A cast member from the reality television show Married at First Sight UK has been arrested on suspicion of rape, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed. The individual and the alleged victim have not been named, with victims of rape granted legal anonymity.
The arrest follows a BBC Panorama investigation aired in May, in which two women alleged they were raped by their on-screen husbands, and a third claimed she was subjected to a non-consensual sex act. All three men deny the allegations.
The Metropolitan Police issued a public appeal in May for anyone who believed they may have been a victim of sexual assault during their time on the show to come forward. Since the programme aired, the BBC has reported that it has been contacted by former participants raising concerns.
In a statement, the Met said: “This [arrest] relates to an ongoing investigation being led by the Met police. He has since been bailed while inquiries remain ongoing.” The force has been in contact with Channel 4, which broadcasts the show, and CPL, the independent production company.
Channel 4’s chief executive, Priya Dogra, has stood by the broadcaster’s handling of concerns but said she is “deeply sorry” for the distress caused to female participants. Channel 4 has ordered two investigations: one into its handling of complaints, and another into whether safeguarding protocols need to change.
Lawyers for CPL have previously described the show’s welfare system as “gold standard” and industry-leading, adding that “contributors are not pressured in any way or expected to be intimate”.
