Ofcom has launched an investigation into Channel 4's long-running reality series Married at First Sight UK.
The regulator confirmed the step on 20 July under its fairness and privacy rules after receiving a complaint about the potential unjust or unfair treatment of a cast member. This latest development arrives against a backdrop of serious concerns about how the programme handles participants' well-being in a format that hinges on intimate personal relationships.
An Ofcom spokeswoman said: "We are investigating a Fairness and Privacy complaint about Married at First Sight UK."
The series, which has run for 10 series and is billed by its producers as a bold social experiment, pairs strangers in mock weddings and tracks their subsequent relationships. Its production company, CPL, has long maintained that participant welfare is its gold standard.
Background of serious allegations
In May a BBC investigation reported allegations including rape made by three women against men they met on the show. The men involved deny the allegations. One cast member was arrested on suspicion of rape after the claims were broadcast.
Channel 4 responded by removing all episodes from its streaming service that month. It also commissioned two separate welfare reviews, one by a law firm and another led by former BBC executive Lorraine Heggessey. A summary of the findings is expected in summer.
