Channel 4 has removed all previous seasons of Married At First Sight UK from its streaming platforms after two women said they were r@ped during filming.
The broadcaster has announced today a review, which was commissioned in April, into contributor welfare on the series following ‘very serious allegations of wrongdoing’.
MAFS UK, which is produced by independent production company CPL, is a reality series that sees single people – matched by experts – ‘marry’ strangers who they meet for the first time on their wedding day.
In a BBC Panorama investigation, two women have said they were r@ped while a third described an allegation of a non-consensual s3x act.
All of the women said that the show did not do enough to protect them, according to BBC News.
Priya Dogra, Chief Executive of Channel 4, said in a statement that she expresses her ‘sympathy to contributors who have clearly been distressed after taking part in Married at First Sight UK’.
She continued: ‘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.’
Responding to whether Channel 4 failed in its duty of care, she added: ‘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.
‘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.’
Dogra’s new review, which she commissioned last month, will now report to her in the coming months.
She concluded her statement by saying: ‘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 Channel 4’s statement, the broadcaster said that MAFS UK is produced ‘under some of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry’.
The corporation also said that it was presented in April with ‘serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors, allegations that we understand those contributors have denied’.
Within the Channel 4’s review there are said to be two elements – the first of which will examine the welfare protocols in place on this programme at the time claims were raised.
The second is the handling by Channel 4 and CPL of those claims.
Alongside the lawyer-led review, Channel 4 has also commissioned an external industry expert to examine if any changes should be made to current protocols for MAFS UK to further strengthen contributor welfare.
The corporation said it expects the review to report in the coming months and will share a summary of findings and recommendations at the appropriate time.
One of the three women who came forward to the BBC said her onscreen husband r@ped her and threatened her with an acid attack.
She now wants to pursue legal action against CPL, which is an independent production company that makes the UK version of the show.
A second woman told both Channel 4 and CPL, before broadcast, about being allegedly r@ped by her onscreen husband. Her episodes were still aired, however.
A third woman accused her onscreen husband of s3xual misconduct.
None of the women the BBC has spoken to has reported their allegations to the police, it was reported.
Channel 4 told BBC News that the allegations are ‘wholly uncorroborated and disputed’.
