Married At First Sight Australia Stars Say They Were Matched With Criminal Convictions

Married at First Sight Australia stars say they were not told their on-screen partners had criminal pasts, leaving them feeling “unsafe and unprotected,” according to a BBC investigation.

“- Published Married at First Sight Australia stars say the show left them feeling unsafe and unprotected because their on-screen partners had criminal pasts which they were not told about, a BBC investigation can reveal”

BBC

Sierah Swepstone, from last year’s series, said she was cast with Billy Belcher, who was arrested and sentenced in 2014 for multiple drug-related offences in Perth, and that she was not told about his previous conviction before or during production.

BBC

Swepstone told the BBC, “You shouldn’t be left alone with a stranger with a criminal record,” and she added, “At the very least, there should be informed consent.”

The BBC investigation also said another groom had a past conviction for affray, which it understood was not made known to his on-screen bride, and nine former cast members called for improved background checks.

Channel 9 and Endemol Shine Australia responded to the allegations with a joint statement saying they had “strong protocols in place to ensure participant safety and wellbeing”.

In the same BBC report, Channel 9 and Endemol Shine Australia pointed to a previous statement that said, “Billy was completely honest with production about the life lessons he learnt when he was 18, after receiving a suspended sentence with good behaviour for drug related offences.”

NZ Herald

The BBC investigation said the broadcaster did not answer a specific question about whether some cast members were informed about their partners’ criminal pasts, but it told the BBC its protocols did not include sharing personal or background information between participants.

The BBC also reported that Belcher did not respond to a request for comment, while it said another former contestant told it her on-screen partner had behaved aggressively in the past and that producers knew.

The BBC reported that nine former cast members from MAFS Australia were calling on the show to improve its background checks and to stop allowing individuals with previous convictions or allegations on the show.

“Arabic version:المتسابقون في برنامج الواقع يطالبون بممارسات أكثر أمانًا بعد الكشف عن ماضيهم الإجرامي Contestants from *Married at First Sight Australia* have expressed serious concerns regarding their safety after discovering that their partners had undisclosed criminal histories”

Oz Arab Media

The NZ Herald said nine former cast members told the British news outlet they were calling for an improvement in how the show conducted background checks, and it described Swepstone’s stance that she should have been given a choice.

In the BBC investigation, a former contestant who asked to remain anonymous said, “I was terrified the whole time,” and she said she thought she’d be safe and signed up to the show.

The BBC also said the British version of the show, known as MAFS UK, was plunged into crisis after BBC Panorama reported rape allegations from two women contestants, allegations the men involved have denied, while MAFS Australia remained available to watch.