Married At First Sight producers are receiving backlash for casting someone who has been accused of abuse by multiple women. This is not the first time MAFS has been called out for doing this. However, they seem to be standing by their decision. Continue reading to see the network’s response.
MAFS UK Cast Member Accused Of Domestic Abuse
A MAFS UK groom Alex Henry is facing numerous allegations after he shared his promo reel online. Several women have chimed in, with one person calling him a “dangerous individual.”
Alex, a personal trainer from Birmingham, is being accused of domestic abuse. A group of women have petitioned Channel 4 in the United Kingdom to reconsider airing the episodes that include the MAFS groom. Some of them have even gone as far as to reach out to the Married At First Sight dating expert Mel Schilling.
They have come forward with evidence of all of their allegations to the network.
Shannon Munnelly pushed to have him removed from the show. She wrote online, “@alexander.henry_ should never have been allowed on this show.”
It is known that Shannon is speaking out on behalf of her friend who previously dated Alex. She continued, “In situations where people are marrying each other at first sight, allowing a domestic abuser to join the show is not acceptable at all. I have seen first hand the damage that this man has done. Something needs to be done about this situation. @e4mafsuk @e4grams domestic abusers should NOT be provided platforms.”
She chimed in on another comment, pointing out that they have messaged pictures and videos. However, they never received an update that MAFS on whether or not an investigation was being carried out. “We are petitioning to not have him aired on this show as he is a dangerous individual @e4mafsuk @e4grams,” Shannon concluded.
Married At First Sight Responds To Allegations
Despite the allegations being made against Alex Henry, Channel 4 and MAFS have confirmed that he will remain in the edited version of the show.
“MAFS UK was filmed several months ago and is not live, so Alexander will feature in the programmes that have been edited and are due for broadcast later this month,” a statement from Channel 4 read. “There will also be promotional activity on the channel’s social media platforms during this time, in which Alexander may appear.”
This controversy comes after another MAFS groom, George Roberts, was arrested. He was accused of controlling and coercive behavior but was later cleared.
Married At First Sight casts singles each season who will meet other singles for the first time at the altar. It is one of the highest-rated shows on Channel 4, despite the recent controversies.
A spokesperson for MAFS UK assured The Sun that all of the cast members are “subject to rigorous background vetting, including multiple independent psychological evaluations.” Each of the contributors must also undergo a criminal background check before they can take on the part.
“We cast contributors based on the information we are legally able to access and we continue to review this process to ensure checks are as thorough as legally possible,” the spokesperson concluded.
