Married at First Sight Australia is under scrutiny following a BBC investigation that alleges contestants were not informed about their partners' criminal histories before being matched on the show. Nine former cast members have come forward, claiming that several male participants were allowed to appear despite having convictions related to drugs and violence.
Allegations of Concealed Criminal Records
According to the investigation, one former participant discovered their match had a previous drug conviction, while another learned that their partner had been convicted of affray, a public order offence involving violence or threats. These revelations have raised serious questions about the show's vetting processes.
Network Response
In a joint statement, Nine and Endemol Shine Australia said they “take their obligations in respect of the health, wellbeing and safety of participants extremely seriously.” The statement outlined a multi-stage checking process that includes police and criminal-history checks in each declared country of residence, independent clinical psychological assessment, medical screening, disclosure supported by a statutory declaration, and legal and digital due diligence. However, the statement added that “the support for participants is continually evolving and each season we re-assess this framework.”
Industry Reaction
Sunrise Showbiz editor Peter Ford noted that the language in the statement, particularly the phrase “continually evolving,” suggests the network may be acknowledging room for improvement. “They go to great lengths to say they do background checks on people, criminal records, etc. They go for psychological testing,” Ford said. “But interestingly, they’re not denying there that they’re not saying, ‘Oh, we told these people about the backgrounds of the blokes.’”
Ford added that the production team will need to be extremely careful with casting for the next series, which is likely already in pre-production. “They will have to be very, very certain of who they’re signing up to be a part of it because they really are now under very close scrutiny,” he said.
Context of Broader Scrutiny
The allegations come just weeks after a Channel 4 documentary made more serious claims about the UK version of the show, including allegations of sexual assault. Ford noted that the allegations in this matter are “less serious” than those in the documentary, but they still highlight ongoing concerns about participant safety in reality television.
