Married at First Sight UK star George Roberts arrested on suspicion of controlling and coercive behaviour
4 October 2022, 14:24 | Updated: 4 October 2022, 14:29
Married at First Sight UK star George Roberts has been arrested on suspicion of controlling and coercive behaviour – despite continuing to appear in the hit Channel 4 show.
Roberts, 40, a financial advisor, was arrested in Worcestershire following allegations made to police.
It comes as the divorced father-of-four – who entered into a non-legally-binding marriage to a former Ms Great Britain, April Banbury, 33, as part of the hit matchmaking television show – denied any wrongdoing and has since been bailed by Scotland Yard.
The Met Police said: “A 40-year-old man was arrested in Worcestershire on Thursday, September 29, on suspicion of controlling and coercive behaviour.”
"He was taken to a police station and bailed pending further enquiries.”
It’s been reported other women have subsequently come forward.
It’s believed three women, all of whom had previous relationships with Roberts, made independent complaints to police about allegedly ‘abusive’ and ‘manipulative’ behaviour according to The Sun.
A number of women also raised concerns with Channel 4 producers after spotting him in a trailer for the series.
It’s led to questions being raised over Channel 4’s decision to continue to feature Mr Roberts in pre-recorded segments, in spite of the allegations.
At the time of the initial allegations, Channel 4, who own Married At First Sight UK channel 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.
"Any allegations of this nature are taken extremely seriously by Channel 4."
It comes as a spokesperson for Mr Roberts said: “George categorically denies these allegations. As a father of daughters he finds these accusations deeply upsetting and does not condone abuse nor behaves in that way.
“These allegations were never brought to his attention, investigated or taken further by the police for good reason as they are simply not true."
The news of Roberts’ arrest comes as Banbury hinted on social media that her and Roberts relationship is now over – despite the pre-recorded broadcast continuing to show the couple together.
She wrote: “The traumas that have been brought on from this show have made me re-evaluate things. I’m not ashamed to admit, I’ve been seeing a therapist.”
