Portuguese TV shows ‘Casados à Primeira Vista’ and media personalities face backlash and criticism

SIC announced the return of the reality programme Casados à Primeira Vista, hinting that former contestant Quinita could re‑appear in the next season. Quinita later revealed she underwent a mastopexy breast‑lifting procedure, sparking online debate about cosmetic surgery on television.

Influencer Rute Sousa criticised SIC’s Jornal da Noite for giving her only nine seconds of airtime from a fifteen‑minute interview about a trip to Israel, and asked rival channels CMTV, TVI and NOW to invite her for a full statement.

Actress Mafalda Matos, known for Morangos com Açúcar, accused comedian Joana Marques of humiliating her in a Rádio Renascença segment on autism. Matos said the broadcast caused severe emotional distress, recalling past suicidal thoughts, and called for greater public‑service responsibility. The media regulator ERC logged several complaints about the episode.

These incidents illustrate growing tensions within Portugal’s entertainment media, where participants and creators are challenging editorial decisions and demanding more respectful treatment.