TUI ends sponsorship of Married at First Sight after sexual assault allegations

The travel company TUI has ended its sponsorship of the television program "Married at First Sight" following serious allegations of sexual assault and misconduct made by former contestants. The decision came after a documentary aired this week featuring accounts from three women who participated in the UK version of the Channel 4 reality show.

In the documentary, two women alleged they were raped by their on-screen husbands during production, while a third, former participant Shona Manderson, accused her on-screen partner of a non-consensual sex act. Manderson has waived her anonymity, stating a boundary was crossed when her partner ejaculated inside her without permission, which led to her having an abortion. All three men have denied the allegations against them.

TUI confirmed it paused its sponsorship of both the UK and Australian editions of the show on Monday, immediately after the documentary aired, before deciding to sever ties completely. A company spokesperson stated the decision was made following the broadcast and subsequent discussions with Channel 4.

In response to the allegations, Channel 4 has commissioned an external review into contributor welfare on the show, a...