Culture secretary Lisa Nandy has criticised Channel 4 for its handling of rape and sexual assault allegations on Married at First Sight UK, calling the broadcaster's response to the government "unsatisfactory." The show has reportedly faced another blow as investigations continue.
Government Response to Allegations
Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday, June 18, Nandy expressed her dissatisfaction with Channel 4's reply to government inquiries regarding safeguarding checks that were allegedly overlooked. "I know members across this House will be horrified and disgusted at the serious allegations of abuse against women in the TV industry that have emerged recently," she said. "Everyone has the right to be safe and treated with dignity. My honourable friend has met with Channel 4 recently about the serious allegations that have emerged around Married At First Sight. We are not satisfied as a Government with the response that we have received, and I will be discussing this further with Channel 4 in the coming week."
Channel 4's Actions
Channel 4 has removed the show from its on-demand service and commissioned an external review of contributor welfare. The broadcaster plans to publish a "summary of findings" rather than a full report. Chief Executive Priya Dogra defended the network's actions, stating: "On the claims that Channel 4 may have failed in its duty of care, I believe that when concerns about contributor welfare were raised, and based on the information available at the time, Channel 4 acted quickly, appropriately, sensitively and with wellbeing front and centre." She added that the review results would be delivered "in the coming months."
Further Show Setbacks
According to The Sun, an all-stars version of MAFS UK featuring participants from both the UK and Australian editions has been shelved. Casting for the new show has been closed, crew members have been stood down, and no new production timeline has been provided. The allegations were first revealed in a BBC Panorama documentary, where two former brides claimed they were raped by their onscreen husbands, and a third alleged sexual misconduct. All three men deny the claims. A Channel 4 spokesperson told The Sun: "As we have previously stated, we will decide how to proceed once we have seen findings of the external review into contributor welfare on MAFS UK."
