At least six Married at First Sight UK stars reportedly plan to take legal action against the production company over welfare failures on the Channel 4 show.
It comes amid a period of intense scrutiny on the matchmaking show, with a contestant last week arrested on suspicion of rape.
Earlier this year, a BBC Panorama investigation aired a series of serious allegations made by three former cast members, which prompted Channel 4 to pull the programme from its streaming service.
It has now been reported that a group of former cast members have engaged a media lawyer to take legal action against production company CPL Productions, which makes MAFS.
It has been claimed that there are also more former contributors lined up to join the action, according to The Sun.
A source told the publication: ‘The claims on Panorama opened the floodgates and now a number of former MAFS cast members intend to take action against CPL for what they see as a severe lapse in participant care.’
Since the allegations aired on Panorama, Channel 4 has shelved plans for an all-stars spin-off titled Married At Second Sight, which was due to start filming this month.
The broadcaster has also reportedly employed an editor from Netflix’s UK version of reality show Love is Blind to oversee ‘extensive’ edits of the series, which has finished filming but does not currently have a release date.
The individual from the TV show who has been arrested on suspicion of rape cannot be identified for legal reasons. They have been bailed while enquiries continue, according to the Metropolitan Police.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video
The alleged victim is also anonymous under UK law, which grants lifelong anonymity to anyone who reports an alleged rape.
After the Panorama documentary aired in May, the police force made a public appeal for anyone who believed they had experienced sexual assault while participating in the show to come forward.
In the programme, two former contestants alleged they had been raped by men they met through the show, while a third claimed she had been subjected to a non-consensual sexual act. The men involved have denied the allegations.
Metro contacted CPL and Channel 4 for comment on this story.
Married at First Sight UK series 11 has been filmed, but there is currently no Channel 4 release date.