The Married at First Sight franchise has been left reeling by allegations of rape from a bunch of ex-contestants in a new BBC Panorama investigation.
On Monday, it got here to mild that two girls on Channel 4‘s MAFS UK — the place singletons are matched, by specialists, with a stranger and meet for the primary time at a mock marriage ceremony — claimed that they had been raped throughout filming of the present.
The primary mentioned her husband had raped her and later threatened her with an acid assault, whereas a second girl instructed Channel 4 and manufacturing firm CPL earlier than broadcast about being allegedly raped by her husband. Her episodes, based on the BBC program, had been nonetheless aired. A 3rd girl, Shona Manderson, the one one to have revealed her identification, accused her onscreen husband of a non-consensual intercourse act. The boys concerned deny the claims, difficult the main points of every girl’s account.
The previous members who’ve come ahead say Channel 4 didn’t do sufficient to guard them. The BBC reported that Channel 4 was conscious of some allegations earlier than broadcast, however had beforehand instructed Panorama that the entire claims had been “wholly uncorroborated and disputed.”
Within the wake of the information, Channel 4 has eliminated all episodes of this system from its streaming and linear providers, in addition to the MAFS UK social media accounts. Vacation firm Tui instructed the BBC that it was pausing sponsorship of the present.
MAFS is Love Island-esque in its world recognition, with localized variations in over 35 international locations. The U.Okay. sequence has been operating for 10 seasons now and sometimes boasts viewership of over three million, making it considered one of Britain’s most prized actuality reveals. The newest season has already been filmed is predicted to air this yr.
When approached for remark by The Hollywood Reporter, a consultant for Channel 4 referred to an announcement, made this week, that it commissioned an exterior assessment into contributor welfare on the present in April.
“MAFS U.K. is produced under some of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry,” mentioned the channel. “These include the most thorough background checks available, a Code of Conduct which clearly sets out behavioural standards, daily contributor check-ins with a specialist welfare team and access to additional support before, during and after filming. The physical and psychological well-being of all contributors is of paramount importance throughout the process. All duty of care processes are regularly reviewed and, where appropriate, strengthened.”
The letter continued that final month, Channel 4 was introduced with “serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors, allegations that we understand those contributors have denied.” They added that when issues associated to contestant welfare had been raised by current welfare and manufacturing protocols, “prompt and appropriate action was taken, based on the information available at the time. Channel 4 strongly refutes any claim to the contrary.”
The exterior assessment, performed by regulation agency Clyde & Co, is now underway. It has two components: inspecting the welfare protocols in place on MAFS UK on the time the claims had been raised, and if any adjustments needs to be made to additional strengthen the present protocols.
“I want to express my sympathy to contributors who have clearly been distressed after taking part in Married at First Sight UK,” mentioned Channel 4 chief govt Priya Dogra. “The well-being of our contributors is all the time of paramount significance.
“It would be wholly inappropriate for me to comment on what are very serious allegations made against some MAFS UK contributors,” she continued. “Those allegations — which I understand are disputed by the contributors accused — are not something that Channel 4 is in a position to adjudicate on. We are also mindful of our ongoing duty of care to all contributors, and the need to preserve the anonymity and privacy of all involved.”
Dogra believes that Channel 4 “acted quickly, appropriately, sensitively and with wellbeing front and centre,” when the allegations had been first made.
“Nevertheless, because we aspire to the highest standards of contributor welfare, I felt strongly as Channel 4’s new CEO that it was right that we look again at how we handled issues raised at the time and ask whether changes should be made to further strengthen contributor welfare… That’s why last month I commissioned an external review of contributor welfare on MAFS UK. That review will report to me in the coming months,” she mentioned.
