It’s distressing – painful, even – to watch young love apparently disintegrate in front of your eyes on a television show.

But that’s what seemed to happen to Courtney, 18, and Brad, 20, on Channel Seven’s Bride and Prejudice on Wednesday.

The series follows an obstacle-laden pathway to marriage for five couples (gay, inter-racial or of different ages) and Courtney and Brad have faced major opposition from Brad’s mum, Sherrie.

She maintains they are too young, have too many fights and that her son is intimidated by Courtney and too fearful to break it off.

In an effort to discourage him from taking the plunge, Sherrie told Brad he didn’t have to go through with the wedding if he had doubts.

“I know you are going to do this,” she said. “I’m just giving you advice. I just feel you are doing it for the wrong reasons and you are doing it too early and that’s my fear.

“I’m not sure you are making the decisions for you. And not someone else’s decisions.”

Brad responded: “I think the doubts are cleared now.

“I know everybody thinks she’s a bitch and whatnot but I’m used to it.”

On Wednesday’s show, it was bucks and hens nights for the couple.

Courtney had planned a quiet night in with her bridesmaid – an evening of pampering.

Brad’s mum Sherrie (left) was devastated at the news he had proposed to Courtney (centre). Photo: Channel Seven

Brad had enlisted his brother Blake to organise his farewell to singledom and he was being tightlipped to Courtney about what was planned.

Courtney made her feelings clear and laid down a few rules of her own.

“If he does anything disgusting, I’m not going to marry him. Like a stripper. They’re disgusting and if you want to hang around them, then marry someone else. If that happens, I will literally ruin your life,” she said.

“If he can’t stick with what I’ve asked him, I will kill him.”

While her bridesmaid was being massaged, Courtney was constantly texting or calling Brad, repeating her instructions.

Her bridesmaid suggested she back off, which only served to ramp up Courtney’s tension.

“If I was a guy, I’d want a stripper on my last night as a single man,” the friend said.

Courtney was having none of it. Not only no strippers, but Brad was also instructed not to talk to other women.

At one point, she heard women in the background of a phone call and demanded to know where Brad was and who he was talking to.

“We’re just talking to some old woman,” Brad said. “I’m at the Rooftop Hotel in Kings Cross.”

Sherrie thinks Brad is too young to get married. Photo: Seven

Courtney responded by screaming at him: “We are done, we are done.”

“If you don’t f***ing come home now, we are f***ing over,” is the text message from her that Brad reads out moments later.

Not only was he not coming home now, he was staying out all night.

Courtney pointed out this wasn’t the plan for his evening.

“Well, you broke up with me,” said Brad.

“I am not okay with you being in Kings Cross and I’m coming down there now,” she said.

Brad was last seen with his three mates, heading for a taxi.

“Can we just get the f*** out of here?” he asked.

At the end of this, I wondered should this be playing out in our living rooms? How much added pressure is the filming adding to an already tense situation?

And is Brad’s mother right about these two not being mature enough to get married? Quite possibly.