Alex Henry, a star from Married at First Sight, has been jailed after abandoning his military duties to participate in the Channel 4 dating show. The RAF airman, who left his post at an electronic warfare base, pursued either love or fame despite being denied leave by his commanding officer.
Stationed at RAF Spadeadam in Cumbria, Henry had requested additional time off to appear on the show, but his request was turned down. After his return, military police apprehended the 28-year-old Birmingham native, who served 24 days of a 34-day sentence. A spokesperson for Henry revealed that he voluntarily turned himself in after filming concluded.
His representative told The Sun, “He returned of his own accord and surrendered to the military authorities. He was sentenced to 34 days in military prison but served only 24 as a model inmate.”
Shortly after his appearance on the show, social media users flooded the platform with abuse allegations against Henry, with many critical of his inclusion. One commenter stated, “@alexander.henry_ should never have been cast on this show.”
The commenter added, “Allowing a domestic abuser to participate in a show where people marry at first sight is unacceptable. I’ve personally witnessed the harm this man has caused. Something must be done to prevent this. @e4mafsuk @e4grams, domestic abusers shouldn’t be given a platform.”
Another user criticized the vetting process: “Background checks should ALWAYS be done. Past partners should be contacted to avoid putting more women through trauma. You need to do better next time.”
In response, a representative for MAFS UK stated that all participants undergo a thorough vetting process, which includes independent psychological assessments and criminal record checks.
The spokesperson explained, “We cast participants based on the information we can legally access, and we continually review our processes to ensure background checks are as comprehensive as possible within legal limits.”