British broadcaster Channel 4 has officially cancelled its popular reality television programme Married at First Sight UK following serious sexual misconduct allegations involving former female contestants, including claims of rape by two women.
The decision was announced on Thursday, November 5, 2026, after an independent review into contestant welfare was commissioned following an investigation by BBC Panorama, which exposed allegations of sexual abuse and failures in the programme’s duty of care towards participants.
According to the BBC Panorama investigation aired on May 18, 2026, three women who participated in the programme reported alleged sexual misconduct by their on-screen husbands.
Two women told the BBC that they had been raped during filming, while a third alleged that she had been subjected to a non-consensual sexual act.
One of the women alleged that her on-screen husband raped her and threatened her with an acid attack. Another said she had reported an alleged rape to Channel 4 and production company CPL Productions before the episodes featuring her were broadcast.
The women also accused the programme’s production team of failing to adequately protect contestants despite being made aware of their concerns.The men implicated in the allegations have denied the claims.
Following the allegations, Channel 4 commissioned two external reviews to examine its contestant welfare procedures and the handling of complaints.The first review, conducted by law firm Clyde & Co, examined 31,172 documents and 20 hours of broadcast and unbroadcast footage.
It concluded that Channel 4 and CPL Productions’ welfare protocols complied with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, although it identified isolated incidents where the established welfare procedures had not been fully implemented.
The second review, led by former BBC One Controller Lorraine Heggessey, described the programme’s welfare procedures as extensive and thorough but recommended further improvements and adjustments to the show’s format.
Channel 4 said the reviews did not establish that it had breached broadcasting regulations.
However, neither review was mandated to determine whether the alleged sexual offences occurred.
Channel 4 Chief Executive Priya Dogra confirmed that the decision means the sixth series, which had already been filmed, will not be broadcast because it was produced before the recommended strengthened welfare measures were implemented.
The broadcaster also cancelled the planned spin-off, Second Married at First Sight, which had been in pre-production before being suspended during the review.
Dogra said fully implementing the recommendations would fundamentally change the programme’s format, adding that the show had run its course after 10 years.
She further announced that the budget previously allocated to the reality programme would be redirected towards commissioning new television productions from Britain’s independent creative industry.
The controversy also prompted the removal of previous seasons of the programme from Channel 4’s streaming platforms in May 2026.
In July, the BBC reported that a male cast member had been arrested on suspicion of rape following its investigation.
