I don't think it's puritanical to recognise and reflect. To take Love Island as a comparison point, I've never seen the show in my life, but personally I feel it should have been cancelled after the suicides. Much as I've enjoyed MAFS in the past, right now I'm feeling like it too needs to be axed as a result of the revelations.
I think you're right about the human impulses behind shows like MAFS. The more I think about the whole premise of the show... I mean, its contestants are, by definition, people who have been struggling to create happy relationships. It's no wonder we only ever seem to get one Abi and John/Jeff and Rhi/Filip and Stella per series. The producers are deliberately recruiting, for the most part, people who are insecure/bitchy/damaged/arrogant/out-and-out trainwrecks in the name of 'entertainment'. It's never been a healthy premise, and lots of ways it's unsurprising that some contestants have turned out to be abusers. Tbh at this point I'm feeling quite grubby for having watched and enjoyed the show these past few years.
I do see your point about the shows providing a leg up into celebrity, but quite honestly I'm starting to feel that society needs to stop holding up celebrity as the ultimate goal when it appears little or no support is being offered to ordinary people who are suddenly propelled into the public eye and struggle to cope. I think influencer culture has a lot to answer for here too. Young people never used to venerate and chase after celebrity status the way they do now, and personally I think most of them were happier for it. It's been 20+ years since Jade Goody, it's probably time for a rethink.
In lots of ways I'm being hypocritical here given how much I've watched MAFS and discussed it on MN, but if it does continue I very much doubt I'll be watching it unless drastic changes are made, which I don't think will happen because 'drama' and 'ratings'. 😕 Also if Channel 4 dropped all its reality programme it would be left with a massive revenue hole. They might be forced to axe MAFS, but another dating show of some kind will no doubt spring up in its place if so.