C4 reality shows not ‘exploitative’ insists Dogra as Commons questions loom

Channel 4’s CEO Priya Dogra has denied accusations that the UK public service broadcaster makes “exploitative” reality shows following the decision to axe controversial dating format Married at First Sight UK (MAFS UK).

Priya Dogra

Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s The Media Show, the network boss insisted there was a “public service element” to the series – a claim that has been questioned by Conservative MP Dame Caroline Dinenage ahead of next week’s House of Commons evidence session scrutinising Channel 4’s operations.

Channel 4 permanently cancelled MAFS UK last week following two formal reviews into allegations of sexual misconduct by the show’s participants.

In May, the BBC’s investigative documentary series Panorama aired allegations of rape from two unnamed participants in MAFS UK, which was produced by CPL Productions based on a Danish format. One said her partner had threatened to have acid thrown in her face. A third, Shona Manderson, said her ‘husband’ had engaged in a non-consensual sex act with her while on the show.

Two external reviews were commissioned and published, with Channel 4 bosses subsequently deciding to end the show and reinvest its budget in new programming.

The Media Show reporter Katie Razzall suggested to Dogra that Channel 4 had chased ratings by commissioning “sex-obsessed” reality formats and asked if she was now looking into whether other Channel 4 shows could be viewed as exploitative.

“The characterisation that our shows are exploitative I would disagree with,” Dogra said. “The shows that we make are intended to do a job. Even in this show [MAFS UK] there was a public service element in the relationship aspect of the show.

“Of course, it was wrapped in an entertainment format, but that’s the point of the show.”

Dame Caroline Dinenage

Wikimedia Commons

The House of Commons’ cross-parliamentary Culture, Media & Sport Committee (CMSC) will hold an evidence session on Channel 4’s work with Dogra and chairman Geoff Cooper on November 17. CMSC chair Dame Caroline Dinenage said the committee will press the pair on whether they still intend to commission “high-risk” reality TV.

Dinenage said: “Priya Dogra said that Channel 4 will now take a different creative route. What does that mean? Does it mean making less high-risk reality TV? How are they going to stick to their public service broadcaster ethos?

“She feels that this programme [MAFS UK] was part of their public service broadcasting responsibilities. I just can’t see that myself. That’s what we’ll be exploring next week – how they have learned the important lessons from this and how they intend to conduct themselves in the future.

“It seems absolutely incredible to me that a show where the premise was that you immediately go to bed with someone you’ve only just met was fraught with danger from the outset. I feel there should have been so much more safeguarding around that from the very beginning.”

Michael Grade, former head of the BBC, Channel 4 and regulator Ofcom, has previously claimed that “below the gutter” reality shows like MAFS UK put contestants at risk.

MAFS is based on a format that originated on Danish public broadcaster DR3 in 2013, produced by Snowman Productions. The format has since been sold into 30 territories by Seven.One Studios International.