The key facts
- New South Wales police opened an investigation on 24 August 2026 following a report of 'inappropriate content'; the case will be referred to Western Australia police
- Channel Nine confirmed it is aware of the investigation concerning Endemol Shine Australia; the producers have not commented
- Earlier BBC investigations covered undisclosed criminal convictions of contestants in the Australian version and rape allegations in the British version
A new police investigation
Reality show Married at First Sight Australia has found itself at the centre of a new scandal: police in the Australian state of New South Wales have opened an investigation following a report about the distribution of 'inappropriate content'. According to the outlet TV Blackbox, a contestant from the current season filed an official police complaint after, he claims, producers passed personal information about him to his show bride. A New South Wales police spokesperson told BBC News that the investigation began on Monday 24 August 2026 and that, following checks, the case will be referred to Western Australia police. However, Western Australia police told the BBC that the referral has not yet been received.
The channel's and producers' response
Channel Nine, which broadcasts the Australian version of the show, confirmed that it is 'aware of the police investigation' concerning production company Endemol Shine Australia, and referred all questions to it. Endemol Shine Australia has not responded to repeated requests for comment.
Previous BBC revelations
In June, BBC News published an investigation in which nine former contestants of the Australian version said they had not been told about their partners' previous convictions related to drugs and violence. One contestant from a past season said she only learned of the drug conviction of the man matched with her after the show had ended, and stated: 'There must be informed consent.' At the time, Channel 9 and Endemol Shine Australia responded that they have 'strong protocols to ensure the safety and wellbeing of participants'. Australia's media regulator described the allegations as 'serious and concerning'.
Crisis around the British version
The British version of the show, MAFS UK, produced by a different company, CPL, was thrown into crisis in May after a BBC Panorama investigation: two contestants alleged rapes by their show 'husbands'; the men deny the allegations. In July, BBC News reported that one MAFS UK contestant had been arrested on suspicion of rape; his name and the name of the alleged victim are not being disclosed, because complainants in such cases have a legal right to anonymity. Regulator Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into Channel 4, which aired the show and, shortly before the Panorama programme was broadcast, removed the British episodes from its streaming service. The Australian version remains available to watch.
Waiting for the duty-of-care report
Channel 4 commissioned a review of the show's participant duty-of-care procedures, but intends to publish only a 'summary of findings' rather than the full report. The broadcaster's chief previously said the report would be ready in the summer, but it has still not been published. This week, Ofcom chief Dame Melanie Dawes told parliamentarians that the report would be ready 'any day now'. CPL's lawyers previously described the participant duty-of-care system as a 'gold standard' and industry-leading. The show, now in its 10th season, is one of Channel 4's biggest, with an audience often exceeding three million viewers.
Image source, Getty Images 
