And just like that... MAFS is over

I watched Shona being bullied and controlled by Brad. He was obviously a really nasty piece of work. They removed the couple from the show, as they obviously knew some of what was going on. It’s anybody’s guess whether the producers knew the full extent. His behaviour was shocking and worse than any of the viewers knew about.

Other women coming forward to say they were raped is also absolutely shocking. The format attracts people wanting to be on the show and the shows have very high viewing figures. The makers of the show have clearly failed to protect the women taking part. Dreadful.

These are appalling allegations. I did watch the show for a couple of seasons of the old format, when it featured nice normal people. I stopped watching when they turned it into another sow-shull meeja twatfest.

Is there any indication of why the women went to a rival media organisation to publicise the alleged offences rather than reporting them to the police?

I’ve heard reports from MAFS OZ of coercive, controlling production teams, but this has really shocked me.

I think that someone who was on the UK version did a Q and A type thing on mumsnet once. I don’t think she stayed with her match.

According to Wiki there were 5 series shown on Channel 4 between 2015 and 2020 and then "After the success of the Australian version, the Australian format was adopted."

Wonder if any of the women on the Australian version will have anything to say.

I remember the original shows and it had a scientific feel to it. I only watched a few, but most split up within weeks. There didn’t seem to be anything bad happening, but it did feel odd that anyone would want to do this based on a few tests and random strangers deciding you would be a good match. I haven’t watched any of the new ones though.
Feel for the women involved in this latest scandal.

Bloody hell. This is horrific. Those poor women; despite signing up for “reality” telly, there’s no way they could have had even an inkling that this was possible. Who are the producers of this sh@t? Surely they are complicit.

(I’ve never watched it or anything similar, and am so glad I haven’t - think I’d feel manipulated and tainted if I had.)

it’s way completely really enjoyed the first series years and years ago

the recent Australian one was an absolute shocker miles away from the original concept of the program

Yes, I agree - the original series were horses of a different colour. It changed when it went global and presumably to a different production company.

Outside of these revelations there has been an awful lot of gaslighting, bullying and borderline coercive control .

At the same time, I am not sure about BBC gleefully presenting it as their top story and promoting Panorama tonight. Proper investigative journalism is great but they are sensationalising it themselves.

If it was a BBC programme people would be hungry for blood from the whole channel. I’ve always hated shows where they move people in together. In that handcuffed one they were sleeping in the same bed, showering and going to the toilet together!! There’s no way you can assure safety in those circumstances.

This programme has changed totally from when it was first made. I remember watching the first couple of series probably 10-15 years ago and it was quite gentle, quite documentary style, lots about matching people up and the way they made their choices of pairings.

Then it seemed to morph into something a lot different, aimed at shocking, not interested in finding matches but finding conflict, stirring it up.

If only someone had seen this coming.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Year_of_the_Sex_Olympics

You’ve edited your op.

I had to stop watching MAFS after the first couple of series. The across-the-board pressure to “be intimate” and the sofa tickings-off of the contestants (male and female) for “not taking things to the next level” (when they’re complete strangers on a game show and should be free to choose what level of intimacy to have with a fellow stranger)…. Well, I found all of that pretty morally and ethically dubious.

Aside from the blatantly obvious risk of plucking attractive randoms away from their usual support network, dazzling them with “telly life”, holding that over them as a carrot so that they don’t speak up about abuses and safeguarding concerns for fear of losing “the telly life”, plying them with free booze and then literally sending these strangers off to share a bed together…. What the fuck could possibly go wrong?!?!

I don’t want to come across as “I was right all along to see that this was all one MASSIVE red flag / shit-show / ethical black hole”, but…. 🤷‍♀️

Exactly this. Reality TV is and always has been utter tripe. I don't consider myself particularly intelligent but I have never seen the appeal of nearly naked people acting like desperados for attention. It''s not really shocking that TV people allow this shit to happen.

Oh dear. What will you watch now?

A non apology. Well done.

Awful. Those poor women.

I’m actually stunned at this attitude. Women were RAPED.

seriously?