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

Staff members claim hit Channel 4 show’s culture was ‘toxic from the top down’ amid allegations of rape by female cast members 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 s