The chief executive of Channel 4 has said she is “deeply sorry” over the rape allegations from contestants on Married At First Sight UK, adding that the network had made “no decision” about whether to air the sixth season.
The series, which also has popular Australian and US versions, sees couples “marrying” after meeting for the first time on their wedding day, “honeymooning” and eventually living together.
In a BBC Panorama investigation which aired on Monday (18 May), one woman accused her on-screen partner of sexual misconduct while on the reality dating show, while two other anonymous women alleged they were raped.
All three men deny the allegations.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday (20 May) to mark the release of the network’s annual report, Channel 4 boss Priya Dogra apologised, adding that the women’s accounts in the documentary were “very troubling”.
“Their distress is clear, and for that, I am of course deeply sorry,” she said.
She said that welfare across all Channel 4 programmes is “hugely important” and a “primary concern”, but said the broadcaster can’t investigate the allegations, which the men have denied.
“We are a broadcaster, not an adjudicator, and allegations of this type are investigated by other bodies, including when complaints are raised by the police,” she said.
On Monday, Channel 4 announced it had commissioned an external review into contributor welfare on the show back in April following “very serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors”.
Speaking at the briefing, Dogra clarified that the review was commissioned “just days” after first being contacted by the BBC back in April.
Dogra also denied reports that the latest season of MAFS UK – which has already been filmed – has been cancelled, calling these “wholly inaccurate”.
She added that the network will make “no decision” over whether to broadcast the sixth season until the review has concluded.
Alongside the review, Channel 4 also announced on Monday that it had pulled all previous episodes of MAFS UK from its streaming and linear services in light of the allegations.
Dogra said this decision was made in part through an “abundance of caution” to avoid “stoking speculation that might lead to the jigsaw identification of the women in the Panorama programme or indeed any other contributors”.
She added: “That is why the programme was taken down and I believe that it is the responsible thing to do in the circumstances.”
Meanwhile, MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee have written to Channel 4 about its handling of the allegations and Ofcom about its involvement.
Chairwoman of the CMS Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage, said in a statement: “The horrifying allegations about Married At First Sight raise serious concerns over whether enough is being done to protect people taking part in reality television.”
The statement added: “Both Channel 4 and Ofcom, as the broadcasting regulator, have urgent questions to answer.”
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