The first series of Married at First Sight UK aired in 2015 and has since become one of Channel 4's biggest shows. However, insiders now warn that changes to the format are putting participants at risk.
Pressure to Entertain Leads to Risk
A psychologist and a former executive who worked on the show say the pressure to keep audiences glued to hit reality TV shows is leading to increasingly risky and exploitative situations for participants. Two women have alleged they were raped during filming and claim not enough was done to protect them.
Channel 4's Response
Channel 4 has launched an external review into contributor welfare and removed all episodes from its streaming service. Lawyers for the independent production company behind the UK version insist their welfare protocols are 'gold standard'.
Psychologist's View
Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings, who worked on Married at First Sight UK and Big Brother, said duty of care standards are exceptionally high but reality shows must constantly up the conflict and drama to attract large audiences. 'Participants are in a bubble and quite vulnerable,' she said. 'The boundaries of entertainment are always being pushed for each series. The more you push the boundaries, the more incidents might happen.'
Evolution of the Show
Married at First Sight UK originally aired in 2015 as a more documentary-style show where relationships developed organically. However, Channel 4 adopted the style of the hugely popular Australian version, which engineers high-tension situations through group dinners and excursions. This change made the UK edition one of the broadcaster's biggest shows.
A former Channel 4 executive noted: 'It was originally a very different kind of show, more like a documentary. There was still a lot of duty of care, but then the Australian version introduced more conflict.'
Future Uncertain
Industry executives and insiders speculate whether the scandal may lead to the show being axed, especially given Channel 4's status as a public service broadcaster. Channel 4 has said it will decide whether to air the next series after the investigation's findings are published. The fate of a planned spin-off, Second Marriage at First Sight, remains unclear.
The former executive added: 'This is what happened with Big Brother after the racism row. Eventually it was decided that it didn't belong on Channel 4. At what point do you say the same about MAFS UK?'
