Entertainment

Grown-up children to watch parents go on dates in new Davina McCall show

The offspring will also play matchmaker and decide their mother or father’s future love life.
The offspring will also play matchmaker and decide their mother or father’s future love life.

Davina McCall is to host a new dating show on ITV aimed at matching up single parents.

My Mum, Your Dad will see the parents observed on dates in secret by their grown-up children from a nearby location called The Bunker.

The children will have the power to play matchmaker and decide their mother or father’s future love life.

Former Big Brother presenter McCall said: “Thank goodness the secret is finally out. I’ve been bursting to tell. I’m so, so excited to host My Mum, Your Dad – this show will have you so invested in the people in it.

“Fascinating, vibrant individuals who have lived incredible lives already, with a million life lessons under their belts, as they search for their perfect life partner. But also with the juiciest twist of any show I’ve ever worked on.”

Over 10 episodes, the parents – who have been nominated by their children – will live in a country house retreat in West Sussex to look for love.

Paul Mortimer, ITV’s director of reality and acquisitions, said: “My Mum, Your Dad is set to be a relationship show with a difference, as we follow the emotional and inspiring journeys of single parents looking to find love once more.

“Packed full of heart and humour, we’re really excited to be bringing this brand new format to ITV1’s mainstream audience.

“With Davina at the helm, this will be a grown-up iteration of a series in the dating genre that, thus far, has largely been the preserve of younger viewers.”

The show was previously titled The Romance Retreat.

McCall, who has also presented The £100K Drop and The Biggest Loser, previously called for dating programmes to represent older people during an appearance on The Diary Of A CEO podcast.

The 55-year-old told host and Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett she was “literally begging” ITV to let her present a “midlife Love Island”.

Richard Cowles, managing director of Lifted Entertainment, which works on Love Island, said: “We’re delighted to have Davina at the helm teasing out these hugely relatable stories in a heartwarming and entertaining way.”

The series of 60-minute episodes follows a similar American show called My Mom, Your Dad which was hosted by Insecure actress Yvonne Orji.

It was created by Greg Daniels – who worked on comedy shows The Office, Parks And Recreation and Upload – and his daughter Haley Daniels.

The UK version so far does not have an air date.