MTV fans are left convinced hit series Help! I'm in a Secret Relationship is STAGED after couple's romance falls apart over 'ridiculous, satirical' secret

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MTV viewers are convinced that Help! I'm in a Secret Relationship is staged after one of its latest stars offered up a 'ridiculous' admission about why she hid her romance from her family for more than two years. 

In the latest episode of the reality show, Erin is seen opening up about her reasons for concealing partner Frankie, confessing that she has been pretending to be a vegetarian for the entirety of their relationship, all the while secretly eating meat behind his back. 

Terrified that one of her family and friends would reveal the truth about her diet, she hid Frankie from them - before finally coming clean to him in front of the MTV cameras. 

She confessed that her lie started right at the beginning of their relationship, and she confessed that she kept it up in a desperate bid for him to like her.

But as time went on, she maintained the fib by hiding Frankie from her friends and family in a mission to keep the truth from coming out.

In the latest episode of Help! I'm in a Secret Relationship, Erin lied to her boyfriend for two years about not being a vegetarian 

She hid her boyfriend Frankie from her friends and family to keep her lie from being exposed 

Explaining the need to keep Frankie from discovering the truth, she said: 'I just felt that if he knew that I was a meat-eater too he would think that I was contributing to destroying the earth. 

'I felt silly that I started out with such a small lie and let it go for two years,' she said. 'I felt embarrassed. I felt ashamed more than anything.'

Stunned by his girlfriend's lies, Frankie replied: 'You don't have to believe what I believe. I'm sorry that you felt that way that you did.'

By the end of the episode, Frankie couldn't move past Erin's lies.

'What would you do for something even bigger?' he asked. 'It caused turmoil in our relationship.

'I don't know you. It's not a meat issue.'

While viewers were entertained by the scenes at play, they couldn't help but feel like the storyline had been staged as they deemed it 'ridiculous.' 

Commenting on a clip on YouTube, one said: 'This show is so fake, they don't even try to hide it anymore lol.'

Another wrote: 'Omg lmao this is fake and staged. This isn't about being in a secret relationship.'

Frankie could not move past Erin's lies - but vowed to be there for her if she sought therapy

Viewers were convinced the storyline had been staged and blasted it as 'ridiculous'

A third posted: 'This gotta be fake LOL what!?'

'When did MTV start doing satirical sketch comedy? This is hilarious!' added a fourth.

A fifth said: 'NAH this gotta be fake, they ain't even trying w the storylines no more LMAO.'

'This show is so ridiculously fake it's insulting honestly,' added a sixth.

Another said: 'Yeah this cannot be real. everything is scripted obviously. TLC is more realistic!'

Although viewers are not convinced Help! I'm in a Secret Relationship features genuine couples and genuine scenarios, host Travis Mills has insisted nothing about it is fake.

Help! I'm in a Secret Relationship is hosted by Travis Mills and Rahne Jones (pictured)

Speaking to Collider in May, he said: 'Our show is not a caricature. You know, we are dealing with real people who live real lives and who are in real relationships.

'So, you know, not every episode can be this big spectacle like a circus sideshow.

'But I think, just as humans, we all are fascinated to see what other people go through and deal with, as well as the struggles, and that's how we connect on a human level.'

Help! I'm in a Secret Relationship premiered in 2022 and follows presenters Travis and Rahne Jones as they help people discover why their partners are keeping them a secret from family and friends.

The show is currently airing its third season.

There have been a ton of shocking moments on the series to date, including an episode in season two which followed Casey's quest to find out why his girlfriend Telsea had kept him hidden from her family.

During the episode, it was revealed that Telsea, a modern day witch, had kept Casey a secret because she was still married to her ex-husband.

Seconds after she vowed to sign divorce papers 'tomorrow,' Casey got down on one knee to ask for her hand in marriage.

More recently, in season three, Rebekka kept her relationship with Jake under wraps from her family because she had hidden the fact she was a virgin from him.

After confessing the truth, she admitted that while her family knew she was celibate, she feared introducing Jake to them in case they would bombard him with questions and make him feel uncomfortable.