Disturbing

A former MAFS UK bride has alleged she was left traumatised after her on-screen husband performed a lewd act and controlled her behaviour as she criticises welfare team

A former Married At First Sight UK bride says she was traumatised for years after appearing on the show and alleges her co-star restricted her movements, leaving her isolated.

Speaking to the Mirror following Panorama: The Dark Side of Married At First Sight, which aired on BBC One on Monday night, the bride alleged: “He performed a lewd act and then touched my face without consent. He banned me from drinking or speaking to production staff without him.”

She claims to have reported it to welfare staff and that production staff were aware of incidents but she was encouraged to continue with the show. She alleged: “They [production] would say, ‘It’s going to be OK’. Staff bought me a drink to help smooth things over after I complained.”

READ MORE: Two more Married At First Sight UK brides and a groom make fresh abuse claims

Describing the welfare team, she alleged: “They present as your best friend. I thought they were somebody you could talk to about anything. But if I look back on it now, I would say it’s more like grooming.”

The bride alleged she felt pressured into intimacy by her partner and does not believe enough safeguarding existed once couples returned to their apartments off camera.

She said: “I had sex with my partner and whilst I wasn’t forced, I felt pressured.” She added: “The couch ceremonies are supposed to be a safe space where you can speak honestly. But you go back to your apartment afterwards and there are no cameras there and nobody to protect you.”

She told how much of the alleged behaviour took place away from cameras and claimed she repeatedly raised concerns with welfare and production teams throughout filming.

She had months of psychological assessments, interviews and background checks, which she believed were designed to protect participants.

But she said: “I told them everything about myself – that I’d been in controlling relationships before, that I struggled speaking up for myself and that I fall in love very quickly. But now I feel like I gave them the blueprint on how to expose me and use me.

“They knew I had a history of abusive, controlling relationships and paired me with someone who controlled my every move.”

She believes the intense filming conditions heightened emotions. She said: “I’ve never cried more in my life. “You aren’t sleeping enough, you’re filming 14, 15, sometimes 20-hour days and when you’re not filming, you’re isolated in an apartment.

“At the dinner parties you’d be picked up at 8am in full hair and make-up then left sitting in a shipping container for six or seven hours before filming. The worse your situation was with your partner, the longer they seemed to leave you in the room.”

She questioned how much information relationship experts Paul C. Brunson, Charlene Douglas and the late Mel Schilling had received. The contestant said: “The experts had zero idea what was going on. They gave good advice based on the information they had.”

After watching the Panorama episode, the bride believes the worst is yet to come. She added: “They need to properly safeguard people instead of just creating drama. This Panorama story is only the beginning of hearing the nightmares people have had.”

The bombshell claims come as Channel 4 removed all ten series from its platforms and scrapped the series due to air in September following a BBC Panorama investigation that revealed two women claim they were raped by their on-screen “husbands” during filming, while another made allegations of sexual assault against her partner.

The Metropolitan Police has now urged potential victims to come forward, stating they will be “making approaches to the relevant production teams” to ensure anyone affected knows how to report criminal allegations.

The scandal has blown open the production practices used in dating reality shows which have been growing in popularity over recent years.

Monday’s documentary sparked a political row, with Channel 4 CEO Priya Dogra telling MPs the broadcaster was “not an adjudicator” on the serious allegations. But it is feared this is just the tip of the iceberg for dating reality shows and these new claims put pressure on producers and broadcasters to clean up their act.

Channel 4 has commissioned an external review while insisting their welfare protocols are “some of the most comprehensive and robust in the industry”. Industry sources say the show is unlikely to ever air in the UK again.

The Mirror put these allegations to CPL and to Channel 4 who directed us to their statement in full. Part of this includes: “MAFS UK is produced under some of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry. These include the most thorough background checks available, a Code of Conduct which clearly sets out behavioural standards, daily contributor check-ins with a specialist welfare team and access to additional support before, during and after filming. The physical and psychological wellbeing of all contributors is of paramount importance throughout the process. All duty of care processes are regularly reviewed and, where appropriate, strengthened.”

Another section of the statement reads: “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.”

READ MORE: ‘Serious concerns’ raised with Channel 4 and Ofcom over Married At First Sight rape claims

Bad Bunny’s halftime show at this year’s Super Bowl was largely embraced as a milestone for Latin music and Puerto Rican culture on America’s most prominent pop-cultural stage.

Not everyone thought so, though.

The Federal Communications Commission has released a massive trove of viewer complaints against the musician, the show’s broadcast partner NBC, and the NFL.

Many of them expressed outrage at the supposed bawdiness of Bad Bunny’s Spanish-language lyrics and dancing on a broadcast watched by children.

“That was the most disgusting inappropriate show. I had to make all of my children go into the next room!” wrote one traumatized Las Vegas viewer. “The none use [sic] of inappropriate language should stand no matter what language it’s in. This is the most disturbing thing I’ve witnessed on live TV in a long time.”

“NFL halftime show showed 2 men in act of intercourse while behind a pickup truck door,” wrote one aghast Ohioan. “The ratings for NFL [sic] made it safe for my children to watch but they witnessed this and became disturbed.”

Another viewer from Charlotte, NC who, to their credit, seemed familiar with Bad Bunny’s catalog, wrote that they “take issue with the vocal performances of ‘Safaera,’ which is a track widely known for explicit sexual references and graphic lyrical content, and ‘Yo Perreo Sola,’ which had choreography featuring overtly sexualized movements, including widespread twerking, grinding, pelvic thrusts and other sexually suggestive conduct.”

Those viewers were likely not sated by the FCC’s February review of the performance, which found that the songs’ lyrics had been appropriately altered for the broadcast.

Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) had called for the FCC to investigate the broadcast.”What Americans witnessed during the Super Bowl halftime show with Bad Bunny was despicable and never should be allowed to be shown on television again,” Fine told the New York Post.

Many of the viewer complaints mirror President Trump’s post-show social media criticism, calling the performance “one of the worst EVER!”

“Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World,” the president wrote at the time.

Just before the Super Bowl, Bad Bunny had won the Grammy for album with “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” and joined a wave of artists speaking out against violent ICE raids in speeches at the ceremony. The superstar demurred on performing in the continental U.S. for similar fears, instead performing a lengthy Puerto Rican residency.

Adam Thomas has revealed David Haye reached out to him following his I’m A Celebrity win, but admits he fired back a blunt response as he opens up on his tough journey in camp

Days after the chaotic final, Adam Thomas has candidly opened up on his time in the I’m A Celebrity camp and explained exactly what went on between him and ex-boxer David Haye. The duo were embroiled in a bullying row on the ITV show and soap star Adam has now had his say.

The actor said he feels ‘dead inside and numb’ and claimed he wouldn’t have appeared on the show again even if he was paid ‘£10million’ , saying the ordeal has ‘eaten away at his soul.’ Adam said he felt the colour ‘drain from his face’ when Ant and Dec announced him as the winner as his worst nightmare came true.

While David is reportedly planning to sue the broadcaster for their portrayal of him in camp, Adam admits he believes the footage showed was the truth. He also revealed that David, who insists his alleged ‘bullying’ was nothing but ‘banter’ reached out to him over the weekend.

Speaking on his The Thomas Bro’s podcast with brothers Scott and Ryan Thomas, Adam said: Adam went on: “The most disturbing is that I look at David and even after the show and after everything he did, you know he sent me a voice note and was like ‘oh mate, what a great show that was. I’m so happy you won. Congratulations.'”

And he revealed the blunt message he sent his former campmate back. “I just sent him a message back just saying, you know ‘I think this is where we draw the line and I hope that you find happiness bro, but I’m done.'”

Adam said: “The relationship with me and David is even after the camp, even after he told me [out of camp] ‘you’re the nicest guy I’ve ever met and I just wanted to break you’, like, it’s cool. He apologised. I moved on.

“You know, we had voice messages back and forth and we’d just been bantering and having a laugh. I’d just put it all to bed. I think for David and some of the campmates that have come out and been on the live show and everything, I feel like it’s just a show for them. It’s entertainment. It’s fun. For me, it’s not about entertainment. I’m not playing a character or here for anyone else’s agenda. I’m just here to have a laugh and have fun and enjoy this experience.”

The actor said he felt he was “exploited” in the live show. “I think you can see at the end of it, I felt like I was just in the mist of it all and it wasn’t even about me.”

In camp, David was slammed for branding Adam “useless” after he declined to participate in a trial due to a medical condition. Meanwhile, Adam and Jimmy clashed when Jimmy withdrew from a trial, leaving Adam at risk of being sent home early.

Despite the show being filmed months in advance, things hadn’t eased between the trio. On Friday, as Adam was crowned, Haye reportedly goaded the star saying: “You’re not a worthy winner,” before Adam fumed: “This is bullying.”

Gemma Collins stuck up for Adam after his win, calling out David and Jimmy’s actions. Sharing a snap of the star wearing his crown, Gemma fumed: “What a show up!!! Absolutely disgusted with Jimmy and David’s behaviour, the biggest show up in TV history!!! What an embarrassment! To all the took part in the show it was a discredit to the production crew, cast, Ant and Dec biggest disrespect ever!

“Last night was meant to be a celebration instead it was very upsetting!! X Let’s hope Adam will find some energy to absorb his victory!”

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