Rape claims involving Channel 4’s Married at First Sight UK must be investigated, with consequences for criminality or wrongdoing, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has said.
The BBC reported on Monday that two women said they had been raped during filming of the dating show, while a third described an allegation of a non-consensual sex act.
In the show, which is produced for Channel 4 by the independent production company CPL, single people matched by experts “marry” strangers, who they meet for the first time on their mock wedding day.
One woman reportedly told BBC Panorama that her onscreen husband had raped her and threatened her with an acid attack, while a second said she had been raped by her onscreen husband and had told Channel 4 and CPL before broadcast, but that her episodes were still aired.
A third woman had accused her onscreen husband of sexual misconduct, the BBC said.
In a statement to the BBC, the DCMS said: “All allegations must be referred to the appropriate authorities and investigated with the full cooperation of those involved, with action taken to ensure that the highest standards are upheld and there are consequences for criminality or wrongdoing.”
Channel 4 has removed all previous seasons of Married At First Sight UK (MAFS UK) from its streaming platforms, after what it said were “very serious allegations”. The broadcaster also announced that in April it had commissioned an external review into contributor welfare.
“In April, Channel 4 was presented with serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors, allegations that we understand those contributors have denied,” Channel 4 said in a statement on Monday.
“The channel is mindful of the privacy and continuing duty of care towards all contributors, and cannot comment on or disclose details of those allegations.
“Related to those allegations, Channel 4 was asked to respond to claims of failures in welfare protocols. Channel 4 believes that when concerns related to contributor welfare were raised through existing welfare and production protocols, prompt and appropriate action was taken, based on the information available at the time.
“Channel 4 strongly refutes any claim to the contrary.”
None of the women the BBC spoke to had reported their allegations to the police, it was reported.
Lawyers for CPL told the BBC that its welfare system was “gold standard” and that it had acted appropriately.
Priya Dogra, the chief executive of Channel 4, told the BBC: “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.”
Channel 4 said MAFS UK was produced under “some of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry”, including background checks, a code of conduct setting out behavioural standards and “daily contributor check-ins with a specialist welfare team”.
Alex Mahon, who was chief executive of Channel 4 from 2017 to 2025, is due to face questions from MPs on Tuesday, in a pre-scheduled meeting of the culture, media and sport committee.
The chair of the committee, Caroline Dinenage, told the BBC that MAFS UK had felt almost like “an accident waiting to happen”.
“It’s a TV show that almost expects and anticipates people that have only just met each other will have to become really quite intimate with each other,” she said. “They’re expected to share a bed and a life together within minutes of meeting – it almost feels like an accident waiting to happen.”
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday, Dinenage added: “Clearly, the programme was deeply shocking.”
She went on: “I guess what surprised me most was how unsurprised I was by what it revealed, given … that these are couples that get married without having met each other before, and then immediately have to assume a life as a married couple.
“They go on honeymoon, they share a bed, and in this kind of bubble of intimacy under the glare of a TV camera. In the cold light of day, it really is quite horrifying, isn’t it?”
The security minister, Dan Jarvis, told BBC Breakfast he was “extremely concerned”. “These are shocking and deeply concerning allegations, and of course they must be very thoroughly investigated,” he said.
Get in touch
Contact us about this story
The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject, you can contact us confidentially using the following methods:
Secure Messaging in the Guardian app
The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said.
If you don’t already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select ‘Secure Messaging’.
SecureDropIf you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform.
Our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each.
Show more