In brief
Police in New South Wales are investigating the production company behind Married at First Sight Australia after claims that illegal material was shared with contestants. The inquiry follows a BBC investigation that revealed participants were not warned of partners’ criminal records. Channel Nine confirmed its awareness of the police probe and said all questions should be directed to the producers. Meanwhile, the UK version of the show is facing its own scandal following rape allegations that put welfare protocols under scrutiny.
On 24 August, officers from the South Sydney Police Area Command began an investigation after a report that inappropriate content had been shared during the filming of Married at First Sight Australia (MAFS A). The matter was subsequently referred to the Western Australia Police Force, which has not yet confirmed receipt of the referral.
Channel Nine confirmed that it was aware of the police inquiry and said all enquiries should be directed to the production company, Endemol Shine Australia. The company, which produces MAFS A, has not yet responded to media requests for comment.
The investigation comes after a BBC News probe in June revealed that several former cast members had not been informed that their partners carried previous drug and violence convictions. The revelations prompted a warning from the Australian media regulator, who called the disclosures “serious and disturbing” and urged the show to improve its background‑check procedures.
MAFS A has faced ongoing scrutiny. Earlier this year a BBC Panorama programme alleged rape incidents involving UK‑based contestants, sparking a separate investigation by Ofcom into the Channel 4‑broadcast version of the show. The UK production has commissioned a welfare review, but a full report remains pending.
Key points— NSW police are probing the sharing of inappropriate material on set; Channel Nine defers to the producers; previous BBC investigations exposed hidden criminal histories among participants; UK counterpart embroiled in rape allegations and welfare review.
