Married At First Sight UK star Amy Kenyon has revealed she needed therapy after experiencing what she describes as 'sexual degradation' both on and off camera during her time on the show. The 29-year-old, who appeared in 2024, spoke out following a BBC Panorama investigation that aired allegations from two women who claimed they were raped by their on-screen husbands. A third alleged a non-consensual sex act.
In the wake of the investigation, Channel 4 apologized to the brides, with executive Priya Dogra expressing she was 'deeply sorry' after watching the documentary and learning of the women's 'distress'. 'Welfare across all our programmes is hugely important to us and is a primary concern,' Dogra stated. '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.' All episodes of MAFS UK have been pulled from streaming, but a final decision on its future has not been made.
Now, Kenyon, who also appeared on Celebrity Ex on the Beach, has shared her own story, alleging 'sexual harassment' and feeling 'uncomfortable' with her partner, Luke Debono. Speaking to The Sun, she said: 'Sexual harassment went on, and mine happened on camera. I just had to deal with it, and everybody was just laughing at it. It was making good TV, even if I did feel uncomfortable 80% of the time.' She described her time on the programme as 'very, very, very difficult', recalling telling producers that her match was like a 'creepy guy [she] would avoid at the bar', rather than someone she'd approach.
Kenyon and Debono joined the experiment as an 'intruder couple' and had to share a bed immediately. 'I remember having to share a bed with him that evening. And I thought, “Oh my God, I can’t do this”,' she said. She would 'put pillows up as a barrier to keep him away from [her]', but questioned whether the strange feelings were normal due to the unconventional nature of the social experiment. Debono, from Malta, allegedly made 'very sexually explicit' remarks and 'derogatory jokes'. Kenyon said: 'I’m not that sensitive, but it was the fact that I was asking him to stop, and he wouldn’t.' She claims his problematic behaviour started 'straight away', and she asked him to 'tone it down' during their Bahamas honeymoon, but as others laughed, 'it just got worse and worse'.
Debono allegedly discussed their sex life in front of other participants and experts, took his shirt off during a pottery session, and told Kenyon he 'wished the stool he was sitting on were her face'. He also said: 'I wish I’d have got down on my knees while you were cooking in the kitchen and terrorised your b*****e.' Kenyon alleges contestants were encouraged to have sex and talk about sex, but she would usually like to know someone 'for a few weeks' first. 'The experiment is fast-paced, and you have to move at a faster pace. Looking back now, I wish I hadn’t,' she admitted.
When they did start having sex, Kenyon asked Debono not to reveal private details during filming, begging, 'Please don’t humiliate me,' as she wanted her dad to be able to watch. Debono 'promised he wouldn’t', yet a scene of him discussing their bedroom antics with a fellow groom made it into the broadcast, which Kenyon didn’t know about until producers called. She found his comments 'disgusting', but much of the alleged harassment wasn't filmed, including other 'weird, sick things'. Watching the series back, Kenyon felt 'humiliated' and called Debono 'the most vile human being [she’s] ever met'.
Kenyon ended the relationship during the final vow ceremony, calling it a 'lucky escape', as Debono wasn’t permitted to return for the reunion show. According to the Daily Mail, bosses removed him after he 'shocked both cast and crew with his aggressive behaviour'. Kenyon praised Channel 4 for 'thorough' checks beforehand but is calling for 24-hour surveillance in the MAFS apartments should the show return. 'They can vet the people, but you don’t truly know who somebody is. So there is the risk,' she said.
Debono, an ex-prison education manager, recently celebrated his 33rd birthday on Instagram, where he has 102k followers. He wrote: '33 today ? Another year of blessings and lessons.' He frequently shares travel snaps online but was 'blocked' by Kenyon after the show. In a previous statement amid fan backlash, he wrote: 'In light of recent episodes, as much as the support is appreciated, please bear in mind that [you] only see a snippet of our time together, and we are sometimes caught in vulnerable or heightened moments. Both Amy and I have zero tolerance towards negativity or hate.'
For support, Rape Crisis England & Wales offers a 24/7 helpline at 0808 500 2222.
