George from Married at First Sight arrested over coercive control claims - who is he, will E4 still air show?

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His appearance on the show was approved despite three women who had previous relationships with him reportedly raising concerns

Married at First Sight UK star George Roberts has been arrested on suspicion of ‘controlling and coercive behaviour’.

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During the series, which is currently airing on E4, 40-year-old ‘country bumpkin’ Roberts from Malvern was ‘married’ to former Miss Great Britain, April Banbury.

George Roberts sits opposite the ‘experts’ on an episode of Married At First Sight UK.George Roberts sits opposite the ‘experts’ on an episode of Married At First Sight UK.
George Roberts sits opposite the ‘experts’ on an episode of Married At First Sight UK. | Channel 4

Mr Roberts’ appearance on the show was approved despite three women who had previous relationships with him reportedly raising concerns, and now others are reported to have come forward.

Meanwhile, cryptic posts from Ms Banbury suggest that her ‘marriage’ to the divorced father-of-four, which is not legally binding, may be over.

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On Tuesday (October 4) she posted: “To whoever needs to hear this today… remember, you are stronger than you think.”

What have the Met Police said about the arrest?

A spokesperson for the Met Police told The Mirror: “A 40-year-old man was arrested by Met officers in Worcestershire on Thursday, September 29 on suspicion of controlling and coercive behaviour.

He was taken to a Worcestershire police station and subsequently bailed to return pending further enquiries.

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“This follows an allegation of controlling and coercive behaviour and harassment reported to the Met on Monday, 26 September.”

Will E4 continue to air Married at First Sight UK?

E4 have continued to air the current series of MAFS UK in full since the arrest on September 29, despite calls from concerned viewers on social media to edit Roberts out of episodes.

When the allegations originally came to light, a spokesperson for Channel 4, which operates E4, said: “We work incredibly closely with our production partners to ensure all Married at First Sight UK contributors are subject to rigorous background and psychological checks, including the most detailed police checks a production is able to undertake.

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George pictured with former Miss Great Britain April Banbury who he married as part of the show.George pictured with former Miss Great Britain April Banbury who he married as part of the show.
George pictured with former Miss Great Britain April Banbury who he married as part of the show. | Channel 4

“Any allegations of this social media are taken extremely seriously by Channel 4.”

National World has approached Channel 4 for further comment but has not received a response.

What is Married at First Sight UK?

Married at First Sight is a British television show where couples are matched ‘scientifically’ by a panel of ‘experts’.

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The couples meet just minutes before they marry and upon returning from their ‘honeymoon’, they live together for a period of time.

The couples then meet at commitment ceremonies where they decide whether or not to continue their relationship.

The show originated in Denmark and further versions have been successful internationally including in America, Australia, France, Israel and Serbia.