly hit it off, and got engaged in June 2021, before welcoming their first baby together, Penelope, now three, in July 2021.

Ally, a medical insurance manager, and Paul have now set a date for their wedding in 2024 and "can't wait" to have their daughter as their flower girl.

Experts Paul C Brunson, Gen Gresset and Dr Angela Smith - who matched the couple - are even invited to the big day.

The family, who live in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset gave their advice to the couples on this season's show - and say they should "embrace it".

Ally said: "Be open-minded.

"Think deep down why you are matched.

"Take a chance.

"There are lots of ways to find love these days.

"Putting trust in experts is not a bad thing to do.

"That's why I applied - because I was picking the wrong men."

Paul added: "Embrace it.

"Trust that the experts have your best interests at heart.

"It can work if you are there for the right reasons."

Ally and Paul were due to appear on the popular TV show Married at First Sight but had their wedding cancelled three days before it was due to take place - because of a strict lockdown in the UK.

Desperate to find out if Ally was the one, Paul pressed the producers to let him know who she was, and the couple met and fell for each other instantly - after connecting over Skype.

They met up in person when restrictions eased in June 2020 and went from strength to strength - revealing they were expecting a baby in February 2021.

The couple welcomed little Penelope on July 3, YEAR, weighing 8lbs 1oz at St Michael's Hospital, Bristol.

They have set a date for their wedding - June 2024 - and have the day mostly planned already.

Ally said: "I would have liked to have a free wedding [on MAFS] but we get to do it exactly how we want to.

"I get to wear the wedding dress I picked out in 2020.

"Paul, Gen and Angela - who matched us - should all be coming."

Paul added: "Penelope is going to be the flower girl - hopefully with a lot of sass.

"She likes an audience."

The couple introduced Penelope to the experts, and they said Paul C Brunson said it was 'surreal to feel you can play a small part in creating a life'.

Ally says people are still surprised when they hear their love story for the first time.

She said: "Part of me forgets that is how we got together.

"When I tell people how we met they don't believe me.

"People say 'oh my god, you are so brave'."

Paul said this year's cast or future applicants should be "fully open with the experts" on the show.