Tui Ends Sponsorship of Married at First Sight Shows Amid Rape Allegations

Holiday company Tui has ended its sponsorship of three versions of Married at First Sight on Channel Four - the UK, Australia and US versions.

Tui told BBC News: "Following the broadcast of the Panorama programme and discussion with Channel 4, we have taken the decision to end our sponsorship of Married at First Sight."

Tui said it was "pausing" its sponsorship activity on Monday, after two women told the BBC they were raped during the filming of one of Channel 4's biggest shows, Married at First Sight UK, while a third described an allegation of a non-consensual sex act.

TV critic Scott Bryan said on Thursday that although non-UK versions "do not have anything to do with these recent allegations, it shows how the reputation of MAFS brand itself is being affected by this news".

Lawyers for CPL, the independent production company that makes the UK version of the show, said its welfare system was "gold standard" and industry-leading, and that it acted appropriately in all these cases.

Bryan said it was "a big deal" for Tui to pull out of the Australian edition - sometimes called MAFS Oz - as well as the UK one, because "it's a hugely popular and lucrative show for Channel 4, especially with younger viewers".

Channel 4 was aware of some allegations before broadcast, and all the episodes featuring the women had been available on its streaming service.

"What we always try to avoid is being really specific about, 'You can do this and you can't do that', because fundamentally the responsibility is with Channel 4 and its production company, or with ITV or BBC or whoever is producing these shows, to get this right," she explained.

"If they have not got right, this is going to be a serious issue.

"It's very live, but it does raise really serious concerns. If we need to tighten our guidance then we absolutely will."

She continued: "Sometimes we do have these wake-up calls where, as a country, we just go, 'This has gone too far.'"

Priya Dogra previously declined to apologise when asked by a reporter following the broadcast of Panorama on Monday, although she did express her "sympathy" for those who had spoken up.

But speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday to mark the release of the network's annual report, she apologised and said she had found the women's accounts "very troubling" to watch.

Dogra also clarified that the latest season of MAFS UK – which has already been filmed – has not been axed, despite media reports to the contrary.

But she said Channel 4 can't investigate the women's allegations, which the men have denied, adding: "We are a broadcaster, not an adjudicator."

A group of MPs has written to Channel 4 to ask for answers about what they say are "horrifying" allegations aired by Panorama.

The House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee has written to both Channel 4 and broadcast regulator Ofcom with questions about their actions and responses to the claims.

Married at First Sight UK - known to many as MAFS - sees single people agree to "marry" total strangers, after meeting for the first time at their mock weddings.