The U.K.version of the “Married At First Sight” reality franchise will no longer air on Channel 4 after allegations that two women were raped during the production of the show.
Channel 4 chief executive Priya Dogra confirmed in a statement Thursday the network was cutting ties with the reality series following an external review of the allegations made while filming its sixth season.The review found no wrongdoing by the network or the show’s production company, CPL, but Dogra said that the “right course was to bring Married At First Sight UK on Channel 4 to an end.” “Whilst the review praised the welfare protocols in place and made no findings that ...
the format is inherently unsafe, I have to consider when is the right time for Channel 4 to move on from a format,” Dogra said.The rape allegations were first revealed this summer in a BBC Panorama investigation.One of the two women alleged that the husband she was matched with raped her and threatened her with an acid attack, according to the BBC.A third woman accused her onscreen husband of sexual misconduct.All three men involved denied the allegations.The premise of “Married At First Sight” is that a group of contestants agree to be matched with complete strangers and meet at the altar.
Couples are then followed by the cameras as they navigate their relationship and discuss their problems on air with the show’s counselors.Version of the show have aired across the world, including the U.S., Australia, France, and Spain.
Channel 4 hired a law firm to review safety protocols at the time of the alleged sexual misconduct and how the production company handled them once they were raised, the company said in a press release.The network’s review did not seek “to adjudicate” the allegations, which it said “remain a matter for the relevant authorities.” More than 30,000 documents were reviewed by law firm Clyde & Co in addition to hours of footage, according to Channel 4.
The review f...