MARRIED At First Sight bride Shona Manderson has alleged an “explosive” off camera incident came ahead of her sudden exit from the show.

It comes after The Sun reported how the E4 series could be subject to a police probe following a BBC Panorama investigation airing abuse claims from multiple women.


During the Panorama documentary, MAFS bride Shona Manderson bravely waived her anonymity right to speak out to accuse her on-screen partner Bradley Skelly of sexual misconduct, claiming he ejaculated inside her without permission.

He has denied all claims.

On Thursday’s Good Morning Britain, she told how she had “huge anxiety” about speaking out in what had been a “super intense” period of her life.

The Nottingham-based TV star then told the ITV daytime show she believed she had been given “mixed messages” by the show’s production and welfare teams, who she claims “minimised” her experience.

 

She confessed to GMB anchors Kate Garraway and Paul Brand she wanted to share an “off camera” incident of “super explosive” behaviour on Brad’s part.

Shona said: “So what I do want to share, and I haven’t said this before, there was this incident which happened off camera.

“So there was all this warning, alarming behaviour which they [welfare] were saying they were really concerned about.

“And it got to this point where there was a super explosive incident on his part and welfare said this has gone too far”.


She said how welfare had allegedly become concerned and suggested production would remove the pair from the show.

Shona said after a brief separation, the pair were brought back to their apartment and show bosses told them: “Right, you can stay in the experiment but Bradley you have to be on your best behaviour.

“And I feel like with everything that had happened we were being told one minute you’re going next minute we are staying, and to say you have to be on your best behaviour didn’t sound like an adequate response to what I had experienced.

“I feel like it had minimised what I had experienced”.

Shona said it was only when she decided to be “more open and honest” about what she was experiencing in a piece to camera an hour later that the pair were told they would be leaving the experiment.

She added: “So I was questioning are we actually being sent home for his behaviour or is it something else?”

She added she felt “extremely confused” by “mixed messaging” where MAFS experts were telling her the relationship would not work in the real world, and production were urging them to give it a go.

After CPL – the production company behind the show – and Channel 4 removed the couple, Shona discovered she was pregnant.

Shona admitted she does not know if the pregnancy resulted from the alleged incident.

Brad and Shona stayed together for six weeks after leaving the show, but separated shortly afterwards.

After her experience, the yoga and Pilates teacher previously called on Channel 4 to officially axe the show.

When approached by The Sun, a spokesperson for Channel 4 said: “In April we commissioned an external review into contributor welfare on MAFS UK, which is underway and has two elements.

“The first part is examining the welfare protocols in place on the programme at the time claims were raised, as well as the handling by Channel 4 and CPL of those claims.

“The second part, led by former BBC One Controller Lorraine Heggessey, will examine if any changes should be made to current protocols for MAFS UK to further strengthen contributor welfare.

“The review now needs to run its course”.

The Sun has also approached Brad for comment.