Five Guys a Week described as "excruciating" after debut - but viewers couldn't get enough of it

Nevertheless, many admitted that, despite their reservations, they would undoubtedly be tuning in to the next episode.

The show sees a woman invite five men into her own home for a week, eliminating one a day until just one remains.

Last night’s episode saw 34-year-old marketing consultant Amy invite surfer Trystan, songwriter Scott, debonair stuntman Michael, international fraud investigator Christian, and local government consultant Glenn into her home – eventually opting for Christian.

Many viewers were left aghast by the show, which featured a string of awkward moments including Amy kissing one of the men at a club while the others watched on angrily.

One Twitter user described it as “honestly one of the worst things I’ve ever watched” but conceded that, “I look forward to next week’s instalment”.

Similarly, another viewer tweeted, “Let me tell you: #fiveguysaweek is one of the most excruciating things I have ever watched and I cannot get enough.”

Meanwhile, a third wrote, “I really feel like we're scraping the bottom of the dating show barrel here with #FiveGuysAWeek but somehow I'm still watching. Why is this so fascinating?”

It seems that despite something of a mixed reception, then, the show can count on a fair share of viewers returning for episode 2 next week.

Five Guys a Week returns on Tuesday 17^th March at 9.15pm on Channel 4.