Channel 4’s recently appointed CEO Priya Dogra gave an update on the scandal surrounding the British version of hit reality show “Married at First Sight” – also known as “MAFS UK” – on Wednesday, but denied reports that the show had been canceled.
In the series, single people – matched by “experts” – “marry” strangers who they meet for the first time on their wedding day. They then live together. It is produced for Channel 4 by independent production company CPL.
In an exposé on BBC’s investigative show “Panorama,” titled “The Dark Side of Married at First Sight,” that aired Monday, it was alleged that two contestants, or “wives,” were raped and another was subjected to a non-consensual sex act by their onscreen “husbands.” One woman also claimed her “husband” told her “he would get someone to throw acid at me” if she told anyone about it.
The men have denied the allegations. The women haven’t reported their allegations to the police.
Channel 4 announced Monday that in April it commissioned an external review into contributor welfare on “Married at First Sight.”
At a presentation of the broadcaster’s annual report, Dogra said, “There have been some reports […] that the show has been canceled. These are wholly inaccurate. No decision has been made on the broadcast of [the next season of the show], and any decision we do take will be made only after the review has concluded.”
Regarding the upcoming season (the sixth in the current format), outgoing chief content officer Ian Katz said, “That has been substantially filmed and is currently in the edit, and obviously we will see what, if any, recommendations emerge from the review when we get them.”
Asked whether he was made aware of the allegations when they were made, Katz said, “I was aware of some of them, and I was involved in decision making about them, and by the way, based on everything that I know, and the information we had, I think we made the right calls.”
Dogra said of “Panorama,” “I have watched the program and heard the women’s accounts, which are very troubling. Their distress is clear, and for that I am, of course, deeply sorry.”
She added, “Welfare across all our programs is hugely important to us, and is a primary concern. However, I’m sure you’ll appreciate that Channel 4 cannot investigate the specific allegations against the men, which they have denied, nor can I comment on them in any way. We are a broadcaster, not an adjudicator, and allegations of this type are investigated by other bodies, including when complaints are raised by the police.”
Asked by a journalist what “her feelings were as a woman” watching “Panorama,” Dogra said, “It was very hard to watch. It’s hard to hear the women talking about their experiences, and what I did in response to not just that, but well ahead of that, was look into our handling and, as we said, I do believe we took the right decisions at the time, but I want a second look at it, and so that was my reaction to it, which is to say, ‘This is really hard to watch,’ and as I said, I’m sorry for the distress of the women. What I can do about it is what I have done.”
The external review into the show has two elements. The first, conducted by law firm Clyde & Co, is examining the welfare protocols in place on the show at the time the claims were raised, as well as the handling by Channel 4 and CPL of those claims.
In addition, Channel 4 has commissioned former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey to examine if any changes should be made to current protocols for “Married at First Sight” to strengthen contributor welfare.
All previous seasons of the U.K. version of “Married at First Sight” have been removed from Channel 4 streaming and linear services, as well as the show’s social channels.
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