Three Women Allege Rape on Married at First Sight UK, Prompting Calls to Pull 10th Season
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 18
Three Women Allege Rape on Married at First Sight UK, Prompting Calls to Pull 10th Season
2 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 18
Three women told the BBC they were raped or subjected to non-consensual sex acts by onscreen husbands during Married at First Sight UK, saying Channel 4 and producer CPL failed to protect them.
Two women said they reported concerns during or before broadcast, yet their episodes remain on All4; one now plans legal action against CPL, while none has gone to police.
Channel 4 called the allegations wholly uncorroborated and disputed, saying decisions were made case by case on information available at the time; CPL said its welfare system is industry-leading and acted appropriately.
Baroness Helena Kennedy, chair of a new creative-industry watchdog, called the format "televised abuse," urged an independent investigation and said the dangerous show should be taken off air.
The allegations hit one of Channel 4's biggest reality franchises—running for 10 seasons and often drawing more than 3 million viewers—with the latest season already filmed and expected to air this year.
Will Channel 4 air the new season of a show now labeled a form of 'televised abuse'?
If welfare is 'gold standard,' how were three women's sexual assault claims missed during filming?
Is the 'Married at First Sight' format itself inherently dangerous for its participants?