Content warning: Details of alleged sexual assault
Married at First Sight UK will not return to Channel 4 after an external review was launched in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations, the broadcaster has announced.
It comes after two women who participated in the show made allegations of rape and a third of sexual misconduct by their on-screen husbands during a BBC Panorama documentary, which aired in May. In June, a cast member was arrested on suspicion of rape.
© Channel 4The show's budget will be "reinvested in distinctive new programming," the broadcaster's chief executive Priya Dogra has said, while the sixth season of the series, which was filmed earlier this year, will not be broadcast.
The previously announced spin-off show, Second Married at First Sight, which brings together contestants from the UK and Australian versions of the show for a second chance at love, was in pre-production before being paused during the review. It will not resume production.
Why was Channel 4's external review commissioned and what was the outcome?
The review was commissioned by Priya Dogra earlier this year following the allegations made on Panorama.
The review was divided into two parts: law firm Clyde & Co examined the welfare protocols on MAFS UK, and how Channel 4 and production company CPL handled the claims, while former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey examined if any changes should be made to current protocols for MAFS UK to further strengthen contributor welfare.
© Getty ImagesChannel 4 said neither element of the review "sought to adjudicate" on the serious allegations of wrongdoing highlighted by Panorama, which it said "remain a matter for the relevant authorities".
Clyde & Co, which reviewed 31,172 documents and 20 hours of broadcast and unbroadcast footage, found that Channel 4 and production company CPL's welfare protocols were compliant with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.
While it also found that there was no breach of the Code in regard to the handling of issues raised, the review noted that there were isolated incidents where the welfare framework was not fully implemented.
© Getty ImagesThe Heggessey review found that the welfare protocols for MAFS UK were "extensive, extremely thorough and of a high standard", adding that with enhancements to the existing contributor welfare framework and adjustments to the format, it would be reasonable to continue to produce future seasons of the show.
It found certain areas where the contributor welfare framework could be further strengthened.
The report cited that some elements of the show could "implicitly put pressure on contributors to be intimate" and that contributors could "become dependent on production and lose touch with reality", which could affect their "decision-making".
What did Channel 4 say about the show's cancellation?
In a statement, chief executive Priya Dogra said: "MAFS UK has been enjoyed by millions of viewers... but considering [the recommendations'] wholesale implementation provoked fundamental questions about the editorial proposition of a show that, I believe, has now run its course.
"Channel 4 has always thrived on reinvention and this is a moment to kickstart a new era of creative renewal, using the considerable budget to find the next generation of distinctive and disruptive British television."
© Getty ImagesAddressing the allegations made in Panorama, Dogra added: "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."
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, confidential support and advice are available:
- Rape Crisis England & Wales: Call free on 0808 500 2222 (open 24/7) or visit rapecrisis.org.uk for live webchat support.
- Samaritans: Call 116 123 for free, 24/7 emotional support, or email jo@samaritans.org.
