Paul O’Grady has been confirmed as the new host of Blind Date when it returns to TV screens in the summer after more than 13 years.
A revamped version of the dating show will air on Channel 5 on Friday nights. Ben Frow, director of programmes for broadcaster, said the reaction to the news that “the nation’s favourite dating show” was returning was “phenomenal”.
“Paul is the perfect choice to bridge the old and the new, capturing the essence and charm of a series that became staple Saturday night family viewing in living rooms up and down the country, while attracting and appealing to a whole new generation of TV viewers,” Frow said.
The original Blind Date ran for 18 years. It involved contestants picking from three unseen potential partners by asking three questions. They were then sent on a holiday with their match accompanied by a camera crew.
O’Grady will replace the show’s former host, Cilla Black, who died in 2015. Black presented the series from 1985 until its cancellation in 2003, and her catchphrases, such as “lorra, lorra laughs”, were absorbed by the nation.
“Blind Date is an incredibly special family show which brought laughter, tears and joy to TV viewers throughout the land,” O’Grady said. “I am honoured to present the brand new series and, after speaking to Channel 5, I know the series is in safe hands. I can’t wait to see if we can find love.”
A press release from Channel 5 said the show was being updated for the 21st century but would respect the traditions and family appeal of the programme with the sliding panel, three-question format and live studio audience. A significant difference is that it will feature LGBT contestants for the first time.
Sean Doyle, Channel 5 commissioner, said: “When the show was last on screen in 2003, dating applications like Tinder didn’t even exist. Social media platforms may have changed the rules of the game for millennials, but on Blind Date, you’ve still got to find the real-life chemistry. The show respects its original traditions but there is a contemporary flavour to reflect the world today.”
The series is being produced by So Television, the company behind The Graham Norton Show, and Stellify Media, which is part-owned by Sony Pictures Television.
