Channel 4 axes Married at First Sight UK over rape allegations

Decision follows reviews of two allegations of rape during filming and one of sexual misconduct

Channel 4 has axed its money-spinning reality show Married At First Sight UK, after female participants made allegations of rape and sexual misconduct during its production.

The broadcaster announced the decision following two reviews that were ordered after two women alleged they were raped during the filming of MAFS and a third alleged she was subjected to a non-consensual sex act.

Channel 4 removed all episodes from streaming and linear services, alongside Married at First Sight UK social channels, after the allegations were aired on an edition of the BBC’s Panorama in May.

The show, which had become one of Channel 4’s biggest hits, involves single people “marrying” strangers who they meet for the first time on their wedding day, though the marriages are not legally binding.

A review of the existing safeguards, overseen by the former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey, found it would be reasonable to continue to make the show with enhancements to the existing contributor welfare framework and changes to the MAFS format.

However, Priya Dogra, Channel 4’s chief executive, said implementing all the review’s recommendations would mean a level of intervention, monitoring and supervision that would fundamentally alter the format and idea of the show.

A second review, led by a law firm, examined the welfare protocols in place at the time of the Panorama allegations.

Dogra said on Thursday: “MAFS UK has been enjoyed by millions of viewers, made possible by the willingness of its contributors to embrace the social experiment at the heart of the show and the many talented people involved in its production.

“Whilst the review praised the welfare protocols in place and made no findings that Channel 4 breached the Ofcom code or that the format is inherently unsafe, I have to consider when is the right time for Channel 4 to move on from a format.

“The recommendations are eminently sensible and feasible, but considering their wholesale implementation provoked fundamental questions about the editorial proposition of a show that, I believe, has now run its course over 10 years.”

Channel 4 said series six of MAFS UK, which was in production when the review was commissioned, will not be broadcast as it was not made under the recommended strengthened protocols.

Second Married at First Sight, a spin-off from the show which was in pre-production with producers CPL before being paused during the review, will not resume production.

Dogra said the reviews were not tasked with looking into the allegations that were made in the Panorama programme, but she said: “I would like to repeat that I am very sorry for the distress those women have clearly felt.

“I hope our actions - in swiftly commissioning the review and taking clear, decisive steps - demonstrate our commitment to the wellbeing of all contributors and our desire to relentlessly strengthen industry standards.”

The first part of the review, in which a law firm examined the welfare protocols in place at the time of the allegations, found there were “isolated incidents where the welfare framework was not fully implemented”.

It found that Channel 4 and production company CPL could have undertaken a more structured longer-term review over multiple series and found areas that could have been strengthened.

However, Channel 4 said the Clyde & Co review found that, based on the evidence available and the balance of probabilities, the welfare protocols in place “were compliant with Ofcom’s broadcasting code and that there were no findings that the code had been breached.

Channel 4 said the Heggessey review, which looked at current protocols in place, found that the safeguards were “extensive, extremely thorough and of a high standard from which other productions in the industry have learnt”.

Heggessey found that with enhancements to the existing contributor welfare framework and changes to the MAFS format, it “would be reasonable” to continue to make the show.