Married at First Sight UK had ‘unhealthy’ focus on sex, say show’s insiders

Married at First Sight UK had an “unhealthy” focus on whether cast members were having sex, former and current workers on the show have said. One former crew member said the culture on the hit Channel 4 show was “toxic from the top down”. The claims from crew members were reported by the BBC, which previously broadcast allegations from two female cast members that they were raped by their on-screen partners. A third woman said she had been the victim of a nonconsensual sexual act by her on-screen partner. All three on-screen partners have denied the allegations against them. CPL, the production company behind the show, said it had gold-standard welfare policies in place. Channel 4 has already launched two investigations into the show. One is focused on its handling of the complaints it received, while a second is looking at whether welfare protocols should be changed for the future. The allegations have provoked debate within the TV industry about whether the show’s current format, and its expectation of intimacy, was able to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of those involved in the show. Several former contributors and staff told the Guardian they did not believe it could. Under the current Married at First Sight (MAFS) UK format, cast members meet their on-screen partner at a mock wedding at the start of the show. Soraya Spiers, a former worker on the show, told the BBC she had concerns about a “toxic” culture. She said the emphasis on sex was “unhealthy”. …