Note: The following article contains discussion of sexual misconduct allegations.
An unnamed former contestant from Married at First Sight UK has been arrested on suspicion of rape, it has been reported. Neither the individual in question nor the alleged victim have been named.
The report comes from BBC News, and follows a Panorama investigation earlier this year into serious allegations against past participants from the programme.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson told BBC News: "On Thursday, 18 June, Met officers arrested a man in his 30s on suspicion of rape. This relates to an ongoing investigation, being led by the Met Police."
The statement adds: "He has since been bailed while enquiries remain ongoing."
Under UK law, anyone who makes an allegation of rape is entitled to anonymity.
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Reports earlier this year concerning the behaviour of MAFS participants has prompted a wealth of discussion around how programmes in the reality genre are made, and Channel 4 commissioned a review into contributor welfare.
In the Panorama special, two women alleged they were raped by their on-screen husbands during production of the show, while a third alleged a non-consensual sex act. The men in question have denied all allegations.
All episodes of the UK version of Married At First Sight have since been pulled from the broadcaster's streaming platform, with episodes of the USA, New Zealand and Australia editions still available.
Back in late May, it was reported in The Sun that upcoming spin-off show Second Married at First Sight could still be going ahead with "major format changes".
A spokesperson told Digital Spy at the time: "Whilst we're in pre-production, we've not yet begun filming on Second Marriage at First Sight. Any findings from our review will be incorporated into the production."
There have been no further updates since.
If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information from Rape Crisis England and Wales, which works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct, on its website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online, specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who'll listen.
