Following its Christmas special over the festive period, First Dates is about to return with a new batch of episodes, marking its incredible 23rd season.
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The show, which has now been running since 2013, will return for its new season on Channel 4 on Monday 3rd February at 10pm.
While the upcoming run will of course feature a whole new batch of singles, each hoping to find love, it will also reunite fans with those working in the First Dates restaurant, including maître d'hôtel Fred Sirieix, mixologist Merlin Griffiths and Cici Coleman.
Since its debut, the show has seen multiple spin-offs air, including First Dates Hotel and Teen First Dates, while the main show itself has moved between different restaurants and filming locations.
Merlin in First Dates. Channel 4
While the dates first took place and were filmed in London, the show moved to Manchester in 2021 and Bath in 2023, to mark its 10th anniversary.
He said: "You can't compare the two, really - they're two different shows.
"I love Love Island, by the way! I love watching it and I think it's very well done.
"I think it's very interesting to see how people react and I think there's a psychological drama behind everything that's happening. It's really fascinating.
"First Dates isn't that kind of show. It's about two people who don't know each other, who live in different places and sometimes not very far from each other, and they want to meet somebody that they can make a connection with, so that they can spend their life with them.
"That's what most people are looking for when they come on First Dates. And so it's about that conversation and about finding out whether they have a connection and whether there is chemistry. Chemistry - that's what it's about."
First Dates season 23 will air on Channel 4 from Monday 3rd February at 10pm.
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
