Blind Date reboot set for huge return with Love Island inspired twist

One of the most iconic gameshows is set to return to our screens, but with a twist. Fans of eighties television will be buzzing at the news that Blind Date is set for a reboot.

The dating show which was hosted by Cilla Black is set for a revival. However, instead of its previous ITV home, the show is set to appear on Disney+.

And in a dramatic twist, the show will see contestants spend time on a tropical island as hopefuls compete for a dream wedding on the golden sands. An insider claims the show will have "hints of Love Island about it".

Talking to the Sun, the source said it's a "radical departure" from the old style Blind Date. They told the publication: "But fans will recall a lot of the dates took place in hot, sunny climes abroad, and ­producers want to recapture some of the steamy fun, and expand upon that.

“Even the wedding element has hints of the old show, because the dream was always that the dates on the programme would lead to couples tying the knot.”

And they added that not all of the old ­characteristics will be eliminated, with plans still set to incorporate the show’s famous ­sliding wall. The source went on to say the show's producers hope to "hire a top female host just like Cilla".

It's said a star-studded line-up of female hosts are being eyed up to step into Cilla's shoes. Among those being rumoured are Holly Willoughby, Davina McCall and The Traitors' Claudia Winkleman.

It's unknown whether the show will provide a replacement for voiceover Graham Skidmore, aka 'Our Graham'.

The show's return was speculated earlier this month, 22 years after it last aired. The ITV show originally aired on Saturday nights from 1985-2003. At the time, saw hundreds of couples meet for the first time looking for love.

Like most dating shows, many didn't last past the studio doors, however a number of couples did make it all the way to the alter.

Any reboot won't be the first time the show has been revived. Most recently, in 2017, the show made its return on Channel 5. It came two years after the death of original host Cilla Black - with Paul O'Grady replacing the late host.

Melanie Sykes also joined the show as a replacement for 'Our Graham' providing the iconic voiceover. The show ran for four series until June 2019. Original voiceover Graham died in 2021 at age 90, seven years after the death of host Cilla Black in 2015.

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