Two Married at First Sight UK brides claim they were raped by on-screen husbands, BBC report
Warning: This article contains allegations of rape and sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.
A BBC Panorama investigation has looked into the 'dark side' of Married At First Sight UK (MAFS) as two brides say they were allegedly raped during filming.
And a third, the only woman to be identified, has described an allegation of sexual misconduct by her onscreen husband. Their claims will be shown on BBC One at 8pm tonight (18 May).
Shona Manderson appeared on MAFS in 2023 and says that about a week after leaving she discovered she was pregnant and chose to have an abortion.
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She told BBC News: "I don't think that because you're going on reality TV, you deserve in any way for things like this to happen to you."
One of the women has claimed her onscreen husband raped her and threatened her with an acid attack.
The three women claim that the Channel 4 show did not do enough to protect them and added that they are speaking to the BBC because they feel they should have been better protected.
Shona was matched with Bradley Skelly on MAFS UK and during filmed discussions with the experts, he was very open that he wanted to do things that pushed her boundaries.
But he did acknowledge there were things he understood she wouldn't do.
While she told Panorama that they had agreed to 'pull out' as a method of contraception, she claimed that on one occasion, he ejaculated inside her without asking permission.
"I was shocked, I was confused, we said we weren't doing that," Shona said.
She did not immediately tell anyone what had happened and later went accompanied by a welfare producer to get a morning-after pill. CPL's lawyers say the company spoke to the pair a few days later and Shona had told them what happened. They claim she later said she didn't have an issue with it while Bradley said he had been wearing a condom.
His lawyers have now told Panorama he was not.
"I made the choice to go through an abortion"
The couple were removed from the show by CPL and Channel 4 shortly after the incident with there being concerns the relationship was potentially unhealthy.
Bradley claimed he understood Shona had consented to him ejaculating inside her on that occasion.
In a statement, the groom said he categorically denies 'any allegations of sexual misconduct' or that he was 'controlling'. He said their relationship 'was based on mutual consent, care and affection'.
About a week after leaving MAFS UK, Shona discovered she was pregnant.
"I made the choice to go through an abortion. It was really hard," she said, adding that she doesn't know if the pregnancy resulted from the alleged incident.
The pair stayed together for six weeks after leaving the show but separated shortly afterwards.
CPL's lawyers said the company took appropriate measures to safeguard Shona's wellbeing and Channel 4 added that Shona was clear at the time that all sexual contact was consensual.
"I kept saying no"
Another bride, named as Lizzie for anonymity, claimed her 'husband' told her off camera that he and his ex had been 'violent' towards each other. As she was worried, she told the production company's (CPL) welfare team.
Their lawyers told the BBC they spoke with him and he said he had been the victim of violence and when they discussed it with Lizzie, she said she didn't feel at risk.
She claims sex soon turned violent and he would bruise her despite that she 'kept saying stop'.
"He said that if I told anybody what had happened, that he would get someone to throw acid at me," Lizzie claimed. The participant says she tried to speak to him off camera but he 'threw a temper tantrum' and then later that night attacked her.
"We were in our apartment, on the sofa, and he tried to have sex with me. And I kept saying no, that I didn't want to do it," the MAFS UK bride claimed.
"But he kept saying, 'You can't say no, you're my wife'. And he just did it anyway."
Lizzie described it as 'penetrative sex' and was left with 'fingerprints from where he'd grabbed and forced me'. She added that the next morning, as soon as he had left their apartment she messaged the welfare team.
Lizzie said she showed her bruises and told them all but the alleged attack itself. CPL's lawyers told the BBC that she described the bruises as the result of rough, but consensual sex and that the acid-throwing remark was reported as a passing comment, not a threat.
They added that CPL acted immediately once Lizzie said she felt unsafe.
The bride said she still took part in filming because she got 'so wrapped up' in being on the show. She said after the show went out, she spoke to the MAFS UK psychiatrist and told him she had been raped.
Her onscreen husband's lawyers said he denies rape and said that all sexual contact was entirely consensual. He also denies being violent towards her or making violent threats to her, they said. Lizzie now wants to pursue a legal claim against CPL.
Her barrister, Charlotte Proudman, told Panorama that the show demonstrated: "A lack of curiosity, a lack of the ability to ask important questions and the failure to implement basic safeguarding measures."
A third bride, named as Chloe for anonymity, said she told both Channel 4 and CPL after filming, but before her series aired, that she had been raped.
Her onscreen husband's lawyers said he challenges details of her account. She claimed he said to her: "You're making me feel like a rapist."
Channel 4 said the three women who have spoken to Panorama gave 'repeated assurances they felt safe, happy and wanted to continue in the process'.
It also pointed how that many past participants have complimented the care they received on MAFS UK.
"Channel 4 acted quickly, appropriately and sensitively"
Following the publication of these claims today (18 May), Channel 4 has announced that in April it commissioned an external review into contributor welfare on MAFS UK and this is currently ongoing.
Priya Dogra, Chief Executive of Channel 4 said: “I want to express my sympathy to contributors who have clearly been distressed after taking part in Married at First Sight UK. The wellbeing of our contributors is always of paramount importance.
“It would be wholly inappropriate for me to comment on what are very serious allegations made against some MAFS UK contributors. Those allegations – which I understand are disputed by the contributors accused – are not something that Channel 4 is in a position to adjudicate on. We are also mindful of our ongoing duty of care to all contributors, and the need to preserve the anonymity and privacy of all involved.
“On the claims that Channel 4 may have failed in its duty of care, I believe that when concerns about contributor welfare were raised, and based on the information available at the time, Channel 4 acted quickly, appropriately, sensitively and with wellbeing front and centre.
“Nevertheless, because we aspire to the highest standards of contributor welfare, I felt strongly as Channel 4’s new CEO that it was right that we look again at how we handled issues raised at the time and ask whether changes should be made to further strengthen contributor welfare.
“That’s why last month I commissioned an external review of contributor welfare on MAFS UK. That review will report to me in the coming months.
“We take these issues very seriously and are committed to ensuring that we continue to lead the industry in our duty of care for contributors.”
LADbible has contacted Channel 4 and CPL for comment.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.
Topics: Channel 4, Married At First Sight, TV and Film
Jess Battison