Married at First Sight rape allegations 'serious', says DCMS

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Married at First Sight rape allegations 'serious', says DCMSJust now Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleNoor Nanji ,Culture correspondentandJames ChaterBBC/PAWarning: contains details of alleged sexual offences and misconductThe Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has said rape claims involving Channel 4's Married at First Sight (MAFS) UK show are "serious" and there must be consequences for "criminality or wrongdoing". A Panorama investigation revealed allegations two women had been raped during filming, while a third said she had been the victim of a non-consensual sex act. Ofcom said broadcasters needed to take "due care" over the welfare of show participants.

Holiday company Tui told News it was stopping sponsorship of the show. Channel 4 has now removed all episodes of the programme from its streaming and linear services, alongside MAFS UK social channels. Married at First Sight UK brides tell they were raped by on-screen husbandsIn a statement released shortly after News broke the story on Monday, Channel 4 said it had commissioned an external review last month of welfare on the show "after being presented with serious allegations of wrongdoing".

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Lawyers for CPL, an independent production company which makes the UK version of the show, said its welfare system was "gold standard" and industry-leading, and that it had acted appropriately in all these cases. Later on Tuesday, Alex Mahon, who was chief executive of Channel 4 from 2017 to 2025, is due to face questions from MPs in a pre-scheduled meeting of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee. The chair of the committee, Caroline Dineage, told News that MAFS UK did "involve an element of risk" as a show.

"It's a TV show that almost expects and anticipates people that have only just met each other will have to become really quite intimate with each other," she said. "They're expected to share a bed and a life together within minutes of meeting - it almost feels like an accident waiting to happen. "Billed as a "bold social experiment", MAFS sees single people agree to "marry" total strangers, after meeting for the first time at their mock weddings.

A DCMS spokesperson told News: "All allegations must be referred to the appropriate authorities and investigated with the full co-operation of those involved, with action taken to ensure that the highest standards are upheld and there are consequences for criminality or wrongdoing. "An Ofcom spokesperson said: "Under our rules, broadcasters are required to take due care over the welfare of people who might be at risk of significant harm as a result of taking part in a programme. ""We note that Channel 4 has launched an external review into contributor care on MAFS UK and we await its findings," they added.

"We will review this and all other evidence made available to us.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.