Channel 4 boss ‘deeply sorry’ over Married at First Sight UK rape claims

Channel 4’s chief executive has said she is “deeply sorry” after allegations of rape and sexual assault were made by contestants on its show Married At First Sight (MAFS) UK.

Priya Dogra said the women’s “distress is clear” and called their accounts of their time on the show, which sees single people matched by experts and then “marry” strangers, whom they meet for the first time on their wedding day. “troubling”.

It comes after Shona Manderson accused her on-screen partner of sexual misconduct while on the Channel 4 show. Two other anonymous women alleged they were raped by their on-screen husbands, while speaking in a BBC Panorama documentary. All three men deny the allegations.

Speaking at a briefing for the broadcaster’s annual report at an event in London, Ms Dogra said a review into contributor welfare was underway and she would not be able to fully respond until this was completed later this summer.

Ms Dogra added: “That said, I have watched the programme and heard the women’s accounts which are very troubling.

“Their distress is clear, and for that I am, of course, deeply sorry. Welfare across all our programmes 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.”

On Tuesday, police urged potential victims of sexual assault on reality TV show to get in touch. Meanwhile MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee have written to the broadcaster and Ofcom about its response to the claims.

Ian Katz, Channe 4’s chief content officer, said that it was “clearly right to take a second look” at the allegations and whether the channel “got it right at the time” or could do anything to improve welfare.

He added that contestant welfare was “at the absolute centre” of the channel’s approach to commissioning programmes.

Ms Dogra said reports that the show had been cancelled were “wholly inaccurate” and that “no decision has been made” regarding the broadcast of the next series.

New episodes of MAFS UK have been “substantially filmed” and are currently being edited, Mr Katz said.

Meanwhile, chairwoman of the CMS Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage, said: “The horrifying allegations about Married At First Sight raise serious concerns over whether enough is being done to protect people taking part in reality television.

“Both Channel 4 and Ofcom, as the broadcasting regulator, have urgent questions to answer.”

A letter to Channel 4 asks about its complaints process for contestants on the programme and the steps taken to ensure the allegations were fully investigated, along with the review announced by the broadcaster.

It also questions the broadcaster about its approach to duty of care to participants on its other reality TV programmes.

A CMS Committee message to Ofcom asks it about the role of the broadcasting regulator in the complaints process, its powers to investigate potential breaches of the broadcasting code, and the timeline for launching its own investigation into the Married At First Sight allegations.