A gay Muslim man was dropped from the dating show Married at First Sight just days before filming started because producers “could not find a match” for him.

The show’s experts match couples, who legally get married the first time they meet, before following them over the season as they try to make the marriage work.

Melbourne-based actor Wil Karroum told the Daily Mail Australia that he was “strung along” by producers of the Australian version of the show for five months, before being rejected by email.

He said he was told “over 1,000 gay people had applied this year”, and so he was confused as to why none of them were a good match for him.

Karroum said: “I understand rejection is a part of life, but I feel like I’ve been played as a fool and had a carrot dangled in front of me.

“I foolishly believed the process and I genuinely want to find love. I’m a gay Muslim man and I get no support from my family, I need all the help I can get.”

He said he postponed moving house and cancelled a holiday while he waited for a decision and the production company told him to “be patient”.

While preparing to be on the show, he completed several questionnaires, did Skype and telephone interviews and was eventually invited to meet with Married at First Sight executive director Tara McWilliams.

He called the questioning at the face-to-face interview, which included his favourite sexual position, “very intrusive” and “severely personal”. He added that they “also asked if I’d be afraid of the backlash from both the Muslim and Lebanese communities across Australia”.

Until now, Married at First Sight Australia has only featured one gay couple, who did not stay together.