LONDON (AP) 鈥� Broadcaster Channel 4 has pulled all episodes of 鈥淢arried at First Sight UK鈥� from its platforms after three contestants claimed they were sexually assaulted by on-screen partners on the matchmaking .
The broadcaster said the allegations are 鈥渧ery serious,鈥� and the British government said Tuesday there must be 鈥渃onsequences for criminality or wrongdoing.鈥�
鈥淢arried at First Sight鈥� is an international reality TV franchise inspired by a Danish original, with editions in countries including the U.S., Australia and South Africa. Strangers are matched by experts and move in together after mock wedding ceremonies.
Two women who appeared on the British show say they were raped by their on-screen husbands, and a third claims she was subjected to a nonconsensual sexual act.
The claims were made during an investigation by the BBC current affairs program 鈥淧anorama.鈥� The BBC said the claimants have not contacted the police, and the men involved dispute the allegations.
Conservative lawmaker Caroline Dinenage, who heads the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, told the BBC that the show clearly involves 鈥渁n element of risk.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a TV show that almost expects and anticipates people that have only just met will have to become really quite intimate with each other,鈥� she told the BBC. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e expected to share a bed and a life together within minutes of meeting. It almost feels like an accident waiting to happen.鈥�
The U.K. version of the program is made by independent production company CPL. It has run for 10 seasons on Channel 4, with an 11th scheduled for broadcast this year. CPL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The broadcaster said the show is produced under 鈥渟ome of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry,鈥� including background checks, a code of conduct setting out behavioral standards and 鈥渄aily contributor check-ins with a specialist welfare team.鈥�
It has ordered a review of its welfare standards and procedures.
鈥淚 want to express my sympathy to contributors who have clearly been distressed after taking part in 鈥楳arried at First Sight UK,鈥欌�� Channel 4 chief executive Priya Dogra said. 鈥淭he well-being of our contributors is always of paramount importance.鈥�
The claims are the latest incident to spark debate in Britain about the ethics of reality TV and the pressures placed on participants. Two former contestants on the show 鈥淟ove Island鈥� died by suicide in 2018 and 2019 and the show鈥檚 former presenter, Caroline Flack, took her own life in 2020.
Controversies also have roiled the BBC, Britain鈥檚 publicly funded national broadcaster. The BBC introduced chaperones on the dance competition 鈥淪trictly Come Dancing鈥� after allegations of bullying and harassment in 2024. The hosts of cooking contest 鈥淢asterChef,鈥� Gregg Wallace and John Torode, were fired last year after investigations into allegations of inappropriate behavior.
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