LONDON (AP) — Broadcaster Channel 4 has pulled all episodes of “Married at First Sight UK” from its platform after three contestants claimed they were sexually assaulted by their on-screen partners on the dating reality show.
The broadcaster said the allegations were “very serious” and the British government said on Tuesday there must be “consequences for criminal or inappropriate behavior”.
Married at First Sight is an international reality television series inspired by Danish originals and aired in countries including the United States, Australia and South Africa. Strangers are matched by experts and live together after a mock wedding.
Two women who appeared on the British show said they were raped by their on-screen husbands, while a third claimed she suffered non-consensual sex.
The claims were made during an investigation by BBC current affairs program Panorama. The BBC said the claimant had not contacted police and the man involved disputed the charges.
Conservative MP Caroline Dinenage, chair of the Commons culture, media and sport committee, told the BBC there was clearly an “element of risk” involved in the show.
“This is a TV show where it’s almost expected and expected that people who have just met have to become very close to each other,” she told the BBC. “They were supposed to be sharing a bed and living together within minutes of meeting. It almost felt like an accident waiting to happen.”
The UK version of the show is produced by independent production company CPL. The show has aired on Channel 4 for 10 seasons, with an 11th series scheduled to air this year. CPL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The broadcaster said the show is produced under “some of the most comprehensive and robust benefits protocols in the industry”, including background checks, a code of conduct setting out standards of conduct and “daily contributor checks by a specialist benefits team”.
It has ordered a review of its welfare standards and procedures.
Priya Dogra, chief executive of Channel 4, said: “I would like to express my sympathies to the contributors who have been visibly distressed after taking part in Married at First Sight UK. “The welfare of our contributors is always of paramount importance.”
The accusations are the latest incident to spark debate in the UK over the ethics of reality TV and the pressure on participants. Two former Love Island contestants committed suicide in 2018 and 2019, and the show’s former host, Caroline Flack, took her own life in 2020.
The BBC, Britain’s publicly funded national broadcaster, has also sparked controversy. The BBC introduced guardians on dance competition Strictly Come Dancing in 2024 after she was accused of bullying and harassment. Greg Wallace and John Torode, hosts of cooking competition “MasterChef,” were fired last year following an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior.
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Editor’s note: This story includes discussion of sexual violence. If you or someone you know needs help, please call 1-800-656-4673 (US)