When is First Dates series 13 on TV? What's it about? Do the couples stay together?
More people will be looking for love under Fred's watchful eye when First Dates returns to Channel 4 next month
Get ready for more sparks to fly - as well as some bouts of awkwardness here and there - because Channel 4's legendary dating show is returning to our screens.
Here's all you need to know about the upcoming series of First Dates...
When is First Dates series 13 going to be on TV?
The new series will be starting on Channel 4 at 10pm on Tuesday 12th November 2019.
What is First Dates about?
As the title would suggest, First Dates pairs up two people who have never met before for a date in a fancy restaurant. The hope is that they might fall in love and want to pursue a relationship together afterwards, although inevitably this isn't always the case.
The show has a remarkably diverse range of participants, with the oldest person to appear being 101-year-old Eric Stanley, a pensioner from Gloucestershire who was signed up by his grandson.
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Who is Fred Sirieix?
Fred Sirieix acts as the maître d' of the restaurant where First Dates takes place. He has become very popular with viewers of the show over over the years, thanks to his fun interactions with participants and his charming observations about the dating world.
When not filming the show, Fred is the general manager of a Michelin-starred restaurant in London called Galvin at Windows, having started his career decades ago at a French catering college.
He discussed his decision to join First Dates with the Guardian in 2016: “It sounded fun and you have to consider any opportunity. I looked carefully at it and became sure it was a good programme at heart."
Where is First Dates set?
First Dates is filmed in the Paternoster Chop House in Central London, near to St. Paul's Cathedral. The restaurant specialises in meat dishes and so wouldn't be the place to take your vegan crush.
Unfortunately for fans, the establishment is closed to the public during the filming of First Dates and Fred doesn't actually work there in real life. His place of employment, the Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows, is a significantly pricier night out located in Mayfair.
Do couples on First Dates stay together?
Not every match-up works out, but the show has seen some success in the past. Back in 2015, Channel 4 aired a special episode which brought back several couples who had stayed together after being introduced on the show.
One of these couples, Scott and Victoria, got engaged at the end of the episode marking the first proposal to take place on the show... and currently the only one. To be fair, popping the question on national television must be a very daunting task.
