The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has been flooded with complaints about Channel Nine’s controversial reality show Married at First Sight
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, a spokesperson confirmed the watchdog has forwarded all complaints on to the ‘licensee for consideration’.
‘The ACMA has recently received complaints about [Married at First Sight],’ the statement read. ‘Complaints about broadcasts are referred in the first instance to the licensee for consideration.’
Complaints: The Australian Communications and Media Authority has been bombarded with complaints about Married at First Sight. Pictured (left to right): The show’s relationship experts Mel Schilling, Trisha Stratford and John Aiken
ACMA is an independent government agency which monitors the regulation of broadcasting, radiocommunications, telecommunications and online content through legislation, regulations, standards and codes of practice.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment.
The complaints come amid growing backlash over Married At First Sight contestant Jessika Power’s on-screen affair with Daniel Webb.
Too rude! During Monday’s episode of MAFS, viewers watched Jessika Power and Dan Webb being intimate for 25-seconds
Explicit: Viewers were subjected to a graphic scene showing Dan standing in his underwear and crawling into bed with Jess
Jessika, 27, and Dan, 35, sparked nationwide outrage for pursuing a secret romance despite being married to other people on the show.
On Sunday, a Change.org petition was launched after the relationship experts allowed the couple to stay in the experiment despite confessing to their affair.
The experts, Mel Schilling, Trisha Stratford and John Aiken, had attempted to justify their decision on the show – but fans were still unhappy.
Cheating scandal: The complaints come amid growing backlash over ‘bride’ Jess’ ‘affair’ with Dan (pictured). The ‘cheating’ pair pursued a secret romance despite being married to other people – Mick Gould, 31, and Tamara Joy, 30
‘[Our role is to observe] and it’s an experiment, and this has happened within the experiment,’ Trisha told her colleagues Mel and John on Sunday’s episode.
She added: ‘I think if Jess and Dan have made this request [to stay on the show] and they seem genuine about it, about the relationship, and we’re to say, “No, you’re not allowed to do that”, then that’s us intervening, isn’t it?’
During Sunday night’s commitment ceremony, Jessika and Dan told the group they had been hooking up behind their partners’ backs and fallen for each other.
Outrage: Thousands have signed a Change.org petition calling for Channel Nine to scrap the show
Their spouses, Mick Gould and Tamara Joy, were left humiliated by the betrayal and left the experiment in tears.
Jessika and Dan caused further controversy on Monday’s episode, when a graphic bedroom scene strongly suggested they’d had sex.
The scene, which was described as ‘disgusting’ by viewers, showed the car salesman standing in his underwear and crawling into bed with the administrative assistant.
The 25-second clip showed the frisky pair passionately kissing under the covers, before Dan reached over and turned the light off.
Backlash: Last month, another Change.org petition calling for expert, Mel Schilling (pictured), to be sacked also went viral and garnered more than 68,000 signatures
Moments earlier, the single dad had revealed his struggle to fight his sexual ‘urges’.
‘I’ve been fighting urges to obviously be with Jess from day one, you know,’ he said. ‘So definitely getting intimate tonight with Jess would top off a perfect day!’
By Tuesday morning, more than 20,000 people had signed the petition calling for the show’s immediate cancellation.
Controversy: The psychologist came under fire after she scolded ‘groom’, Bronson Norrish (left), for saying his ‘wife’, Ines Basic (right) was ‘acting like a c***’ after she berated him on their honeymoon and called him ‘bottom of the barrel’ at their wedding
Backlash: Critics signed this petition after Mel’s tense exchange with Bronson
An insider told Daily Mail Australia on Monday that Mick Gould – the husband Jessika betrayed – is concerned that all of the drama is just an attempt to boost ratings, after an impressive 1,685,000 metro viewers tuned in on Sunday.
‘He is feeling relieved that he can move on from the show,’ the source said.
‘He is very disenchanted with how it was all just for ratings as opposed to being his best interests at heart.’
Hurling insults: Another pairing which raised concerns among viewers was that of Billy Vincent (right) and Susie Bradley (left). He was left in tears after being harshly criticised by the single mum, who claimed he was ‘not manly enough’ and ‘too small’
Last month, another Change.org petition calling for expert Mel Schilling to be sacked also went viral, garnering more than 68,000 signatures.
The psychologist came under fire after she scolded Bronson Norrish for saying his wife Ines Basic was ‘acting like a c**t’, but failed to hold Ines accountable for her own abusive language on the couple’s honeymoon.
‘When you use language like that in relation to a woman, how do you expect her to respond to you?’ Mel said furiously.
Weight concerns: However, the most talked about ‘groom’ was Sam Ball (right), who infamously complained about his ‘bride’ Elizabeth Sobinoff’s (left) weight on their wedding day and claimed she was ‘bigger’ than what he’s used to
‘A tip from me to you? Don’t use language like that if you want any chance of a relationship.’
The pairing of Bronson and Ines wasn’t the only match that raised concerns, as Susie Bradley and Billy Vincent also had a toxic relationship that upset viewers.
At one point, Billy was left in tears after being harshly criticised by the single mother, who claimed he was ‘not manly enough’ and ‘too small’.
LGBT backlash: Also last month, viewers accused the show’s producers and cast member, Lauren Huntriss (left), of making a mockery of LGBT issues. The 31-year-old makeup artist told her husband, Matt Bennett (right), that she ‘used to be a lesbian’ – and the revelation sparked outrage
However, the most talked-about groom was Samuel Ball, who infamously complained about his wife Elizabeth Sobinoff’s weight on their wedding day and claimed she was ‘bigger’ than women he’s used to dating.
Also last month, viewers accused the show’s producers and cast member Lauren Huntriss of making a mockery of LGBT issues.
The 31-year-old makeup artist told her husband Matthew Bennett that she ‘used to be a lesbian’, and many fans objected to her clumsy and insensitive phrasing.
All for ratings? An insider told Daily Mail Australia on Monday that Mick Gould (right) is concerned that all of the drama may just be an attempt to boost ratings
Media expert Nicole Reaney of InsideOut Public Relations previously told Daily Mail Australia that viewer backlash against MAFS is justified.
‘These kinds of “revelations” have been used in other reality shows as a tactic to hook in an audience,’ she said.
‘Audiences are getting tired and offended by these attempts. A little more consideration needs to be taken these days to ensure language aligns with societal values.’
Ratings juggernaut: MAFS drew an impressive 1,685,000 viewers on Sunday. Pictured, Heidi Latcham and Mike Gunner