After three former Married At First Sight UK brides made deeply concerning allegations of rape, sexual assault and/or being touched without consent during the course of filming the show, insiders who've worked on the series have also spoken out about their experiences – with one claiming the show is "obsessed" with encouraging the brides and grooms who feature to have sex.
Two brides alleged they were raped by their on-screen husbands and another has claimed she was forced into a non-consensual sexual act.
All the men involved have denied any wrongdoing.
Lawyers representing CPL, the production company behind MAFS UK, say the latest allegations come from a small minority of former employees, adding that the company’s "commitment to welfare" is reflected in the high number of crew members who return across consecutive series of the show.
Channel 4, which airs the show, has also issued a statement explaining contributor welfare is "always our primary concern across all productions".
One former Producer Director of MAFS UK told the BBC that culture on set was "toxic from the top down" and described the show's "obsession" with sex as "unhealthy".
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She added, "On the wedding night, there's an expectation, for those of us who were working on the show, that you should get some sort of hint if the couples are going to sleep together. Even though they've only known each other for two seconds by that point."
After receiving an email warning of the Panorama investigation, this previous crew member says she replied to the MAFS UK team saying: "I hope the investigation reveals the toxicity that oozes out of every pore of this show and production company."
A second anonymous ex-staffer said a senior member of the production team told them, "Don't you get it? We want them to sleep together" and claimed crew members would high-five one another if they heard a couple had been intimate, placing bets between themselves on who would (and wouldn't). "It was clear to [the crew] that this was all a joke."
CPL's spokesperson denied there is ever any pressure for a MAFS UK participant to have sex or share a bed, and that alternative sleeping arrangements are readily available if required.
Episodes of MAFS UK have been pulled from Channel 4's streaming service.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, support is available:
Rape Crisis England & Wales (0808 500 2222), The Survivors Trust (0808 801 0818), Victim Support, and NHS Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) all offer free confidential support.
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.
