I’ve watched every series of Netflix’s dating show Love Is Blind. Well, all the American ones – even my questionable taste in reality television won’t let me sink to wasting my precious time on the Brazilian, Japanese, Mexican, German and other subtitled versions. Anyway, after six seasons, the format (single people date in “pods” without seeing each other until one of them proposes) was getting a bit stale. Until the British version came along.
Apart from its new hosts and the swapping of Texan drawls for Brummie ones, Love Is Blind UK is identical to the US series. There’s the same nonsensical, pop muzak soundtrack, the girls all still wear primary coloured bodycon dresses, the now-signature golden goblets are ever-present. But there’s something seductive, even flattering about one of Netflix’s biggest franchises hopping over the pond for our entertainment. And it’s good!
Married couple Matt and Emma Willis stand in as the British counterparts to the US’s Nick and Vanessa Lachey. She’s a reality TV presenting veteran, having previously hosted Big Brother, The Circle and The Voice; he’s a member of Noughties pop-punk band Busted. The difference in their experience is stark – while Emma is relaxed and chatty with the singletons, Matt is stilted and looks visibly uncomfortable. Not that it really matters – in the four episodes streaming today, the pair only pitch up twice.
The real stars, as is the case with all reality TV, are the cast. When Love is Blind UK was announced all the way back in February 2023, I presumed they would struggle to find anyone desperate enough (either for love or fame) to expose and, more often than not, embarrass themselves on an international stage. We Britons are too self-effacing, too cynical for all that American schmaltz, right? Wrong! No less than 30 men and women have been picked to enter the pods and find their future wife or husband.
Among the blokes are 33-year-old landscaper Benaiah, whose last relationship was in 2012, Staffordshire native Bobby (also known as his rapper alter-ego Bobby J), Boltonion Freddie whose job as a funeral director confounds every girl he chats to, and 33-year-old Ollie, who has decided it’s time to stop going after girls just because he likes the way they look. As for the women, stand-out characters include dental nurse Catherine, Demi, who puts her lack of love life down to being “one of the boys”, spiritualistic Sabrina from Belfast, and sweetheart Nicole, a 29-year-old head of marketing from Surrey.
But just as we vilified Jessica in series one of the US show and adored Deepti in series two, Love Is Blind UK also has a main character. Sam – a 31-year-old product design manager from London – will have you watching open-mouthed, your hands in front of your eyes as if you were watching a horror movie rather than an inconsequential Netflix dating series.
There’s nothing truly sinister about Sam’s behaviour, but in reality TV terms he is a walking “ick”. Clearly there to become a breakout star rather than actually find love, he speaks in eye-roll worthy cliches like “nice boys don’t always win”. Love him or hate him, there’s no denying he makes for fantastic TV.
As fans of the franchise already know, the pods are merely a precursor to the more interesting episodes to come. The premise of not seeing one another upon which Love Is Blind is based is just an excuse to catapult a load of wannabes into quintessential reality TV full of arguing, drama and tears. Still, if these addictive opening four episodes are anything to go by, the first British series might end up being the best in the world.
‘Love Is Blind UK’ is streaming on Netflix. New episodes stream every Wednesday.
