Married at First Sight Australia is facing fresh controversy after police opened an investigation into the hit reality television show. New South Wales Police told the media that inquiries had taken place following a report of inappropriate content being shared.
Channel Nine, which broadcasts the show, confirmed it was aware of a police investigation involving the production company behind the program. The development comes after a series of problems for the show, which has been popular in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Police probe into shared content
A New South Wales Police spokesperson said officers from the South Sydney Police Area Command started the investigation on Monday 24 August 2026. The inquiry followed a report of inappropriate content being shared.
The spokesperson added that, once inquiries were complete, the matter would be referred to Western Australia Police. When contacted, WA Police said the referral had not yet been received.
Channel Nine referred all questions to Endemol Shine Australia, the company that makes the Australian version of the show. A spokesperson for the broadcaster said enquiries should be directed to the production company. Endemol Shine Australia has not responded to multiple requests for comment about the latest developments.
According to the industry news website TV Blackbox, a male cast member on the current series made a formal complaint to police after producers allegedly shared private information about him with his on-screen bride. The website’s claim has not been independently confirmed in the material available to us, and it is presented here as the website’s reporting.
Earlier concerns over cast background checks
The latest investigation adds to earlier scrutiny of the Australian series. In June, a media investigation heard from nine former cast members who urged the show to improve its background checks. They also called for the programme to stop allowing people with previous convictions or allegations to take part.
One woman from last year’s Australian series said she was not told that the man she had been matched with had a previous drug conviction. She said she only found out after the show had ended. “There should be informed consent,” she said.
At the time, Channel Nine and Endemol Shine Australia responded to those claims by saying they had “strong protocols in place to ensure participant safety and wellbeing.” The revelations also prompted a warning from Australia’s media watchdog, which described them as “serious and disturbing.”
Scrutiny of the UK version of the show
The British version of the programme, known as MAFS UK, has faced its own crisis this year. In May, a current affairs programme reported rape allegations made by two female cast members. The men involved have denied the allegations.
The UK version is made by a different production company from the Australian one. In July, it was reported that a cast member from the UK version had been arrested on suspicion of rape following the broadcast. Police have not named the individual, and neither has the alleged victim. Anyone who makes an allegation of rape is entitled to anonymity by law.
Channel 4, which broadcasts the UK version, pulled all of its episodes from its streaming service just hours before the May programme aired. The Australian version remains available to watch. The UK show has been running for 10 seasons and is one of the broadcaster’s biggest, with audience figures often topping three million.
The media regulator Ofcom has also opened an official investigation into the Channel 4 show. Channel 4 has commissioned a review into contributor welfare, but it intends to publish only a summary of findings rather than the full report. Its chief executive had previously said the review was due back in the summer, but it has not yet been published.
Speaking to MPs earlier this week, Ofcom chief Dame Melanie Dawes said the report was due back “any day now.” Lawyers for CPL, the independent company that makes the UK version, have previously said its welfare system is “gold standard” and industry-leading.
