CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses rape and suicide.
Two former Married at First Sight UK brides have alleged they were raped during filming, and a third woman alleged she was subjected to a non-consensual sex act.
An investigation by the BBC’s current affair program Panorama featured allegations from multiple women who had appeared on the UK version of the popular dating show.
One former contestant, who is known as Lizzie to protect her anonymity, alleged she was raped by the groom she was paired with, and later threatened with an acid attack.
During the segment, she recounted how she “froze with fear” during the alleged attack, which left her with visible fingerprints where he had grabbed her.
“We were in our apartment, on the sofa, and he tried to have sex with me. And I kept saying no, that I didn’t want to do it,” she alleged.
“But he kept saying, ‘You can’t say no, you’re my wife’. And he just did it anyway.”
Speaking to Panorama, the woman said fear stopped her from reporting the alleged incident at the time. Lawyers for the man being accused said he rejects the rape allegation.
CPL, the production company behind the British edition of the series, said the company had not been informed about claims that the participant believed she “can’t say no” to her partner, and argued the acid-related comment had initially been described as an offhand remark rather than a direct threat. They added that the company intervened as soon as the woman indicated she no longer felt safe.
Shona Manderson, who appeared on the show in 2023, alleged she underwent an abortion after her on-screen partner, Bradley Skelly, ejaculated inside her without her consent.
Shona said a welfare producer accompanied her to obtain the morning-after pill following the incident.
Lawyers for CPL said the production company spoke with the couple days later, during which Shona alleged Bradley had ejaculated inside her without consent. They said Shona later clarified she did not take issue with what had happened. CPL’s lawyers also claimed Bradley told producers he had been wearing a condom, although lawyers representing Bradley Skelly later told Panorama he was not.
Soon afterwards, CPL and Channel 4 removed the pair from the program amid concerns the relationship may have been unhealthy.
Bradley said he believed Shona had consented that night and, in a statement, “categorically denies any allegations of sexual misconduct” or claims he was “controlling”. He described the relationship as being “based on mutual consent, care and affection”.
Roughly a week after leaving MAFS UK, Shona learned she was pregnant. “I made the choice to go through with an abortion. It was really hard,” she said.
Shona said she could not be certain whether the pregnancy stemmed from the alleged incident, though she added that some members of the production and welfare teams treated her compassionately. She and Bradley remained together for six weeks after filming before ultimately separating.
She alleged she had informed both Channel 4 and CPL before the series aired that she had been raped by the man she was matched with onscreen, but claimed the episodes were broadcast regardless.
Shona also called for the series to be axed entirely, accusing her TV husband of “taking things too far during sex”.
The former contestant said she “does not think MAFS UK should be on air at all”.
Chloe — a third alleged victim whose name has been changed to protect her identity — said she informed producers she had been raped before her series aired.
She alleged that while she and her on-screen husband had been engaging in consensual sex, he continued during one encounter after she told him to stop.
Chloe claimed he then said to her: “You’re making me feel like a rapist”.
Chloe, portrayed in the investigative series by an actress, told Panorama: “After I left the show I felt I had completely lost my grip and I had intrusive thoughts of my own death.
“And then when the show went out that really intensified into suicidal thoughts, which is not something I had ever thought of before. It was frightening.”
The investigative program alleged that some complaints had already been known to Channel 4 prior to the documentary airing, and noted that episodes involving the women at the centre of the allegations had only recently been removed from the broadcaster’s streaming platform.
By Monday afternoon, Channel 4 confirmed it had taken down every episode from both its on-demand and broadcast platforms, as well as deleting content from the UK Married at First Sight social media accounts.
Channel 4 said it had been made aware of “serious allegations” concerning a limited number of former participants in April, adding that those involved disputed the claims. The broadcaster also stated that whenever welfare concerns were flagged through its established duty-of-care and production procedures, “prompt and appropriate action was taken”.
“Channel 4 strongly refutes any claim to the contrary,” it said.
Attorneys representing CPL told the BBC that the duty-of-care measures in place for participants were considered “gold standard”, maintaining the company had responded properly in each situation raised.
Channel 4 defended the production’s safeguarding standards, saying the series operates with “some of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry”, including extensive background screening, behavioural guidelines, daily welfare check-ins and a dedicated support team.
Last month, the broadcaster’s newly appointed chief executive, Priya Dogra, commissioned an independent review into contributor welfare practices on the program. The review will examine how complaints were handled and assess whether existing protections need strengthening.
“I want to express my sympathy to contributors who have clearly been distressed after taking part in Married at First Sight UK,” Dogra said. “The wellbeing of our contributors is always of paramount importance.
“On the claims that Channel 4 may have failed in its duty of care, I believe that when concerns about contributor welfare were raised, and based on the information available at the time, Channel 4 acted quickly, appropriately, sensitively and with wellbeing front and centre.”
Help is available.
If you’re in distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or chat online. If it’s an emergency, please call 000.
Under 25? You can reach the Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
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