Married at First Sight USA, produced by Kinetic Content, has won the Best Relationship Show award at the 2019 Critics’ Choice Real TV Awards.

Held at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday June 2, the inaugural Critics’ Choice Real TV Awards have been created to give the thriving Reality genre critical attention and support, and they replace the NPACT Impact Awards held last year. The awards are run by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) and NPACT, the trade organization serving the producers of nonfiction entertainment content.

Married at First Sight is returning to Lifetime in the US this summer for its ninth season, premiering with a Matchmaking Special on Wednesday June 12 at 8pm, followed by a 2 hour premiere at 9pm et/pt US.

This season the hit docuseries is heading to the Charlotte area, featuring singles who have agreed to a provocative proposal: getting legally married to a stranger the moment they first meet, at the altar. A panel of experts – psychotherapist Dr. Viviana Coles, sociologist Dr. Pepper Schwartz and marriage counselor, Pastor Calvin Roberson – will create what they believe are four compatible couples based on scientific matchmaking, and continue to counsel and mentor each set of newlyweds throughout the experiment. The ninth season of Married At First Sight moves to its new night, Wednesdays, premiering June 12 on Lifetime US.

Married at First Sight USA is produced by Kinetic Content, based on a format created by Snowman Productions. Executive producers for Married at First Sight are Chris Coelen, Eric Detwiler, Ally Simpson and Jason Sands from Kinetic Content, and Gena McCarthy from Lifetime.

Distributed internationally by Red Arrow Studios International, the Married at First Sight format has sold to over 29 countries worldwide, including long-running seasons in the US (Lifetime), the UK (Channel 4), Germany (SAT.1), Denmark (DR) and Australia (Nine).