Channel 4 has cancelled Married At First Sight UK after a review prompted by allegations of rape and sexual misconduct made by three women who appeared on the show.
The broadcaster pulled all episodes from its streaming service earlier this year amid what it described as “serious allegations of wrongdoing”.
Allegations and review
A BBC Panorama documentary aired in May, in which two women alleged rape and a third alleged sexual misconduct by their on-screen husbands. In June, a MAFS UK cast member was arrested on suspicion of rape. The three men involved have denied all the allegations against them.
Channel 4 commissioned a review following the allegations, and it has now confirmed the series will not return. The show’s budget will instead be “reinvested in distinctive new programming”.
Channel 4 chief executive Priya Dogra confirmed that season six of the show, which was filmed earlier this year, will not be broadcast.
Spin-off paused
A spin-off, Second Married at First Sight, which was set to bring contestants from the UK and Australian versions together for a second chance at love, was in pre-production with CPL before being paused during the review. It will not resume production.
The review had two elements. Law firm Clyde & Co examined the welfare protocols in place at the time the claims were initially raised, and how Channel 4 and production company CPL handled them. Former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey examined whether any changes should be made to current protocols for MAFS UK to further strengthen contributor welfare.
Review findings
Channel 4 said neither element of the review “sought to adjudicate” on the serious allegations of wrongdoing highlighted by Panorama, which it said “remain a matter for the relevant authorities”.
The Clyde & Co review, which examined 31,172 documents and 20 hours of broadcast and unbroadcast footage, found that Channel 4 and CPL’s welfare protocols were compliant with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code. It also found no breach of the Code in regard to the handling of issues raised. However, the review noted isolated incidents where the welfare framework was not fully implemented.
