'What was he thinking?' Vicky from Married At First Sight NZ responds to that shocking insult

Vicky Fuller from Married At First Sight NZ has opened up about the "horrible" moment she watched her fellow participant James Hardy call her a "slut" on national television.

Appearing on Newshub's The Snack podcast, Vicky talked all things love, life and relationships, getting real about the experience of appearing on the reality show. 

Viewers were shocked by James' misogynistic statement at the show's final dinner party, in which he used the word "slut" no less than five times while referring to Vicky. 

"I couldn't believe it," Vicky said.

"I had been given the heads up that had happened, but I had no idea it was five times in one sentence." 

Vicky and James were once romantically involved, having previously met overseas, but said they'd left things on "good terms" when they wound up on the same television show. 

The friendship quickly disintegrated, however, culminating in James' offensive on-camera rant to producers. 

"What was he thinking?" Vicky asked. 

"The fact that he even said it about someone, just even using that word, but also saying it about your friend on camera." 

Despite her mother's fears her name is "now linked with that word", Vicky said she refuses to be embarrassed. 

"It clearly reflects him, not me," she said. 

The school teacher has received an "outpouring of love and support" from the public, and said she's still trying to get through the "thousands of messages" on social media. 

"I had no idea the way I handled it would have such a huge impact on the public," she said. 

"I have had people saying 'seeing how you reacted has inspired my children who were watching with me'." 

Listen to the full episode of The Snack podcast to hear more of Vicky's emotional rollercoaster ride being a reality TV bride. 

Subscribe to The Snack podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Omny, Stitcher and all major podcast apps.

Newshub.