ITV's new middle-aged dating show is not a Love Island spin-off
RadioTimes.com understands the series is an entirely different format and not connected to Love Island, as previous reports claimed.
While Love Island's winter season may be well and truly underway, another series has quickly taken over the conversation around dating reality shows.
After months of rumours about some kind of dating show for older contestants, ITV has put a call-out on its website for new series The Romance Retreat.
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The blurb reads: "ITV1 are looking for vibrant single parents from across the UK who are in search of love, for a brand new dating show!
"This is the ONLY dating show where single parents can search for love, by spending time in a luxury retreat, where all the parents have been nominated by their grown up children."
In the online post, it also appears that we have a sneak peek at the villa that will be used in The Romance Retreat, which shows a modern mansion and expansive front lawn area.
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The upcoming series has been labelled as a 'middle-aged Love Island spin-off', but RadioTimes.com understands the series is an entirely different format and not connected to Love Island, as previous reports claimed.
A TV source for The Sun said: “Times change and the current generation in their 40s and 50s still care about how they look, are fit and healthy, into fashion and are ready to let their hair down.
“This show will give those who settled down young a second chance at love while they still feel in their prime.
“And, let’s face it, they know their minds will be capable of intelligent conversation and are likely to be much more adventurous — all ingredients regular Love Island sometimes lacks.”
As of now, no other details have been confirmed about The Romance Retreat - just that it is not connected to the well-known dating show currently on our screens.
As for who will host the new series, rumours are likely to swirl, not least because Davina McCall intimated that she could be in the running. Appearing on Steven Bartlett's (Dragons' Den) podcast, The Diary of a CEO, in January, McCall revealed that she had pitched the idea to ITV.
She explained: “I could fill a villa in Love Island with middle-aged people with the best backstories you have ever heard in your life.
“They’ve lived a life – they’re widows, they’re people who have been through horrific divorces. They are people who have split up with somebody and decided they want to try going out with somebody the same sex as them. They’re like interesting people. I’d watch that show.”
According to McCall, ITV responded to her request to host that format of show, saying: “We’re looking at something else that’s quite similar, we might consider you for that”.
For now, we'll just have to wait and see.
The Romance Retreat will be coming to ITV1 in the future. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide, visit our Entertainment hub for the latest news.
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