MAFS UK dating experts hit back after show cast man accused of abuse and thousands sign petition to axe his scenes
A MAFS UK dating expert has hit back after the show cast a man accused of abuse and thousands signed a petition to axe his scenes.
A groom named Alex Henry has been pelted with allegations after the broadcaster shared his promo reel online, with one user branding him a “dangerous individual”.
A group of women have clubbed together to petition Channel 4 to reconsider airing scenes including the personal trainer from Birmingham, and even reached out to Married At First Sight UK‘s celebrity dating expert Mel Schilling.
They say they have presented evidence of their allegations to Channel 4.
Despite acknowledging the claims, Channel 4 has confirmed Alex will remain in the edit.
And an expert has now shared their thoughts, at the Married At First Sight launch event, ahead of the brand new series.
Dating expert Charlene Douglas, who appears on the show alongside Mel Schilling and Paul C. Brunson, said: “We knew this was going to come up today, I think it’s really important that we can focus on all the positive things that’s going on with Married At First Sight. I think Channel 4 have released a statement that we do take safeguarding really seriously and it is really important for us.
“I can testify to the fact that all of the contributors can access us if they want to, there’s an independent psychologist available and there is a 24/7 welfare. They have lots of support, we’re just happy for the success of Married At First Sight.”
Expert Paul also had a say, as he explained how they hold bad behaviour accountable on the show.
He shared: “My focus, I used to want to be friends with these contributors because we spend so much time with them. But for me, consciously my objective is not to become friends.
“My objective is to figure out how I can look at the behaviour and how to correct that behaviour. By creating a little bit of that emotional distance, it’s allowed me to become more accountable and help them even more.”
Charlene added: “It’s about patience, we build rapport with brides and grooms. They trust us. So at the right time we can challenge certain behaviours.
“Sometimes we get people say ‘why don’t you just challenge them at the beginning and sort of say it’s not on’.
“Well actually they probably wouldn’t listen to us if we did that, we have to build that rapport first and then we can go in and challenge.
Mafs couples that have stood the test of time
Loved-up Tayah Victoria and Adam Aveling of series six fame had the first Mafs baby.
The pair couldn’t keep their hands off each other on the programme and quickly found their feet in the outside world, moving into Adam’s Doncaster home.
Just 18 months after meeting, the couple welcomed their daughter Beau.
Season five couple Michelle Walder and Owen Jenkins also managed to make their marriage work away from the cameras and had their first child in December.
Teacher Michelle, 29, has no regrets about taking part in the experiment. She told us: “I just feel very lucky and thankful that it has worked out – and excited for everything to come.”
Michelle and Owen were both sick of dating apps when they applied in 2019.
Owen recalled: “I had been out for some drinks with a friend after work.
“While he was out for a cigarette I was scrolling on Instagram waiting for him to come back in.
“The MAFS advert was the last thing I saw, and I joked, ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if I signed up?’
“A few beers later when I was back at home I sent in the application, and the rest is history.”
Another couple to make Mafs UK history is Zoe Clifton and Jenna Robinson.
Despite a slight rocky start, where they clashed over Jenna’s vegan lifestyle, the show’s first same sex pairing are still going strong.
They even have a successful podcast together called Life With a Pod.
Jenna shed light on being involved in the show earlier this year when she told us: “We’re not legally married, and I never felt like we were. I definitely feel the process makes you take the relationship a lot more seriously and having the help of the experts… if you can survive that process it sets a firm foundation for a long-lasting relationship.”
“Every year we want all the couples to work out and we want lots of love stories.
“It’s heartbreaking to see anyone cry, we all know that I’m a bit of a crier and when anyone is hurt or heartbroken, it breaks out hearts too. You’re so invested in their stories, you really want it to work. They’re looking at you wanting the help and the tears just flow down.”
Groom Alex Henry’s participation in the show comes after the arrest of another groom in 2022, George Roberts, on suspicion of controlling and coercive behaviour. He was later cleared.
A user called Shannon Munnelly wrote online: “@alexander.henry_ should never have been allowed on this show.
“In situations where people are marrying each other at first sight, allowing a domestic abuser to join the show is not acceptable at all. I have seen first hand the damage that this man has done. Something needs to be done about this situation. @e4mafsuk @e4grams domestic abusers should NOT be provided platforms.”
It is understood Shannon is campaigning on the behalf of a friend who dated Alex.
In another comment, she wrote: “We have messaged, pictures, videos everything required and we have not yet received an update on the urgent matter that you are investigating.
“We are petitioning to not have him aired on this show as he is a dangerous individual @e4mafsuk @e4grams.”
Since launching their online campaign, the women formally contacted the broadcaster and also the dating show’s celebrity advisors.
One of them, Mel Schilling, confirmed that she would pass their message on to C4.
Later, a C4 advisor responded to the women directly and said they did not intend to remove Alex from the programme.
A message read: “MAFS UK was filmed several months ago and is not live, so Alexander will feature in the programmes that have been edited and are due for broadcast later this month. There will also be promotional activity on the channel’s social media platforms during this time, in which Alexander may appear.”
The allegations have thrown the show into chaos just days before its launch.
Women’s Aid have now condemned his involvement in a lengthy statement too, saying the decision to feature him is both “disappointing and concerning.”
They wrote: “We are incredibly disappointed and concerned to hear that producers of Married at First Sight have taken the decision not to remove an alleged abuser from the latest series.
“Having seen the direct impact of abusive behaviours displayed on the show in previous years on survivors, we would have hoped that protection and tolerance levels for abuse would leave no room for perpetrators to be given a platform again, with their actions being televised as “entertainment”.
“Sadly, this decision demonstrates the lack of awareness that the production team still has when it comes to domestic abuse.
“At Women’s Aid we would urge the producers to reconsider how they approach this, for the sake of the contestants to whom they have a responsibility to protect; and to signal to survivors that the entertainment industry takes their experiences seriously.”