Cilla Black to play cupid again on new dating show Loveland

11 April 2012
The Weekender

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Cupid: Cilla Black is the host of new dating show Loveland


For almost two decades she was the nation’s favourite matchmaker, before quitting Blind Date live on air.

Now five years later, Cilla Black is back playing cupid in a 21st century version of the show called Loveland.

It will follow a similar format to the original where one person has to pick out their date from three contestants.

But while in the original series contestants were separated by a screen, this time the three suitors will 'hide' behind a computer-generated alter ego.  

They will be set tasks and have to answer questions from the person picking, but in a twist, there will be no guarantees that the animations will accurately reflect how the person they represent looks.

Viewers at home and in the studio audience will be able to see both the animation and the real life contestant.

Miss Black said: 'Loveland captivated me with its modern day twist on the dating format, bringing something new and exciting to the genre.'

She has already filmed a pilot for the ten-part series scheduled for broadcast on Sky One next year.

Sky One director of programming Richard Woolfe said: 'Cilla is the undisputed queen of the dating show.

'There's been many pretenders to her throne, but she remains in a class of her own.

'I'm thrilled she shares my passion for Loveland and for bringing the dating show kicking and screaming into the 21st century.'

The 65 year old, whose personal fortune is worth in excess of £15 million, has been increasing her television profile in the past two years.

She now regularly stands in for Paul O’Grady on his Channel 4 show. She appeared as a judge on ITV reality series Soapstar Superstar and also guest hosted The Friday Night Project with Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins.

Her decision to host Loveland comes at a time when all the broadcasters are desperate to find dating programmes. ITV, which own the production rights to the original format, are also planning an updated version of Blind Date.

It is understood they have not approached Miss Black to be in it, but Davina McCall and Ant and Dec have been tipped as contenders to host the programme if it gets the go ahead.

Matchmaker: Cilla Black during her Blind Date hey day

Matchmaker: Cilla Black during her Blind Date hey day

Blind Date was a huge Saturday night hit on ITV during the eighties and nineties. At its peak it attracted an average of 14 million viewers a week.

Viewers tuned in each week to see if Miss Black would get to 'buy a hat' and to see which date the winning couple would pick.  

The show made Miss Black the highest paid female entertainer at the time earning £50,000 a show.

Her catchphrases included, 'But, look who you turned down?' and 'Here’s our Graham, with a quick reminder'.

The show also made a star of announcer Graham Skidmore. 

Answer to a maiden's prayer? Cilla enjoys a moment with three Blind Date contestants in 1985

Answer to a maiden's prayer? Cilla enjoys a moment with three Blind Date contestants in 1985

It ran for 365 episodes across 18 series but ratings dwindled in the last few series, dropping to a low of 5 million.

In an effort to modernise the show and pull back viewers, television bosses changed the title sequence and the music. They also fire Mr Skidmore in the second to last series.

After months of upset over the decision to move the programme around in the schedule, and rumours that ITV was looking for a new host, Miss Black quit in 2003.

She stunned bosses by announcing the news on the first ever live Blind Date show.

She had not told them of her decision before she went on air.

She revealed that the death of her husband Bobby Willis in 1999 had an impact on her decision to quit.

Miss Black said at the time: 'I thought about it for months. I knew if I didn't say it in the first ten minutes of getting on the studio floor I wouldn't do it at all. I heard the music and went for it. I'd lost my husband, Bobby, and it just wasn't the same any more. I knew my bosses would persuade me to do another couple of years but I thought it was my time now.'


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