Committee publication · Correspondence · 20 May 2026

Letter from the Chair to Priya Dogra, Chief Executive, Channel 4, regarding Married at First Sight, 20 May 2026

From: Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Summary

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee Chair writes to Channel 4's Chief Executive following a Panorama investigation into duty-of-care failures on the reality show Married at First Sight. The letter raises serious concerns about participant safeguarding, Channel 4's awareness of allegations before broadcast, and the adequacy of complaints processes, requesting responses to seven specific questions by 1 June 2026.

Key findings

Panorama broadcast serious allegations about Channel 4 and production company CPL Productions' failure to meet duty-of-care obligations to reality TV participants, supported by academic research from Aston University
Channel 4 was reportedly aware of some allegations before broadcast but proceeded with transmission; the Committee seeks clarification on timing and rationale
Channel 4's initial response dismissing allegations as 'wholly uncorroborated and disputed' is questioned as potentially inadequate
Existing independent reviews by Lorraine Heggessey and Clyde and Co are underway but completion timelines are unclear
Broader concerns exist about duty-of-care compliance across other Channel 4 reality television commissions

Tone

Critical

Topics

broadcastingsafeguardingreality-televisionduty-of-carecomplaints-procedures

Key actors

Priya Dogra, Channel 4, CPL Productions, BBC Panorama, Aston University, Lorraine Heggessey, Clyde and Co, Dame Caroline Dinenage

Notable line

“Why was your initial response so dismissive?”

Key Quotes

“Panorama made some very serious allegations, drawing on wider research by academics at Aston University, about the extent to which broadcasters and programme makers are meeting their duty of care towards participants in reality television.”
— Dame Caroline Dinenage · Outlining the scope of the Panorama investigation

“According to the Panorama report, Channel 4 was aware of some of the allegations before the shows were broadcast. When did Channel 4 first become aware of the allegations made in the Panorama programme relating to Married at First Sight?”
— Dame Caroline Dinenage · Questioning Channel 4's pre-broadcast knowledge of complaints

“You are reported to have told Panorama that the allegations were "wholly uncorroborated and disputed". Why was your initial response so dismissive?”
— Dame Caroline Dinenage · Challenging the initial dismissive stance toward allegations

View original document →

Source · parliament.uk record ↗