Channel 4 has pulled all previous seasons of Married at First Sight UK from its streaming platforms after two women said they were raped during filming.
The broadcaster announced on Monday (18 May) an external review, which was commissioned in April, into contributor welfare on the series following “very serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors”.
In a BBC Panorama investigation, two women said they were raped, while a third described an allegation of a non-consensual sex act. They all said the show did not do enough to protect them.
The Married at First Sight franchise, which also has popular Australian and US versions, involves couples marrying after meeting for the first time on their wedding day and going on ‘honeymoon’, before moving in together and navigating their relationships. It is produced for Channel 4 by independent production company CPL.
In a statement on Monday, Channel 4 said: “In April, Channel 4 was presented with serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors, allegations that we understand those contributors have denied.”
The statement continued: “The channel is mindful of the privacy and continuing duty of care towards all contributors, and cannot comment on or disclose details of those allegations.
“Related to those allegations, Channel 4 was asked to respond to claims of failures in welfare protocols. Channel 4 believes that when concerns related to contributor welfare were raised through existing welfare and production protocols, prompt and appropriate action was taken, based on the information available at the time.
“Channel 4 strongly refutes any claim to the contrary.”
Priya Dogra, chief executive of Channel 4 said in a statement: “I want to express my sympathy to contributors who have clearly been distressed after taking part in Married at First Sight UK. The wellbeing of our contributors is always of paramount importance.”
She added: “It would be wholly inappropriate for me to comment on what are very serious allegations made against some MAFS UK contributors. Those allegations – which I understand are disputed by the contributors accused – are not something that Channel 4 is in a position to adjudicate on. We are also mindful of our ongoing duty of care to all contributors, and the need to preserve the anonymity and privacy of all involved.
“On the claims that Channel 4 may have failed in its duty of care, I believe that when concerns about contributor welfare were raised, and based on the information available at the time, Channel 4 acted quickly, appropriately, sensitively and with wellbeing front and centre.”
She continued: “Nevertheless, because we aspire to the highest standards of contributor welfare, I felt strongly as Channel 4’s new CEO that it was right that we look again at how we handled issues raised at the time and ask whether changes should be made to further strengthen contributor welfare.
Concluding, she added: “That’s why last month I commissioned an external review of contributor welfare on MAFS UK. That review will report to me in the coming months. We take these issues very seriously and are committed to ensuring that we continue to lead the industry in our duty of care for contributors.”
Elsewhere in its statement, Channel 4 said that MAFS UK is “produced under some of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry”, including background checks, a Code of Conduct, and “daily contributor check-ins with a specialist welfare team”.
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