A cast member from Married At First Sight UK has been arrested on suspicion of rape following the BBC's Panorama investigation into the hit Channel 4 reality show.
The individual has not been named but is known to be a man in his thirties. The alleged victim is also not being identified.
In a statement shared with the BBC, the Metropolitan Police said the arrest relates to "an ongoing investigation" and confirmed the individual has since been released on bail while enquiries continue.
The arrest comes after Panorama aired The Dark Side of Married at First Sight in May, in which three former brides made allegations about their experiences during filming.
Two women alleged they were raped by their on-screen husbands, while former contestant Shona Manderson alleged she was subjected to a non-consensual sex act. All of the men involved have denied the allegations made against them.
Following the documentary, the Metropolitan Police urged anyone who believed they had experienced sexual assault while taking part in Married At First Sight UK to contact officers.
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The allegations also prompted renewed scrutiny of the programme's welfare procedures.
Former members of the production team have since said they believed there was an unhealthy focus on contestants' sex lives during filming, with one ex-staff member describing the culture behind the scenes as "toxic from the top down". Another former crew member alleged production staff celebrated when couples became intimate.
Lawyers representing CPL Productions, which makes the UK version of the show, have denied those claims, saying there is never any pressure on contributors to have sex or share a bed. The company has previously described its welfare system as "gold standard" and industry-leading.
In response to the allegations, Channel 4 removed every episode of Married At First Sight UK from its streaming platform and commissioned an independent review into contributor welfare.
The broadcaster said: "MAFS UK is produced under some of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry. These include the most thorough background checks available, a Code of Conduct, which clearly sets out behavioural standards, daily contributor check-ins with a specialist welfare team and access to additional support before, during and after filming."
It added, "The physical and psychological well-being of all contributors is of paramount importance throughout the process. All duty of care processes are regularly reviewed and, where appropriate, strengthened."
It's currently unclear whether the next series of Married At First Sight UK, which has already been filmed, will air as planned.
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, support is available through Rape Crisis England & Wales (0808 500 2222), The Survivors Trust (0808 801 0818), Victim Support, and NHS Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs).
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
