First Dates

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This article is about the British TV series. For versions in other countries and other uses of the term "first date", see First date (disambiguation).

First Dates
GenreReality
StarringFred Sirieix
Narrated byDean Lennox Kelly (series 1 and 2)
Brian Protheroe (series 3-present)
Music byMiguel d'Oliveira
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series17 (regular)
7 (hotel)
2 (teen)
30 (overall)
No. of episodes176 (regular)
42 (hotel)
16 (teen)
248 (overall)
Production
Production locationsPaternoster Chop House, London (2013–2020)[1]
The Refinery, Manchester (2021–2023)[1]
The Botanist bar & restaurant, Bath, Somerset (2023–)
Running time60 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production companyTwenty Twenty
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release20 June 2013 (2013-06-20) –
present

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[edit]

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[2] 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.[2][3]

In 2020 it was announced that filming would move to Manchester for Series 16.[4] The specific location was later confirmed in January 2021, when it was announced that the sixteenth series would begin airing on 19 January 2021, in the new location of The Refinery, located in Spinningfields, in Manchester.[5]

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 and consisted of 10 episodes. A third series was commissioned in 2023 to air later this year.[6]

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.[7] Along with a new restaurant location, the tenth anniversary series will launch brand-new cast members as well as a format refresh.

Restaurant staff[edit]

Since series 3 (2015) the restaurant's maître d'hôtel Fred Sirieix offers pieces to camera on the nature of love, romance and dating.[8] 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.[9]

The waiting staff and barman do not work in the restaurant full-time, but are recruited for when the series is being filmed. Surrey-born[10] Laura Nicole Tott[11] left the show, in 2021,[12] to train as a Paramedic, get married and gave birth to their son in 2023.[13] She hasn't ruled out a return at some stage.[14] Oxford-born[15] CiCi Coleman is an actor[16][17][18][19] who trained at New York Film Academy. The waiting staff are joined by Sam Conrad,[20] Austin Ventour,[20] Aoife Smyth,[21] Grant Urquhart, David Marc and Daniella Kalita.[22]

London-born and Cheltenham-raised barman Merlin Griffiths was[23] a pub landlord[24] now owning a chain of pubs,[25] who had previously worked as a global brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire gin.[26] 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.[27]

First Dates: The Podcast[edit]

In June 2023, First Dates production company Twenty Twenty and Nordic podcast company Podimo announced[28] 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.[29][30][31][32][33][34][35]

Transmissions[edit]

Regular[edit]

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 24 September 2015 12
4 1 October 2015 19 April 2016 24
5 8 July 2016 13 February 2017 24
30 May 2017
6 18 April 2017 18 December 2017 25
7 2 November 2017 21
25 December 2017 17 December 2018
8 16 April 2019 18 June 2019 10
9 12 November 2019 17 December 2019 6
10 20 February 2020 19 March 2020 5
11 1 October 2020 21 October 2020 4
12 19 January 2021 16 February 2021 5
13 6 September 2021 27 September 2021 4
14 6 January 2022 10 February 2022 7
15 21 July 2022 18 August 2022 6
16 17 April 2023 8 May 2023 5
17 2024 2024 ?

Specials[edit]

Date Entitle
25 October 2018 Stand Up 2 Cancer Celebrity Special
25 December 2018 Christmas Special
14 February 2019 Valentine's Special
25 December 2019 Christmas Special
13 February 2020 Valentine's Special
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
23 December 2020 Christmas Special
2 February 2021 Valentine's Special
22 December 2021 Christmas Special
3 February 2022 Valentine's Special
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
27 December 2022 Christmas Special
14 February 2023 Valentine's Special
6 February 2024 Valentine's Special

First Dates Hotel[edit]

Series Start date End date Episodes
1 2 January 2017 6 February 2017 6
2 8 January 2018 12 February 2018 6
3 28 August 2018 9 October 2018 6
4 5 September 2019 10 October 2019 6
5 30 April 2020 11 June 2020 7
6 24 March 2021 21 April 2021 6
7 6 September 2022 4 October 2022 6

Teen First Dates[edit]

Series Start date End date Episodes
1 22 February 2021 5 April 2021 6
2 23 February 2022 20 April 2022 10
3 2023 2023 TBA

Best Bits[edit]

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

International versions[edit]

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 and Greece.

Country Title TV channel Year aired
 Canada First Dates Slice 1 September 2015 – 18 April 2017
 Germany 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
 Australia First Dates Seven Network 3 February 2016 – present
 Spain First Dates Cuatro 17 April 2016 – present
First Dates: Crucero 13 January 2020 – present
 Ireland First Dates RTÉ2 21 April 2016 – present
 Netherlands First Dates NPO 3 (BNNVARA) 18 March 2015 – present
 New Zealand First Dates Television New Zealand October 2016 – present
 Sweden Första dejten SVT 13 March 2017 – present
 Italy Primo appuntamento Real Time 14 March 2017 – present
Primo appuntamento Crociera 18 May 2021 – present
Primo appuntamento Hotel 2 January 2024 – present
 Poland Pierwsza randka TVP2 16 March 2017 – 16 November 2017
 USA First Dates NBC 7 April 2017 – 26 May 2017
 France Premier rendez-vous et plus si affinités TF1 12 June 2017 – present
 Brazil À Primeira Vista Rede Bandeirantes 22 June 2017 – 21 September 2017
 Israel דייט ראשון
Date Rishon 		Channel 2 18 December 2017 – present
 Norway Første date TVNorge 4 January 2018 – present[36]
 Argentina Primera Cita Telefe 14 February 2018 – 30 March 2018
 Portugal First Dates – O Primeiro Encontro TVI 2 January 2019 – present
 Austria First Dates Austria ATV 17 April 2019 – present
 Finland First Dates Suomi MTV3 19 September 2019 – present
 South Africa First Dates South Africa BBC Lifestyle 16 October 2019 – present
 Belgium First Dates Eén 5 March 2020 – present
 Czech Republic První večeře Prima 30 August 2021 – present
 Greece First Dates Star Channel 30 April 2023 – present

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Nisbet, Megan (19 January 2021). "First Dates restaurant Manchester: Where is the new series filmed?". WalesOnline. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Media".
  3. ^ "You can actually stay at the First Dates hotel!". 16 January 2018.
  4. ^ Heward, Emily (29 January 2020). "First Dates is filming its next series at a Manchester restaurant". men. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  5. ^ "First Dates: Channel 4 series will feel 'more like real life'". BBC News. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  6. ^ "TEEN FIRST DATES RETURNS FOR THIRD SERIES ON E4". TV Zone UK. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Channel 4's First Dates restaurant relocates for 10th Anniversary to find romance in Bath | Channel 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  8. ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (16 September 2015). "From Blind Date to First Dates: how TV matchmaking grew up". The Guardian.
  9. ^ bighospitality.co.uk. "Fred Sirieix leaves Galvin at Windows". bighospitality.co.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  10. ^
  11. ^ "Who are the First Dates' waiters and waitresses? Everything you need to know about Cici, Laura and Sam…". NUTesla | The Informant (in Italian). 16 February 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  12. ^ Amin, Meghna (30 August 2023). "First Dates star Laura Tott gives birth and reveals sweet name". Metro. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Fred Sirieix's First Dates co-stars Laura Tott and Cici Coleman open up about Dadgate and express their sadness over his argument with Nella Rose - Bintano". 23 November 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  14. ^ McLoughlin, Lisa (30 August 2023). "First Dates star welcomes first child and reveals sweet name". Evening Standard. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  15. ^ "CiCi Coleman". It Can't Just Be Me with Anna Richardson - Podcast. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  16. ^ Spence, Niamh (14 August 2023). "First Dates star Cici Coleman's life from Gethin Jones 'romance' to money woes". The Mirror. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Inside the gorgeous home of First Dates waitress Cici Coleman". OK! Magazine. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Cici Coleman: A Versatile Star and Influencer Talks About Her Workout, Diet And Beauty Secrets". Women Fitness. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  19. ^ O'Sullivan, Kyle (24 March 2021). "First Dates staff's actual jobs, off-screen relationships and which are actors". The Mirror. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  20. ^ a b "The loves lives and real jobs of the First Dates staff". Wales Online. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  21. ^ https://www.nationalworld.com/news/people/merlin-griffiths-first-dates-bartender-wife-cancer-4463165
  22. ^ "Meet the new First Dates staff for series 16". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  23. ^ Jordan, Anna (30 November 2020). "Merlin Griffiths: 'We are creative, resilient, adaptable – this is hospitality!'". Small Business UK. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  24. ^ "Merlin Griffiths, The Priory Tavern". Cocktail Saturdays. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  25. ^ "First Dates' Merlin 'shed a tear in private' with girlfriend in cancer battle". Northants Live. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  26. ^ "32 Things You Probably Didn't Know About "First Dates"". BuzzFeed.
  27. ^ "Who is Fiona from First Dates 2021? Meet the new bartender on series 16!". Reality Titbit. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  28. ^ Shepherd, Adam (26 June 2023). "First Dates spin-off podcast to launch this summer". PodPod. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  29. ^ "Launch date for brand-new First Dates: The Podcast revealed". Podcasting Today. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  30. ^ "First Dates: The Podcast". audioboom.com. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  31. ^ "First Dates: The Podcast - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  32. ^ Media, Bionic. "Twenty Twenty Casting - First Dates: The Podcast". www.twentytwenty.tv. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  33. ^ "CiCi Coleman". First Dates: The Podcast. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  34. ^ "Frankie Bridge and Cici Coleman to host First Dates: The Podcast - PodcastingToday". 28 June 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  35. ^ Cook, Sam (27 June 2023). "First Dates is launching a podcast and wants your incredible dating stories". Wales Online. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  36. ^ "Dplay". www.dplay.no. Retrieved 26 September 2020.

External links[edit]

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