Tui UK pulls sponsorship of Married at First Sight

Tui UK has pulled its sponsorship of Channel 4 series Married at First Sight following allegations of rape by women who appeared on the show.

The tour operator has featured on the reality TV programme and on the show’s own social channels since August 2024 when it became sponsorship partner for the fourth series of MAFS on Channel 4.

The company was a sponsor for the UK and Australia versions of the show, which features single people ‘marry’ complete strangers. Tui said it had ended both partnerships.

It follows its decision on Monday to ‘pause’ sponsorship after a BBC Panorama investigation revealed two women had made allegations of rape during the filming of the UK show. Another woman alleged a non-consensual sex act had taken place during filming of the show.

In a statement, a Tui spokesperson said: “Following the broadcast of the Panorama programme and discussion with Channel 4, we have taken the decision to end our sponsorship of Married at First Sight.”

Channel 4 has already taken all the MAFS episodes off air, including from streaming channels and linear services and from social media channels.

At the time Tui became a sponsor of the show in 2024, the company had described the show as a “perfect brand fit” which would connect it with a “dedicated fanbase in a culturally relevant way through light-hearted, relatable content that enhances the on-screen story telling”.