British reality show 'Marriage at First Sight' taken off air after rape allegations

Channel 4 offices seen in London June 23, 2021
REUTERS/Toby Melville
British broadcaster Channel 4 removed all previous seasons of "Marriage at First Sight" -- one of its flagship reality shows -- on Monday, following a BBC report detailing allegations of rape during filming of the series.
Channel 4, a publicly owned but commercially funded broadcaster, said it released a review into the well-being of contributors to the show, which is made by independent production company CPL, in April.
Two women told BBC News they were raped during filming, while a third described an allegation of a non-consensual sexual act. They all said the program did not do enough to protect them, the BBC said.
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The report quoted CPL lawyers as saying its welfare system was the "gold standard" and that it had acted appropriately in all these cases.
Alex Mahon, chief executive of Channel 4 between 2017 and 2025, said these were "very serious and worrying allegations" and that the broadcaster had She rightly launched investigations.
She told a committee of MPs on Tuesday (19) that the allegations and incidents were taken very seriously and duty of care protocols were advanced all the time, but given the seriousness of the allegations "it is always worth taking a fresh look".
In a 2024 report, Channel 4 said the program topped its streaming charts that year. It has broadcast 10 seasons on its main channels and streaming platform.
The show, in which strangers are matched by experts and "married" at first sight, is part of an international franchise across several countries including the United States and Australia.
Channel 4 said that in April "serious allegations" of wrongdoing were made against a small number of previous contributors, allegations which "we understand these contributors have denied".
The UK Ministry for Culture, Media and Sport said that allegations must be investigated "with the full cooperation of those involved".
"Everyone who works in and participates in television must be treated with dignity and respect at all times. Their welfare and safety are paramount," a spokesperson said.
Media watchdog Ofcom said it would examine the outcome of Channel 4's review.

Source: G1