The Metropolitan Police have urged potential victims of sexual assault who appeared on Married at First Sight UK to come forward, following a BBC Panorama documentary that aired allegations of rape and sexual misconduct. Two unnamed female contestants alleged they were raped by their on-screen husbands, while a third, Shona Manderson, accused her on-screen husband of taking things too far during sex. All men deny the claims.
The Metropolitan Police stated they have not yet received any criminal reports related to the programme. A spokesperson said: 'We are aware of media reporting relating to allegations of rape and sexual assault... We will be making approaches to the relevant production teams to ensure that anyone they have spoken to is aware of how to report any criminal allegations to police.'
Former Channel 4 chief executive Alex Mahon described the allegations as 'very serious and concerning' and said launching an investigation was 'the right thing to do'. She added that current duty of care protocols for reality TV would need to be reviewed to ensure 'enough is being done'.
Channel 4 has removed all seasons of Married at First Sight UK from its streaming platform and announced an external review of contributor welfare. The broadcaster said it 'strongly refutes any claim' of failures in welfare protocols, stating that prompt and appropriate action was taken when concerns were raised. Lawyers for production company CPL described its welfare system as 'gold standard'.
