Married at First Sight Australia Faces Police Probe After Contestant Alleges Private Content Was Shared on Set

Police in Australia are investigating the hit reality series Married at First Sight after a report that inappropriate personal content was shared during filming of the show's upcoming season. The case is the latest in a string of controversies surrounding the franchise.

New South Wales Police said officers from the South Sydney Police Area Command opened an investigation on Aug. 24 after a report was filed in Sydney. Officers attended an apartment building in the Sydney suburb of Zetland, where the show was being filmed.

Police said officers "commenced an investigation following a report of inappropriate content being shared." They said that following inquiries, the matter has been referred to Western Australia Police Force.

A Western Australia Police unit said it had not yet received the referral, according to Yahoo Lifestyle Australia.

Broadcaster points to producer

Nine, the network that broadcasts Married at First Sight in Australia, confirmed it was aware of the investigation but directed questions to the show's producer, EndemolShine Australia.

"We are aware of a police investigation involving Endemol Shine Australia and all inquiries should be directed to them," a Nine spokesperson said.

EndemolShine Australia did not immediately respond to requests for comment from several media outlets.

What is alleged

Police have not said what the content involved or who reported it.

According to Australian entertainment news site TV Blackbox, a male contestant filed the complaint after producers allegedly obtained private information about him and shared it with his on-screen bride during filming. The publication, citing an unnamed source, reported that the material allegedly involved the contestant and a former girlfriend.

TV Blackbox also reported that police conducted interviews and seized phones when they visited the set, and that the contestant had refused offers to settle the matter. Those claims have not been confirmed by police, Nine or EndemolShine.

It was not clear which law, if any, may have been broken. Under New South Wales law, it is a crime to share intimate images of a person without their consent. Police have not said whether the investigation relates to those laws.

The alleged incident happened during filming of the show's forthcoming season, which has not yet aired.

A series under scrutiny

The investigation adds to growing scrutiny of Married at First Sight, one of the most-watched programs on Australian television.

The show pairs strangers who meet for the first time at their weddings, which are not legally binding, and then follows the couples as they live together, attend dinner parties with other couples and decide each week whether to stay together. Its dramatic storylines have made it a ratings juggernaut for Nine, and it has spawned versions in several countries.

But the program has faced repeated allegations about how participants are treated during production.

In May, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that participants in the Australian version had alleged a pattern of unsafe behavior during filming. The allegations included a bride being filmed in the shower without her knowledge, non-consensual touching by a groom and production staff blocking exits to prevent cast members from leaving the set.

Last year, the show was the subject of an investigation by SafeWork NSW, the state's workplace safety regulator, after several participants and a viewer raised concerns about an unsafe working environment. The regulator issued three improvement notices.

Past police involvement

This is not the first time police have looked into conduct connected with the Australian series.

In 2022, New South Wales Police investigated after one contestant, Olivia Frazer, shared a nude photo of another contestant, Domenica Calarco, during filming. No charges were laid in that case.

That incident sparked public debate about how the show handles participants' privacy and consent, and about the duty of care owed by producers to cast members placed in emotionally charged situations for television.

Trouble abroad

The franchise has also faced serious allegations overseas.

Earlier this year, a BBC investigation aired claims from two former contestants on the British version of the show who alleged they were raped by their on-screen husbands during filming. Following the report, Nine and Britain's Channel 4 pulled all episodes of the U.K. series from their streaming services.

In July, an unnamed cast member from the British version was arrested on suspicion of rape, according to media reports.

The allegations in Britain prompted calls for broader reform of how reality television productions protect participants, including tighter rules on consent, better psychological support and clearer complaint procedures.

Duty of care questions

Media analysts and advocates have long questioned the duty of care that reality television producers owe to participants, who often sign extensive contracts and are filmed for long hours in situations designed to create conflict and drama.

Critics argue that the pressure to deliver compelling storylines can lead producers to push boundaries, including by revealing personal information to provoke reactions on camera. Producers of such shows generally say they have welfare measures in place, including access to psychologists and support staff.

The latest allegations, if substantiated, would raise questions about whether those safeguards are effective and about the limits of what producers may do to create drama.

What happens next

It is unclear how long the police investigation will take, or whether it could lead to charges. With the matter referred to Western Australia Police, any next steps are expected to be determined by authorities in that state.

It is also unclear whether the investigation could affect the broadcast of the upcoming season. Nine has not announced any changes to its plans for the show.

Married at First Sight typically airs in the first part of the year in Australia, where it has consistently been among the most-watched programs on television.