Twenty Twenty

First Dates set to move to Manchester

Credit: Channel 4

First Dates originally aired in 2013 and the popular format has been repeated in over 20 territories, with a spin off show, First Dates Hotel, created in 2017 taking the search for love to France and Italy.

Hundreds of couples have been matched up in the search for their soulmate, with the help of Maître d’ Fred Sirieix and his team.

The show has led to a host of engagements, marriages and even a baby.

The series production company, Twenty Twenty, has moved First Dates to Manchester as part of their commitment to UK regions.

Channel managers and exec producers call for more diverse talent in TV at RTS Futures event

Iain Coyle, Baileigh Walsh, Rick Edwards, Maxine Watson and Sohail Shah (Credit: Paul Hampartsoumian)

“We need more voices on telly – there’s not enough working-class people in telly and not enough diversity,” said UKTV head of comedy entertainment Iain Coyle.

“All the different voices that make up this country need to be working in television – not just the poshos who’ve been to Cambridge and Oxford,” said Sohail Shah, the MD of new indie King of Sunshine Productions.

He added: “Without new talent you don’t get any kind of progression in TV.”