Lifetime commits to huge ‘Married At First Sight’ deal in US

Married At First Sight

US cablenet Lifetime has made one of its largest ever commitments by ordering six further seasons of Red Arrow Studios’ format Married At First Sight (MAFS), as well as two spin-offs from the show.

The six-season run of Married At First Sight will again be produced by Love Is Blind prodco Kinetic Content and will take the show into its 17th season, following an order for the 10th and 11th seasons made last year.

A+E Networks-owned Lifetime has also ordered an eight-episode series of Married At First Sight: Unmatchables, again to be produced by Kinetic, while a blind commitment has also been made to a new, as-yet-unnamed series.

The deal will see Kinetic produce more than 400 hours of content for Lifetime, which is dedicating two nights a week on its schedule to relationship series, with Married At First Sight and Marrying Millions due to air on Wednesdays, and Married At First Sight: Couples Cam and Married At First Sight: Australia slated for Thursdays.

Married At First Sight: Unmatchables will debut in 2021 and joins fellow Lifetime relationship shows including previously announced Battlefield Of Love and the Sarah Jessica Parker/Pretty Little Matches produced Swipe Swap.

“Married at First Sight: Unmatchables is an exciting new member of our Married At First Sight family,” said Gena McCarthy, EVP of development and programming for Lifetime’s unscripted output. “Each season we see so many amazing, complex and charming people that apply for the main show, but we simply can’t match everyone. Unmatchables allows these people a shot at love following our expert- led interventions and transformations.”

The deal for Kinetic is the latest boon for the LA-based outfit, which has enjoyed success with Netflix relationship show Love Is Blind. Parent Red Arrow, however, continues to face turbulence with a slew of senior exec departures prompting questions over the company’s future.

Last week, Red Arrow owner ProSiebenSat.1 revealed the producer’s revenues had dropped by 31% to €102m in Q2, while the German broadcaster posted a 25% drop in revenues over the same period.