Married at First Sight UK external review outcome, Digi Mart USA News (United Kingdom): Channel 4 has shared a summary of the findings of an external review of contributor welfare on Married at First Sight UK (MAFS UK), and Chief Executive Priya Dogra said the series will not return to the broadcaster. The show’s budget will be reinvested in distinctive new programming.
Dogra commissioned the external review in April after being presented with serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors by Panorama. Those contributors have denied the allegations.
The review had two elements. The first was a legally privileged and confidential review conducted by law firm Clyde & Co, which examined whether the welfare protocols in place when the claims were first raised, and the handling of those claims by Channel 4 and production company CPL, fulfilled Channel 4’s duty of care obligations under the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.
The Clyde & Co review found that, based on the evidence available and the balance of probabilities, Channel 4 and CPL’s welfare protocols were compliant with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code. It also found no breach of the Code in the handling of issues raised at the relevant times.
The review also noted isolated incidents in which the welfare framework was not fully implemented, and said Channel 4 and CPL could have undertaken a more structured longer-term review across multiple series. It identified areas where the contributor welfare framework could be further strengthened and made recommendations in this regard.
The Clyde & Co team reviewed 31,172 documents and 20 hours of broadcast and unbroadcast footage. It also conducted interviews with relevant individuals from Channel 4, CPL and contributors.
The second element of the review was led by former BBC One Controller Lorraine Heggessey. It examined whether any changes should be made to current MAFS UK protocols to further strengthen contributor welfare.
Heggessey reviewed extensive documentation and conducted confidential interviews with individuals involved in production, welfare processes, commissioning and compliance.
The Heggessey review found that the MAFS UK welfare protocols were extensive, extremely thorough and of a high standard, from which other productions in the industry have learnt. It also offered observations on the specific challenges of the MAFS UK format and made comprehensive future-facing recommendations.
Heggessey concluded that, with enhancements to the existing contributor welfare framework and adjustments to the format, it would be reasonable to continue producing future series of MAFS UK.
Neither element sought to adjudicate on the serious allegations highlighted by Panorama. Those allegations remain a matter for the relevant authorities.
Dogra thanked the external reviewers for their comprehensive analysis and welcomed the review and its recommendations. She noted that the MAFS UK format is based on the development of contributors’ relationships on and off camera over several weeks.
Wholesale implementation of the recommendations, while feasible, would require a materially greater level of intervention, monitoring and supervision that would fundamentally alter the format and editorial proposition of the programme.
Taking this together with the maturity of the programme, Dogra decided that the right course was to bring MAFS UK on Channel 4 to an end. The budget previously allocated to the show will be used to commission new programmes from the UK independent production community.
Dogra also confirmed that series 6 of MAFS UK, which was in production when the review was commissioned, will not be broadcast because it was not made under the recommended strengthened protocols. Second Married at First Sight (SMAFS), which was in pre-production with CPL before being paused during the review, will not resume production.
In a statement, Dogra said: “I want to thank Lorraine Heggessey and Clyde & Co for their thorough and incisive work over the last few months. Welfare across all our programmes is a primary concern, so we welcome the review, its findings and recommendations.”
She added: “This review did not have the authority to adjudicate on the very serious allegations made by three women in the Panorama programme, but I would like to repeat that I am very sorry for the distress those women have clearly felt.”
Channel 4 intends to share the review’s learnings and recommendations on contributor welfare with other broadcasters and encourage the industry to reinforce welfare protocols across reality television. The summary of findings and recommendations has been published and was approved by Clyde & Co and Lorraine Heggessey prior to publication.
