Metropolitan Police Urges Married at First Sight UK Participants to Report Sexual Assault Allegations

The Metropolitan Police has urged anyone who believes they have been a victim of sexual assault in relation to their participation on Channel 4's Married at First Sight UK to contact the force. The force said it is also approaching production teams involved in the reality TV show to ensure anyone they have spoken to is aware of how to report any criminal allegations.

A BBC Panorama investigation revealed allegations that two women had been raped during filming, while a third said she had been the victim of a non-consensual sex act.

A Met spokesperson said the force had not received any criminal reports in relation to the matter. The spokesperson said the force continues to encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of sexual assault, no matter how long ago it happened, to get in touch.

The prime minister's official spokesperson called the claims extremely serious and said they must be investigated. Security minister Dan Jarvis said he was extremely concerned about the allegations and called on Channel 4 and CPL to fully investigate them.

4 has removed all episodes of the programme from its streaming and linear services, alongside MAFS UK social channels. In a statement, Channel 4 said it had commissioned an external review of welfare on the show last month after being presented with serious allegations of wrongdoing.

Channel 4's chief executive Priya Dogra expressed sympathy to contributors who had clearly been distressed after taking part in Married at First Sight. She said the allegations were disputed by those accused and that she believed the broadcaster had acted quickly, appropriately, sensitively and with well-being front and centre when concerns were raised.

Lawyers for CPL, the 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.

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. The three women making the allegations all say Channel 4 did not do enough to protect them. Channel 4 was aware of some allegations before broadcast, and all the episodes featuring the women had been available on its streaming service before they were removed on Monday.

The UK version, which has been running for 10 seasons, is broadcast at prime time on Channel 4's sister channel E4.