Channel 4 cancels Married at First Sight UK after 11 years

The decision follows an external review prompted by "serious allegations of wrongdoing" involving the show.

Earlier this year, two female participants alleged rape and a third claimed sexual misconduct by their on-screen husbands in a BBC Panorama documentary aired in May. In June, a cast member was arrested on suspicion of rape.

All three men have denied the allegations.

Chief executive of Channel 4, Priya Dogra, said: "Welfare across all our programmes is a primary concern.

"Whilst the review praised the welfare protocols in place and made no findings that Channel 4 breached the Ofcom Code or that the format is inherently unsafe, I have to consider when is the right time for Channel 4 to move on from a format.

"The recommendations are eminently sensible and feasible, but considering their wholesale implementation provoked fundamental questions about the editorial proposition of a show that, I believe, has now run its course over 10 years."

She also addressed the women who made the allegations.

Ms Dogra said: "I am very sorry for the distress those women have clearly felt.

"I hope our actions – in swiftly commissioning the review and taking clear, decisive steps – demonstrate our commitment to the wellbeing of all contributors and our desire to relentlessly strengthen industry standards."

Channel 4 cancels Married At First Sight UK

The sixth season of Married at First Sight UK, filmed earlier this year, will not be aired.

A planned spin-off series, featuring contestants from the UK and Australian versions, was also halted during the review.

The external review was commissioned by Ms Dogra after the allegations surfaced.

It was split into two parts:

1. Law firm Clyde & Co examined the welfare protocols in place at the time the claims were raised.
2. Former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey reviewed whether changes should be made to the current protocols to further protect participants.

Channel 4 said the reviews did not attempt to judge the allegations, which remain a matter for the relevant authorities.

Results from Married at First Sight review

Clyde & Co reviewed more than 31,000 documents and 20 hours of footage.

Their findings concluded that Channel 4 and production company CPL had complied with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and had not breached any regulations in handling the issues raised.

However, the review identified isolated incidents where the welfare framework was not fully followed.

One example involved participants breaking the code of conduct regarding "prohibited substances."

They received a first and final warning instead of being removed from the show.

Ms Heggessey’s review also found that some aspects of the programme could "implicitly put pressure on contributors to be intimate" and that participants could "become dependent on production and lose touch with reality," impacting their ability to make decisions.

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The review recommended improvements, including reducing the frequency of questions about couples’ physical relationships and discontinuing Intimacy Week and Partner Swap Week.

It also suggested changing the show’s "leave or stay" mechanism.

Currently, if one person in a couple chooses to leave but the other wants to stay, both must remain for another week.

The review proposed allowing a participant to leave if they wish.

Despite these concerns, the review described the welfare protocols as "extensive, extremely thorough and of a high standard."

Ms Dogra said implementing the recommendations would require a "materially greater level of intervention, monitoring and supervision that would fundamentally alter the format and editorial proposition of the programme."

She concluded that, given the maturity of the show and the required changes, ending the series was the right decision.

Channel 4 said the budget for Married At First Sight UK will be redirected toward "bold, innovative new programmes from the UK independent production community."

Production company CPL said it understood the decision and emphasised its commitment to contributor welfare.

A spokesperson said: "CPL has always put contributor welfare at the heart of its programme making and will continue to do so.

"CPL have worked closely with Channel 4 for many years and throughout the review process, and we look forward to working with them again in the future."

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