A groundbreaking BBC Panorama documentary exposes the “dark side” of MAFS UK, prompting a statement from the government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Earlier this week, BBC  Panorama released The Dark Side of Married At First Sight UK. This documentary told the story of women who have been mistreated by grooms on the reality series. Two of these women, who chose to stay anonymous, accused their grooms of rape and assault. It’s been reported that Channel 4 were aware of some of these allegations before the documentary was released.

The documentary has opened up conversations about recruitment processes for reality television shows, especially those that focus on dating and marriage. Police have urged the MAFS brides who shared their traumatic experiences on the series to press charges, and now the UK government have released a statement.

via BBC

In a statement issued to the BBC, they said: All allegations must be referred to the appropriate authorities and investigated with the full co-operation of those involved, with action taken to ensure that the highest standards are upheld and there are consequences for criminality or wrongdoing.”

Independent regulatory body Ofcom also provided a statement to the BBC, highlighting Channel 4’s responsibility for the welfare of MAFS UK contestants.

“Under our rules, broadcasters are required to take due care over the welfare of people who might be at risk of significant harm as a result of taking part in a programme,” they said.

“We note that Channel 4 has launched an external review into contributor care on MAFS UK and we await its findings,” they added. “We will review this and all other evidence made available to us.”

All previous episodes of MAFS UK have been removed from streaming services as Channel 4 reportedly holds internal discussions about next steps for the popular series.