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'Married' Suitor Already Hitched

Wednesday, March 05, 2003

10:00 PM PT

The idea of "Married by America" is to find a spouse for single people. The key word there is "single."

That message apparently didn't quite get to Denise L., who's one of the "suitors" matched up with single guy Stephen on the FOX series, in which viewers get to pair up couples who will get engaged before they actually meet. The show's background check apparently missed it as well.

Turns out Denise L. has been married before, a violation of the show's guidelines. She's currently separated from her husband, but a divorce is not final. "Married by America's" guidelines say contestants are never to have been married.

"Entertainment Tonight" broke the story Wednesday (March 5). According to the syndicated entertainment-news show, a woman called a San Diego radio station the day after "Married" premiered and said Denise was married to her brother.

FOX confirms the story.

"We don't discuss the personal lives of participants. However, it's against the rules to participate in the show if you are or ever have been married," a network spokesperson says. "We did not know the participant was married, and the situation will be dealt with on Monday's episode."

Denise may not know that FOX knows of her previous marriage. The show's participants are being sequestered and don't have access to news reports or other media.

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