Married At First Sight UK star Amy Kenyon has disclosed that she needed therapy after enduring public degradation by her on-screen husband Luke Debono. In a recent interview, the series 9 bride detailed the sexual harassment she faced both during filming and behind the scenes.
Allegations of Sexual Misconduct
A recent Panorama episode featured three MAFS UK brides alleging sexual assault by their on-screen partners. Shona Manderson claimed her husband Brad Skelly crossed boundaries without consent, which he denies. Following the documentary, Channel 4 commissioned an external review into contributor welfare, prompting many former stars to share their experiences, including Amy.
Amy's Experience
Amy stated: "Sexual harassment went on, and mine happened on camera. I just had to deal with it, and everybody was just laughing at it. It was making good TV, even if I did feel uncomfortable 80% of the time." She added: "I had a very, very, very difficult time on the show. And went through all that like sexual harassment publicly. I had to have therapy afterwards."
From the start, Luke made her uncomfortable with sexually explicit jokes and derogatory comments. Despite her requests for him to stop, he continued, especially when others laughed. She recalled: "It started straight away. When we went on the honeymoon, that’s when I said, 'Look, you really make me feel uncomfortable. Can you tone it down a little bit?' But as soon as he saw people laughing at things he was coming out with, it just got worse and worse and worse."
Off-Camera Behavior
Although Luke's on-camera comments were inappropriate, Amy revealed that off-camera incidents were more troubling. She said: "If I’m honest, that’s not even the bit that I struggled with most. Honestly, some of the things he would say to me off camera, I didn’t know if he was trying to gaslight me, to get a reaction or if he was telling the truth." Even after their split, Luke sent her an inappropriate letter for her birthday.
Aftermath and Reflection
Watching the series back was difficult for Amy, who faced online trolling. She questioned: "Why do people not see that the way he’s being is wrong? I have standards, and I would never want my daughter to be spoken to like that by a man, to be sexually degraded."
Amy does not blame the broadcaster, noting that necessary checks were done, but she believes DBS screening is limited as it only checks UK criminal records. She advocates for 24-hour CCTV in apartments, as "you don’t truly know who somebody is."
