Married At First Sight gets second chance to say 'I Do' with new series

Controversial Channel 4 documentary will return next year

The first series might only have created one happy couple but viewers will nevertheless get a second chance to say “I Do” to Married At First Sight after Channel 4 commissioned another series.

The controversial documentary programme, which concluded last night, featured three couples, two of whom decided to get married without having previously met.

Cameras followed them through their wedding night, honeymoon and their first few weeks of living together.

One of the couples decided to pull out before they got to the altar and of the two who tied the knot only one were still together when filming stopped.

Despite apparently having been matched by experts with a formula for a perfect relationship, one of the relationships failed after the husband decided to look for a new wife on dating site Tindr.

In the first episode singles were tested by relationship experts and psychologists before a small group were selected and matched.

The concept was hit by an initial barrage of criticism, but Channel 4’s chief creative officer Jay Hunt defended the show as "a celebration of marriage".

She said: "It says marriage is important because of social cohesion. We don't have a great track record in that area.

"What if we take a slightly different approach and at its heart is the idea that we make the biggest decision of our life based on gut instinct and what if you got an array of experts to help inform that decision and you would be more likely to make the right choice?

"And what's interesting about it is in the countries where it's already played out, the feedback has been very positive and celebratory and the people involved in it have come back with a very different perspective on what they need from a relationship."