Shona Manderson Takes Luxury Break After Controversy

star Shona Manderson enjoyed a 'well-needed break' with her boyfriend Matt Pilmoor over the weekend, after accusing her on-screen husband Brad Skelly of a non-consensual sex act on the show.

The star was one of three women to claim that they were assaulted during their time on the E4 show, and said she got an abortion after Brad took things 'too far' during sex, and 'a boundary was crossed' when he ejaculated inside her without permission. Skelly denies the claims.

Waiving her anonymity, Shona appeared in a Panorama documentary where she described how she 'completely lost her light' during filming, which saw experts raise concerns about Brad's alleged 'controlling' manner towards her.

In the wake of the documentary's broadcast this week, Shona took some time away with her boyfriend Matt, who she began dating in 2023 after they met on the show. 

The couple travelled to the five-star Grantley Manor hotel and spa in Yorkshire, with Matt sharing photos from the trip on Instagram.

The images showed the couple posing in their swimwear as they relaxed by the pool before enjoying an ice cold beverage together.

Matt captioned the post: 'A well needed break @grantleyhall.'

Married At First Sight UK has faced calls to be axed in recent days after two women alleged they had been raped during filming, while the third, Shona, said she was the victim of a non-consensual sex act. All three men have denied the allegations.

Shona said she got an abortion after her on-screen husband Brad took things 'too far' during sex and 'a boundary was crossed' when he ejaculated inside her without permission.

Skelly said he understood his on-screen wife consented that night and categorically denied 'any allegations of sexual misconduct' or that he was 'controlling'. 

A fourth 'bride' who appeared on MAFS has also spoken to Daily Mail, saying she quit the controversial show in disgust at the way she and her co-stars were being treated.

Lawyers for CPL, the production company behind MAFS UK, said after the first claims that featured in the Panorama documentary emerged, that its welfare system was 'gold standard', and that it acted appropriately in all these cases.

 boss Priya Dogra, who was not in post at the time of the alleged incidents covered by Panorama, initially declined to apologise after the broadcast of Panorama, but has since said she was 'deeply sorry.'

On Friday, three more former stars came forward to claim they were abused and sexually assaulted while filming the show.

The trio, who were two brides and one groom who took part in the show, have not been named, and all claimed that support from the show's welfare team fell short.   

In a post on Instagram after the documentary aired, Shona said she hopes to contribute to a wider conversation about welfare and positive change on the programme.

'I decided to take part (in Panorama) because I hoped in doing so that sharing my story, it will contribute to a wider conversation about welfare and positive change,' she said.

'I did, a year after my experience on MAFS, say to production I would like a meeting about my welfare, and my meeting wasn't honoured.

'We never had that meeting. I had some really constructive points that I would have brought up in that meeting. I guess I just did it with the BBC instead.'

In the video, she added: 'The short time that I was on the show, I completely lost my light.

'There were behaviours in my relationship which were not okay, and at the time I excused a lot of behaviour. I couldn't see things for what it was, and I wasn't in a position to advocate for myself at the time.'

She added that some elements of her welfare care were 'really, really strong' and some individuals were 'amazing', but added: 'This isn't about individuals. This is a wider issue, and at the end of the day, I shouldn't have been in the position that I was in.'

A second woman, referred to by the pseudonym Lizzie, told Panorama her on-screen husband raped her and subjected her to violent sex that often left her with bruises, despite her telling him to stop.

She described how one night: 'He tried to have sex with me. And I kept saying no, that I didn't want to do it.

'But he kept saying, "You can't say no, you're my wife". And he just did it anyway.' 

Lizzie added that she was too scared to tell anyone about what was happening as: 'He said that if I told anybody what had happened, that he would get someone to throw acid at me.'

Lawyers for CPL told Panorama that Lizzie did not mention the 'can't say no' comment to its team and the 'acid' remark was mentioned as a passing comment, not a threat. CPL took action as soon as Lizzie said she felt unsafe, the lawyers added.

A third woman, Chloe, also described being raped by her MAFS husband, with her allegations being raised both with CPL and Channel 4 - but the episodes in which she featured were aired anyway.

She told the programme: 'He smirked and climbed on top of me, moved my leg… By that time, I'd really given up and I just didn't want him to be angry at me when the cameras came.

'I just lay there, and I stared out the window.'

Chloe - also a pseudonym - added that once her partner noticed she was not participating, he told her: 'You're making me feel like a rapist'.

It is understood that both men implicated in the allegations deny the accounts.

The Daily Mail can reveal producers of the series have sent a letter to all staffers who worked across any of its ten series, urging them not to speak out or post on social media.

In the letter seen by the Mail, production company CPL, which makes the show, told staffers of the accusations airing and urged them not to speak out to journalists who approach them.

A spokesman for Channel 4 said it had the 'most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry'.

They said: 'In April, Channel 4 was presented with serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors, allegations that we understand those contributors have denied.

'The channel is mindful of the privacy and continuing duty of care towards all contributors, and cannot comment on or disclose details of those allegations.

'Related to those allegations, Channel 4 was asked to respond to claims of failures in welfare protocols. 

'Channel 4 believes that when concerns related to contributor welfare were raised through existing welfare and production protocols, prompt and appropriate action was taken, based on the information available at the time. Channel 4 strongly refutes any claim to the contrary.

'Notwithstanding the actions taken at the time, Channel 4's recently appointed CEO, Priya Dogra instructed an external review of contributor welfare on MAFS UK last month.'

Shortly before the Panorama episode aired, Channel 4 announced it had commissioned an external review into contributor welfare.

It subsequently removed all ten series of MAFS UK from its online streaming platform, and said it has not decided whether to air Series 11, which has already been filmed and was due for release in the autumn.

The marriages on the show are a 'social experiment' and are not legally binding, but cameras follow the couples as they go on 'honeymoon' and move in together.

Meanwhile, Scotland Yard has urged potential victims of sexual assault on the reality show to come forward.

A spokesperson for the force said: 'We are aware of media reporting relating to allegations of rape and sexual assault following the airing of a television programme on Monday, 18 May.

'At this time, we have not received any criminal reports in relation to this matter. We will be making approaches to the relevant production teams to ensure that anyone they have spoken to is aware of how to report any criminal allegations to police.

'We continue to encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of sexual assault, no matter how long ago it happened, to get in touch with us. 

The Prime Minister's spokesman called for 'appropriate action' to be taken as Channel 4 bosses met with media minister Ian Murray, for crisis talks.