Channel 4 has issued an update on the future of Married At First Sight (MAFS) following reports that its next series had been axed.
Some publications claimed that the dating show's next series, which is due to air in September, had been cancelled.
However, Channel 4 has shared with Newsquest that no decision has yet been made on Married At First Sight's future.
It followed news on Monday (May 19), when the broadcaster removed all previous seasons of the dating show from its streaming platforms.
This decision was made after "very serious allegations" were made against some former "contributors" of the show.
A BBC Panorama investigation has revealed that two women claimed they were raped during the filming of MAFS UK, with a third describing an allegation of a non-consensual sex act.
Channel 4 announced on Monday that it was launching an external review into contributor welfare on the show.
MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee have also written to Channel 4 and Ofcom about their response to allegations of rape and sexual assault on the programme.
Why has Channel 4 removed all Married At First Sight episodes from its streaming service?
Shona Manderson, who appeared on the show in 2023, was one of the women to open up about their experiences in Panorama: The Dark Side of Married At First Sight.
She alleged that her on-screen husband, Bradley Skelly, had committed a non-consensual sex act on her.
Two other women, whose identities have been kept hidden, alleged their on-screen husbands had raped them.
All three men have strenuously denied the allegations against them.
In a statement released on Monday, Channel 4 said: "In April, Channel 4 was presented with serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors, allegations that we understand those contributors have denied.
“The channel is mindful of the privacy and continuing duty of care towards all contributors, and cannot comment on or disclose details of those allegations.
“Related to those allegations, Channel 4 was asked to respond to claims of failures in welfare protocols.
"Channel 4 believes that when concerns related to contributor welfare were raised through existing welfare and production protocols, prompt and appropriate action was taken, based on the information available at the time.
“Channel 4 strongly refutes any claim to the contrary.”
Recommended reading:
What is Married At First Sight?
Produced for Channel 4 by independent production company CPL, Married At First Sight UK (MAFS UK) matches single people together, with the couple then immediately meeting for the first time on their "wedding" day.
While the marriages are not legally binding, viewers see couples go on "honeymoon" before moving in together and navigating their relationships.
The UK version has been running for 10 seasons, with all episodes available on All4, before the allegations came to light through the BBC.
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