The big ITV debate between Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak could have taken a very different turn.
The Tory and Labour leaders clashed in a tense head-to-head in the first General Election debate on Tuesday night, and there was a bizarre Naked Attraction connection to the proceedings.
No, don’t worry – neither of the politicians were being revealed behind one of the Channel 4’s iconic screens, and the debate wasn’t hosted by Anna Richardson.
However, it’s emerged that the event was shot in front of a live studio audience at none other than dock10 at Media City, which will be a familiar face to television fans.
As well as hosting the likes of A Question of Sport, Catchphrase, Citizen Khan, University Challenge and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? over the years, it’s also the home of Naked Attraction.
Obviously, the site’s HQ2 studio was given a complete overhaul for the debate, but the unexpected crossover with the X-rated C4 show has left viewers reeling.
‘The ITV Leaders’ Debate was filmed in the studio that’s usually home to Naked Attraction. So things could have been a lot worse than a bogus tax claim,’ quipped @Alexbcann on X.
‘Explains the colours,’ joked @rowansingh, while @AmandineOlivier added: ‘I really didn’t need this image in my mind…’
And @LauraPh222 said: ‘So it could have been worse…’
For those who don’t know, Naked Attraction is almost exactly as it sounds – a dating show where a lineup of contestants strip off in a bid for romance.
The ‘picker’ – who is clothed until the end – has to whittle down potential partners as their nude body is revealed behind screens.
Filming is known to take around 12 hours, with contestants in their birthday suits for a lot of that, and former contestant Gavin previously opened up on the experience.
‘It ended up being from seven in the morning to three in the afternoon to film half an hour of television,’ he told iNews.
Meanwhile, Rishi and Sir Keir might have been feeling the heat in more ways than one.
‘You were sweating because there was a light shining on you,’ Gavin recalled of the studio. ‘But there was a draft so it was a bit cold, so there was quite a lot of shaking going on by the boys.’
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