1 week ago
EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4 is pushing connected pinch a Married astatine First Sight (MAFS) spin-off pursuing rape allegations relating to nan main series.
Channel 4 announced nan franchise would beryllium expanding successful February, pinch Second Marriage astatine First Sight bringing together singletons from some nan UK and Australian shows for a 2nd chance astatine uncovering love.
Deadline is told nan show is pushing connected pinch pre-production, pinch filming not owed to statesman until precocious summer. Cameras could statesman rolling astir nan clip 2 reviews into nan MAFS UK allegations study back.
“Whilst we’re successful pre-production, we’ve not yet begun filming on Second Marriage astatine First Sight,” said a Channel 4 spokeswoman. “Any findings from our reappraisal will beryllium incorporated into nan production.”
Second Marriage astatine First Sight is besides produced by MAFS UK maker CPL Productions and was owed to beryllium 1 of Channel 4’s splashiest intermezo launches of nan year, being nan first to harvester 2 of nan astir successful MAFS territories, nan UK and Australia.
Channel 4 CEO Priya Dogra said yesterday that “no determination has been made” connected nan early of Season 6 of nan main MAFS UK, describing reports that it has been axed arsenic “wholly inaccurate.” The bid is “substantially filmed and presently successful nan edit,” according to Channel 4 Chief Content Officer Ian Katz.
Were Channel 4 to truthful push connected pinch Second Marriage astatine First Sight, it would correspond nan first type of nan show to movie since nan emergence of nan allegations. Channel 4 has, successful nan meantime, taken down each episodes of MAFS UK from its streaming work successful bid to debar “stoking speculation that mightiness lead to nan jigsaw recognition of nan women successful the Panorama programme aliases so immoderate different contributors,” Dogra said yesterday.
The daze BBC Panorama included 2 allegations of rape and 1 of a non-consensual activity enactment connected MAFS UK. The 3 men accused of wrongdoing contradict nan accusations, while Channel 4, which said it was made alert of nan allegations respective weeks earlier nan Panorama, and CPL Productions, insist that use protocols were followed.
Channel 4 has commissioned 2 outer reviews owed to study backmost complete nan summer, 1 from a rule patient “examining nan use protocols successful spot connected this programme astatine nan clip claims were raised” and nan different from erstwhile BBC One Controller Lorraine Heggessey, who is probing whether “any changes should beryllium made to existent protocols for MAFS UK.
Tui pulls sponsorship
As nan ungraded moves into its 4th day, recreation patient Tui, good known for achieving viral TikTok fame for its catchy vacation taxable song, has coming ended its sponsorship of MAFS UK, positive nan Australian and American versions.
“Following nan broadcast of nan Panorama programme and chat pinch Channel 4, we person taken nan determination to extremity our sponsorship of Married astatine First Sight,” a spokesperson told BBC News.
The news will beryllium a rustle and could lead to a domino effect among MAFS advertisers and sponsors.
Yesterday, Dogra apologized to nan women who made “very troubling” rape allegations. The Metropolitan Police has urged victims to travel forward.
