First Dates

Westworld

Monday: Sky Atlantic, 9pm

It’s much more interesting to watch people fall in love than fight,” said producer Molly Sayers at an RTS Futures event in late November, which turned the spotlight on Channel 4’s popular First Dates.

The Twenty Twenty Television production is that rare thing among dating shows: it wants audiences to like, not laugh at, its lovelorn participants.

Christmas City 

BBC One, 9.15am (continues throughout the week)

Christmas City is a five-part series presented by Rav Wilding and Hayley Hassall that looks at what it takes to deliver a special Christmas.

They go behind the scenes to show all the organisation that goes into making sure everyone coming into Manchester has a safe and memorable Christmas, such as how the market stall holders keep up with festivities.

The Twenty Twenty Television production is that rare thing among dating shows – it wants audiences to like, not laugh at its lovelorn participants.

“The programme comes out of the docs department of Channel 4 so it’s not an entertainment programme, although it is entertaining,” said Sayers, who produces the series. “As much as it’s about love, dating and the funny, flirty, sexy things happening in the restaurant, it’s a documentary about people.”

“First Dates has this amazing way of tackling big topics and themes,” she added.

To get ahead in casting, you fundamentally have to love people. You have to love talking to people, but most importantly you have to love listening to them. After five years in such a challenging and exhilarating industry, I feel that casting is something I have taken to strongly – and I think the real secret to success is being able to find that piece of yourself, however small it is, that connects you to someone else.

Now in its sixth season, First Dates captures the pursuit of love along with the sparks or burns that can emerge from being on a first date with a stranger. The series has seen many ups, downs, tears and laughter, so we've rounded-up some of the notable moments that have happened so far.

Scott proposes to Victoria

They met three weeks prior and immediately got on like a house on fire, proceeding to move in together. You've got to love the ring he gave her... one of a kind.

The hit show was first aired in June 2013 and has just finished screening its sixth series. The reality programme sees applicants go on blind dates at Paternoster Chop House in central London and couples are then interviewed afterwards to see what they think of each other.

Monday

Tracey Ullman’s Show

BBC One

10.45pm

Comedian Tracey Ullman returns to the BBC for the first time in thirty years with a new sketch show.