It was called “toxic”, “revolting”, “totally addictive” and the “final nail in the coffin of civilisation” when it premiered on Netflix four years ago.
Now, Love Is Blind, the wildly successful reality dating show that claims to stand in opposition to dating-app culture, is coming to the UK, where 30 British singletons are hoping to meet their soulmate and put a ring on it.
The show – which combines elements of Blind Date and Married at First Sight – launches on Wednesday, and features participants attempting to form connections in “pods” without ever laying eyes on each other.
It is a social experiment that has become a huge hit for Netflix; within four weeks of its launch in 2020, 30 m households had watched it, and in 2022, only three shows (Ozark, Stranger Things and CoComelon) spent more time in Netflix’s US top 10. Last March, the sixth US season of Love Is Blind was the most watched series on any streaming platform.
Viewers become hooked on following the participants as they date and propose – sight unseen – before meeting, living together, getting to know each other’s friends and families and eventually walking down the aisle.
Some say “I do”, proving that love really can be blind; that an emotional bond based on shared values and conversation can trump looks, race and age. Other couples, however, change their minds at the last second, igniting heartbreak, screaming fights and years of resentment.
So why would anyone put themselves through it? Well, according to the British husband-and-wife duo Matt and Emma Willis, who will be taking the duties of the US hosts, Nick and Vanessa Lachey, much of it comes down to dating-app fatigue.
“People were just kind of over [dating apps] – you just go in really on what somebody looks like,” Emma told the BBC this week. “And I like that this flips that on its head, and you have to make a connection with somebody before you even see them.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Dr Kirk Honda, a psychologist who analyses episodes of Love Is Blind on his popular YouTube channel and podcast.
“Many young adults are disillusioned with modern dating,” Honda told the Guardian. “The idea that one can bypass superficial distractions and find a soulmate resonates as an appealing fantasy. It’s worth noting that the difficulties of dating aren’t new – every generation faces its challenges in the search for love.”
Aaliyah Harry, an entertainment writer at Grazia, said the show was unique because it was “all about bypassing the superficial and focusing on who the person truly is”.
“As someone who is so over dating apps where outward appearance is everything and having ‘endless options’ that make you feel like a product, I find the show refreshing.
“The contestants are forced to learn everything about their potential partner, good and bad, and have to work through their issues instead of ghosting, which has become the norm in the modern dating world.”
The Willises, who married in 2008 and have three children, follow in the footsteps of other TV couples such as Richard and Judy and Rochelle and Marvin Humes.
They said the series, which has also filmed in seven other countries including Brazil, Sweden and Japan, will stay true to British sensibilities.
“It’s just a very British version – it’s quite self-deprecating,” said Emma, who started her career as a model before presenting shows including Big Brother and The Voice. “There’s a lot of humour, a lot of banter.”
And in a saturated market for dating shows – from Love Island to Rylan Clark’s new show Dating Naked – the couple believe Love Is Blind’s premise will help it continue to stand out.
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“I think in the other TV shows maybe the dating aspect is secondary to being on telly, whereas this one feels like the telly is a vehicle for them to fall in love,” said Matt, who is best known as a member of the pop-punk trio Busted.
“We got to try the pods out as well and I can see why this works: there’s no other distraction. There’s no noise, there’s nothing. There’s not like a big camera in the room or anything. You kind of get lost in this world with this other person’s voice.”
Honda said “the show’s unique format, where participants genuinely seek long-term relationships and marriage, adds significant stakes, making it more engaging”.
Iyanna McNeely, who appeared in the second series of the US version, told the Guardian she went on the show because she “simply wanted an awesome love story to share with my future children”.
“Young me was one for awesome romances,” she added. “I know now that I would much rather date in person and in the real world, but it sounded awesome to 26-year-old me.”
The British cast are aged between 27 and 38, ranging from a baby photographer to a funeral director and cellist. “While the setting, accents and hosts might be different, the approach to finding an everlasting bond will be the same,” Netflix said.
The show has been accused of exploitation. One viewer called it a “thinly veiled conservative project masquerading as a reality TV show” and a claim filed in a contractual dispute with Netflix alleged drugs, abuse, imprisonment and emotional distress behind the scenes.
Dating shows: some of the best and worst
Love them or hate them, dating shows seem to be here to stay. Here is a list of some of the best and worst UK dating shows over the years.
Blind Date
Probably the most famous UK dating show, Blind Date was a Saturday night staple in the 1980s and ran for almost three decades. Its host, Cilla Black, provided a sympathetic ear as single “suitors” picked a date after posing questions to three suitors hidden behind a curtain.
First Dates
Hosted by Fred Sirieix, First Dates follows single people – from teens to pensioners – on blind dates in a swish restaurant. The show captures their initial meeting, often awkward conversations and sweet interactions, with a mix of heartfelt moments and humour.
Married at First Sight
The eighth season of the UK leg of the MAFS franchise kicked off in 2023, where single people go the extra mile and commit to tie the knot with a complete stranger – a concept that still doesn’t fail to blow the mind. The strangers are matched by experts in this social experiment, largely based on values and compatibility, but that doesn’t mean it is smooth sailing.
Naked Attraction
The show was met by a raft of headlines about its audacious concept, and shock at its full-frontal nudity. Naked Attraction generally follows one single person, who picks a person to date based entirely on their perceived physical attractiveness. With the help of Anna Richardson, the pair then go on a date – fully clothed, of course.
Take Me Out
“The girls are hot, the boys are cool and the bloke from Bolton is on fire!” Paddy McGuinness announced at the start of one of the first seasons of the show. Women are lined up behind podiums with lights in front of them and press a light on the podium to show their interest. The show was axed in 2020, and while it wasn’t popular with everyone (Stuart Heritage said it was “the very worst thing that has ever happened to planet Earth”), it will be fondly remembered by many.
Mabel Banfield-Nwachi
