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 ordered after two women alleged they were raped during the filming of MAFS and a third alleged she was subjected to a nonconsensual 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 current 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. Second Married at First Sight, a spin-off from the show that was in pre-production with the producers CPL before being paused during the review, would not resume production.
Dogra said the reviews were not tasked with looking into the allegations 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. It found that Channel 4 and CPL could have undertaken a more structured longer-term review over several 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, found 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.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
