Married at First Sight is a British television programme where strangers start a marriage-like relationship with each other, meeting only minutes before the ceremony and then going on honeymoon. Upon returning, they live together for a period of time, during which they meet at commitment ceremonies and choose whether or not they will continue their relationship. On 14 March 2021, Owen and Michelle from Series 5 became the first couple to celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary together.
The programme is the British version of the Married at First Sight franchise which originated in Denmark in 2013.
On 24 November 2020, it was announced that the programme would move to Channel 4's sister channel E4 in 2021, and would use the format of its Australian counterpart following the highly successful broadcast of the latter on E4.
In May 2026, the programme was the subject of a Panorama episode titled The Dark Side of Married at First Sight, after two of the female contestants on the show alleged that they were the victims of rape, with a third alleging a non-consensual act. Episodes of the show were subsequently removed from Channel 4's streaming platforms.
Series 1 (2015) First aired in July 2015. The couples were: # Couple Age Occupation Final decision Current status 1Emma Rathbone32Businesswoman Yes DivorcedJames Ord-Hume33University administrator 2Sam McDonald30 Chartered surveyor Did not marry N/AJack Finn-Kelcey29Security consultant 3Kate Stewart31Personal trainer No AnnulledJason Knowles34Financial adviser
Series 2 (2016) First aired in October and November 2016. The couples were: # Couple Age Occupation Final decision Current status 1Lucie27Marketing executive Yes DivorcedSteven Griffiths30Writer 2Sara30Personal assistant YesDivorcedAdam32Trainee counsellor 3Caroline 28Operations coordinator YesDivorcedAdam Donoghue34Train manager 4Melissa 27Student nurse YesDivorcedClark Sherwood26Business development manager
Series 3 (2018) First aired in February and March 2018. The couples were: # Couple Age Occupation Final decision Current status 1Richard28Police sergeantNoDivorcedHarriet 32Financial director 2Ben Jardine36PropertyYes Separated Stephanie 32 Police officer 3 Wayne 31 Insurance brokerDid not marry N/A Carrie 35 Estate agent
Series 4 (2019) First aired in March and April 2019. The couples were: # Couple Age Occupation Final decision Current status 1Steph28Nurse No AnnulledJonathan39Property manager 2Verity28Office manager Yes SeparatedJack25IT consultant
Series 5 (2020) First aired in October 2020. The couples were: # Couple Age Occupation Final decision Current status 1Shareen47Events manager No DivorcedDavid54Wholeseller 2Michelle25Teacher Yes Married with childrenOwen31Global account manager
Series 6 (2021) After the success of the Australian version, the Australian format was adopted. In Episode 1, two couples (Bob & Megan and Ant & Nikita) were matched and married. In Episode 2, two couples (Matt & Dan and Luke & Morag) were matched and married. In Episode 4, two couples (Josh & Amy and Franky & Marilyse) met and were married. In Episode 5, the final two couples (Adam & Tayah and Jordon & Alexis) met and were married.
This series began on 30 August 2021. The final scheduled for 30 September 2021 was postponed after technical problems prevented it from being shown. The final episode was rescheduled the following day.
Ceremony history (2021) Episode: 8 11 14 19/20 Ceremony: 1 2 3 Final decision Luke Stay Stay Stay Morag Stay Stay Stay Amy Stay Stay Stay Josh Stay Stay Stay Adam Stay Stay Stay Tayah Stay Stay Stay Dan N/A3 Stay Stay Matt N/A3 Stay Stay Franky Stay Stay Stay Marilyse Stay Stay Stay Bob Stay Stay Leave Left Megan Stay Stay Leave Alexis Leave2 Stay4 Leave Ant N/A (Leave)1 Stay4 Leave Jordon Leave2 Left Nikita N/A (Leave)1 Removed Notes 1, 2, 34 none EjectedNikitanone LeftJordon none none
This couple left the experiment outside of commitment ceremony. This couple elected to leave the experiment during the commitment ceremony. This couple was removed from the experiment by the experts or Production.
Couple profiles (2021) No. Couple Age Home Occupation Honeymoon Final Decision Status 1 Robert Voysey 26 Bournemouth Business Protection Specialist Dominican Republic Broke up before final decision Separated Megan Wolfe 26 Stoke-on-Trent Wellness Coach 2 Anthony Poole 28 Manchester Business Development Mexico Removed from experiment Separated Nikita Jasmine 26 County Durham Sales 3 Matt Jameson 39 Leeds Charity Worker Mexico Yes Separated Daniel Mckee 27 Northern Ireland Sales 4 Luke Dawson 36 Cardiff Care Home Manager/Fireman Switzerland Yes Separated Morag Crichton 31 Essex Veterinary Nurse 5 Joshua Christie 26 West London Insurance Worker Mexico Yes Separated Amy Christophers 34 Cornwall Sports Journalist 6 Franky Spencer 47 Dubai Strength & Conditioning Coach Lake District Yes Separated Marilyse Corrigan 36 Beverley Personal Trainer 7 Adam Aveling 26 Doncaster Electrician Antigua Yes Married with children Tayah McCreith 25 Welwyn Garden City Estate Agent 8 Jordon Mundell 27 Cardiff Personal Trainer Maldives Broke up before final decision Separated Alexis Economou 28 London Model 9 Anthony Poole 28 Manchester Business Development N/A1 Broke up before final decision Separated Alexis Economou 28 London Model
Viewing figures (2021) Official, 28-day consolidated ratings are taken from BARB and include E4 +1. Catch-up service totals are added to the official ratings.
Viewers (millions) Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Monday 2.42 2.27 2.68 2.75 2.35 Tuesday 2.17 2.37 2.47 2.52 2.47 Wednesday 2.46 2.24 2.51 2.46 2.28 Thursday 2.36 2.41 2.62 2.60 Friday 1.87 Weekly average 2.35 2.32 2.57 2.58 2.24 Running average 2.35 2.34 2.41 2.46 2.41 Series average 2.41
"Afters" specials For this series, a special aftershow was broadcast on Thursdays at 10 pm, after the final Married at First Sight episode of the week. Episode Airdate Guests UK viewers(millions) 1 2 September 2021 Nick Grimshaw, Suzi Ruffell 0.44 2 9 September 2021 Paul C Brunson, Tom Read Wilson 0.47 3 16 September 2021 Sam Thompson, Tom Read Wilson, Olga Koch 0.43 4 23 September 2021 Joel Dommett, Hannah Cooper-Dommett, Snoochie 0.36 5 1 October 2021 0.44
Series 7 (2022) After the success of the sixth series, an extended thirty-episode version using the same format was commissioned. This time, the cast included two same-sex couples - one male and one female. In each of Episodes 1, 2, 4 & 5, two couples were matched and married. In a franchise first, two additional couples were married and joined the experiment in Episode 12. The series began on 29 August 2022, the first episode being followed by a "One Year Later" special episode with some of Series 6's cast. For this series, the Dinner Parties and Commitment Ceremonies moved from Brighton to Trinity Quay Wharf in London's Docklands.
Ceremony history (2022) Episode: 8 11 15 19 24 27/28 Ceremony: 1 2 3 4 5 Final Decision Chanita Stay Stay Stay Stay Stay Jordan Stay Stay Stay Stay Stay April Stay Stay Stay Stay Stay George Stay Stay Stay Stay Stay Jenna Stay Stay Stay Stay Stay Zoe Stay Stay Stay Stay Stay Johnathan Not inExperiment Stay Stay Stay Sophie Stay Stay Stay Matt Not inExperiment Stay Leave2 Stay Whitney Leave Stay Leave Leave2 Stay Adrian Stay Stay Stay Stay Stay Left5 Thomas Stay Leave Stay Stay Stay3 Kwame Stay Stay Stay Stay Leave4 Left Kasia Stay Stay Stay Stay Leave Duka Stay Stay Stay Leave Left Gemma Not inExperiment Stay Leave Pjay Stay Leave1 Left Jess Stay Leave Richie Stay Leave Lara Stay Leave Notesnone1none 23 & 45 LeftnonenoneDukaKasia & KwameThomas & AdrianGemma
This couple left the experiment outside of commitment ceremony. This couple elected to leave the experiment during the commitment ceremony. This couple was removed from the experiment by the experts or Production.
Couple profiles (2022) No. Couple Age Home Occupation Honeymoon Final Decision Status1 Jordan Emmett-Connelly 29 Darlington Account ManagerMauritius Yes Separated before reunion Chanita Stephenson 29 Derby Social Worker2 Duka Cavolli 31 Birmingham Recruitment HR CoordinatorSouth Africa Broke up before final decision Separated Whitney Hughes 31 St Albans PA3 Adrian Sanderson 37 Manchester Digital DesignerMexico Broke up before final decision Separated Thomas Hartley 31 Liverpool Mental Health Care Assistant4 George Roberts 40 Worcester Financial AdvisorJamaica Yes Separated - Unusual Circumstances April Banbury 32 London Dress Designer5 Pjay Finch 31 Birmingham Dancer/PerformerThe Maldives Broke up before final decision Separated Jess Potter 31 Cambridgeshire Dental Hygienist6 Richie Dews 51 Sheffield Sales AdvisorBavaria, Germany Broke up before final decision Separated Lara Eyre 49 Nottingham Waitress7 Jenna Robinson 32 Blackpool Zero Waste Shop OwnerIceland Yes Married Zoe Clifton 30 West Midlands Quantity Surveyor8 Kwame Badu 42 London Business ConsultantThe Maldives Broke up before final decision Separated Kasia Martin 36 London Businesswoman9 Gemma Rose 30 Newton Abbot Hair Salon OwnerPortugal Broke up before final decision Separated Matt Murray 32 Huddersfield Barber10 Johnathan Wileman 32 Selby CarpenterSaint Lucia Yes Separated before reunion Sophie Brown 26 Manchester Head of Partnerships11 Matt Murray 32 Huddersfield BarberN/A Yes Separated before reunion Whitney Hughes 31 St Albans PA
Viewing figures (2022) Official, 7-day consolidated ratings are taken from Thinkbox and include E4 +1. From this series, 28-day ratings with viewership on devices other than televisions are no longer available, and so cannot be directly compared with the previous series.
Viewers (millions) Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Monday 1.84 1.79 1.91 1.98 2.13 2.26 2.14 1.98 Tuesday 1.70 1.80 1.96 1.86 2.21 2.25 2.01 2.07 Wednesday 1.84 1.86 1.89 1.82 2.19 2.12 1.85 Thursday 1.78 1.80 1.74 2.01 2.13 2.05 1.98 Weekly average 1.79 1.81 1.87 1.92 2.17 2.16 2.00 2.03 Running average 1.79 1.80 1.82 1.85 1.91 1.95 1.96 1.96 Series average 1.965
A "One Year On" special, broadcast after the first episode on 29 August, consolidated to 729,000 viewers.
"Unveiled" specials "Married at First Sight UK: Afters" returned for Series 7 - now rebranded as "Unveiled". Episode Airdate Guests UK viewers(millions) Refs 1 4 September 2022 Joel Dommett, Verona Rose, Paul Carrick Brunson and Series 6's Nikita and Morag 0.29 2 11 September 2022 Grace Dent, Suzi Ruffell and Miles Nazaire 0.15 3 18 September 2022 Michelle Visage, Sam Thompson and Yinka Bokinni 0.19 4 25 September 2022 Judi Love, Jamie Laing and Josh Jones 0.23 5 2 October 2022 Rosie Jones, Larry Dean and Pete Wicks 0.34 6 9 October 2022 Rickie Haywood Williams, Melvin Odoom and Lou Sanders 0.23 7 16 October 2022 Vogue Williams, Tom Read Wilson and Catherine Bohart 0.35 8 18 October 2022 Judi Love, Paul Carrick Brunson and Charlene Douglas 0.44
Series 8 (2023) After the success of the sixth and seventh series, an extended thirty-six episode version using the same format was commissioned, starting on 18 September 2023. The cast included the show's first transgender bride Ella Morgan Clark, and the first limb deficient bride, Jay. In each of Episodes 1, 2, 4 & 5, two couples were matched and married. In Episode 12, a further two couples were matched and married before the final two weddings occurred in Episodes 17 & 18.
Ceremony history (2023)