First Dates is a British reality television programme that has aired on Channel 4 since 20 June 2013. The programme has been narrated by Brian Protheroe since 2015.
Production The production was filmed at the Paternoster Chop House restaurant in Paternoster Square, central London from 2013 to 2020, showing many people on dates, none of whom have met each other before. At the end of the date, the couples are interviewed together and asked whether they would like to see each other again. The restaurant is closed to the public while filming takes place. The restaurant is fitted with 42 "Pan–tilt–zoom" cameras and there are at least 70 crew members on set during filming, which lasts 15 hours a day. Each diner is given £25 towards the cost of their meal.
The spin-off show, First Dates Hotel, follows the same TV format with contestants meeting for the first time in a hotel restaurant, but if the date goes well, the couples are offered the opportunity to check in for the night. The first series was filmed at Le Vieux Castillon in Castillon-du-Gard offering idyllic settings with a variety of activities for the successful second daters, and added sommelier Xavier Chapelou to Fred Sirieix's team. The second series was filmed at Aquapetra Resort & Spa in Campania near Naples, Italy.
In 2020, it was announced that filming would move to Manchester. The specific location was later confirmed in January 2021, when it was announced that the ninth series would begin airing on 19 January 2021, in the new location of The Refinery, located in Spinningfields, in Manchester.
Another spin-off show, Teen First Dates, began airing on E4 on 22 February 2021 and consisted of 6 episodes. Each episode was also available to stream on All 4. Following the same format as the parent show and also taking place at Spinningfields, it follows 16-19 year olds as they begin dating for the first time. Series 2 began airing on 23 February 2022.
In July 2023, it was announced that filming would be relocated to The Botanist bar & restaurant in Bath, Somerset for the 10th anniversary of the show. Along with a new restaurant location, the tenth anniversary series will launch brand-new cast members as well as a format refresh.
In the summer of 2025, filming will start in the Mediterranean on another spin-off show, First Dates Beach Club. at Valhalla Gastro Beach Club, between Cadiz and Tarifa, Spain.
Restaurant staff Since series 3 (2015) the restaurant's maître d'hôtel Fred Sirieix offers pieces to camera on the nature of love, romance and dating. When not filming for First Dates, he was the general manager at restaurant Galvin at Windows, although he left in December 2019 after 14 years.
The waiting staff and barman do not work in the restaurant full-time, but are recruited for when the series is being filmed. Surrey-bornhttps://metro.co.uk/2018/04/04/first-dates-laura-tott-age-career-partner-long-cast-7439920/ https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/tv-movies/first-dates-laura-tott-pregnant-how-old-husband/ https://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/18381630.coronavirus-first-dates-waitress-laura-tott-tests-positive/ https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/first-dates-star-laura-tott-24703040 https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/stoke-trent-paramedic-laura-tott-5228347 https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/first-dates-star-laura-tott-19280328 https://metro.co.uk/2018/04/27/tory-ministers-secretary-probed-by-mi5-for-selling-sex-to-sugar-daddies-7502401/ Laura Nicole Tott left the show, in 2021, to train as a Paramedic, get married and gave birth to their son in 2023. She hasn't ruled out a return at some stage. Oxford-born CiCi Coleman is an actor who trained at New York Film Academy. The waiting staff are joined by Sam Conrad, Austin Ventour, Jamie McCleave, Aoife Smyth, Grant Urquhart, David Marc and Daniella Kalita.
London-born and Cheltenham-raised barman Merlin Griffiths was a pub landlord now owning a chain of pubs, who had previously worked as a global brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire gin. Griffiths also works alongside co-bartender Fiona Beck who as well as working in the First Dates restaurant, has a career in advertising. She has also worked as a model in the past, featuring in fashion shows in Paris, Barcelona and New York.
First Dates: The Podcast In June 2023, First Dates production company Twenty Twenty and Nordic podcast company Podimo announced a new spin-off podcast would be launched in the Summer. The show, which launched in July 2023, is hosted by CiCi Coleman and Frankie Bridge.
Transmissions Regular Series Start date End date Episodes 1 20 June 2013 25 July 2013 6 2 12 February 2014 2 April 2014 8 3 6 March 2015 29 April 2015 9 4 10 September 2015 9 December 2015 16 5 15 January 2016 4 February 2016 4 6 15 March 2016 19 April 2016 6 7 9 August 2017 12 December 2016 17 8 18 April 2017 11 July 2017 13 9 18 September 2017 18 December 2017 13 10 4 April 2018 7 June 2018 10 11 29 October 2018 17 December 2018 8 12 16 April 2019 18 June 2019 10 13 12 November 2019 17 December 2019 6 14 20 February 2020 19 March 2020 5 15 1 October 2020 21 October 2020 4 16 19 January 2021 23 February 2021 6 17 6 September 2021 4 October 2021 5 18 6 January 2022 17 February 2022 7 19 21 July 2022 25 August 2022 6 20 17 April 2023 15 May 2023 5 21 2 January 2024 6 February 2024 5 22 6 August 2024 18 October 2024 9 23 3 February 2025 3 March 2025 5 24 4 April 2025 28 August 2025 9 25 10 April 2026 5 June 2026 9
Compilations Date Entitle 28 October 2020 Together Forever 4 November 2020 Opposites Attract 11 November 2020 Second Chances 18 November 2020 Plot Twists 25 November 2020 Celebrity Best Bits 2 December 2020 Fireworks 24 February 2022 The Awkward Ones 3 March 2022 Doubles Dates 10 March 2022 This Is Me 17 March 2022 The Returners 24 March 2022 Needle in a Haystack 31 March 2022 Odd Jobs 30 June 2022 Pride Special
First Dates Hotel Series Start date End date Episodes 1 2 January 2017 6 February 2017 6 2 8 January 2018 9 October 2018 12 3 5 September 2019 4 October 2022 24
Teen First Dates Series Start date End date Episodes 1 22 February 2021 5 April 2021 6 2 23 February 2022 20 April 2022 10 3 25 October 2023 3 May 2024 10
First Dates Beach Club Series Start date End date Episodes 1 15 December 2025 12 January 2026 8
International versions The format created in the United Kingdom has been adapted in Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Australia, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand, Italy, Poland, USA, France, Brazil, Israel, Sweden, Norway, Argentina, Portugal, Austria, South Africa, Greece and Serbia.
Country Title TV channel Year aired Primera Cita Telefe 14 February 2018 – 30 March 2018 First Dates Seven Network 3 February 2016 – present Network 10 24 February 2022 – 18 May 2022 First Dates Austria ATV 17 April 2019 – present First Dates Eén 5 March 2020 – present À Primeira Vista Rede Bandeirantes 22 June 2017 – 21 September 2017 First Dates Slice 1 September 2015 – 18 April 2017 První večeře Prima 30 August 2021 – present First Dates Suomi MTV3 19 September 2019 – present Premier rendez-vous et plus si affinités TF1 12 June 2017 – present First Dates sixx 21 October 2015 – 9 December 2015 First Dates – Ein Tisch für Zwei VOX 5 March 2018 – present First Dates Hotel 20 April 2020 – present First Dates Star Channel 30 April 2023 – present First Dates RTÉ2 21 April 2016 – present דייט ראשוןDate Rishon Channel 2 18 December 2017 – 2018 Primo appuntamento Real Time 14 March 2017 – present Primo appuntamento Crociera 18 May 2021 – 14 June 2022 Primo appuntamento Hotel 2 January 2024 – 12 March 2024 First Dates NPO 3 (BNNVARA) 18 March 2015 – present First Dates Television New Zealand October 2016 – present Første date TVNorge 4 January 2018 – present Pierwsza randka TVP2 16 March 2017 – 16 November 2017 First Dates – O Primeiro Encontro TVI 2 January 2019 – present Prvi sastanci TBA 2027 First Dates South Africa BBC Lifestyle 16 October 2019 – present First Dates CuatroTelecinco 17 April 2016 – present First Dates: Crucero 13 January 2020 – 25 April 2022 Första dejten SVT 13 March 2017 – present First Dates NBC 7 April 2017 – 26 May 2017
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