Just weeks after Married at First Sight UK was the subject of a shocking BBC Panorama documentary that included allegations of sexual misconduct and assault, MAFS Australia has come under fire
A shock new report claims that some brides on Married at First Sight Australia were not informed their on-screen husbands had criminal convictions.
Two brides from last year’s series of MAFS Australia have told the BBC that they were not informed their on-screen grooms had convictions – one had a drug conviction, and another for affray. Nine former contestants told the BBC that they believed the background checks for the reality TV show were insufficient. “There should be informed consent,” said the woman whose ‘husband’ had a drug conviction that she only learned of after filming had completed.
The allegations come only weeks after the UK version of the popular reality TV show was the subject of an explosive BBC Panorama documentary, which included claims from two brides that they had been sexually assaulted by their grooms – both of whom denied the allegations. After the documentary, two brides and a groom anonymously alleged to the Mirror that they had been subjected to abusive behaviour, sexual assault, and insufficient welfare procedures.
The programme’s future has been plunged into jeopardy as the controversy saw the show removed from Channel 4. MAFS Australia has long been popular with reality TV fans in the UK too, and is still available for Brits to watch on Channel 4’s platform – however, it is produced by a different company, and Channel 4 does not have any editorial control over it.
The show sees couples meet for the very first time at their ‘wedding day’ – but the unions are not legal. The couple’s then get to know each other on honeymoon, and move in together, with the group of contestants at large getting together for regular dinner parties and commitment ceremonies – whilst being filmed nearly every hour of the day. One contestant from MAFs Australia, Sierah Swepstone, alleged to the BBC that she had not been told her on-screen partner, Billy Belcher, had numerous drug offences from 2014. She claimed: “You shouldn’t be left alone with a stranger with a criminal record. At the very least, there should be informed consent. They should let us know. Why is the show accepting that risk on our behalf? We should have the choice.
“Brides are not safe on MAFS Australia,” she alleged. MAFS Australia is produced by Endemol Shine Australia – who the Mirror has contacted for comment – and is broadcast on Channel 9. In a joint statement made previously, Endemol and Channel 9 said about Belcher’s previous conviction: “Billy was completely honest with production about the life lessons he learnt when he was 18, after receiving a suspended sentence with good behaviour for drug related offences.” The highlighted he had no record of abusive or violent behaviour.
An anonymous contestant alleged to the BBC that the man she was matched with on MAFS Australia had a volatile temper and on one occasion threw a microphone pack at a wall, amongst other incidents. She also alleged that he told her during the making of the show that he had a history of aggressive behaviour, of which production was aware. The man categorically denied the allegations to the BBC, and Endemol and Channel 9 are reported to have said they have no record of any incidents during filming, but that they were aware the man “was involved in an isolated incident several years before”.
The anonymous contestant said she was “terrified” during filming and has been left dealing with trauma from the experience, “They did the checks and they knew about his background, and they cast him anyway as it makes ‘good TV,'” she alleged. Another contestant had a criminal conviction for affray from 2017, the BBC reports; Adrian Araouzou who appeared in the 2025 series.
During his tenure on the show it emerged that he had been acquitted of three charges of domestic violence in 2021. Channel 9 and Endemol Shine Australia are reported not to have told his MAFS bride that he had been convicted for affray, but pointed out to the BBC “All participants on MAFS, including Adrian, undergo extensive background checks including police checks.
“The affray conviction was nine years ago, and the penalty was a $400 [£210] fine, placing this at the lowest end of the spectrum for this offence as determined by the court”.
Timothy Smith, who participated in the 2024 MAFS Australia series was convicted of drug trafficking in the US, something he confirmed after the programme he had pleaded guilty to and been for which he had been imprisoned for one year. He did not tell Endemol Shine or Channel 9 about this, and only revealed the information after his series had aired. Another contestant Chris Nield has reportedly been found guilty of assault – the production company and Channel 9 pointed out that this offence was a one-off and had occurred 11 years previously, with no behaviour like it occurring since.
Other contestants from MAFS Australia who spoke to the BBC about the background check process alleged that it was “rushed” and expressed that in their opinion, people with previous convictions should not be allowed on the show, and that their partners should be told about any previous offences because of the close proximity that comes with the on-screen ‘marriage’.
“There is a structured, multi-stage checking process that every participant must complete and clear,” Endemol Shine Australia and Channel 9 told the BBC, adding that the take the safeguarding “extremely seriously” and had “strong protocols”.
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