While British reality fans are used to seeing Love Island, Take Me Out, Too Hot To Handle and Love Is Blind on our screens, the UK's first-ever gay dating show, I Kissed A Boy, is landing on BBC Three later this month – and host Dannii Minogue doesn't understand why it has taken so long.

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The Australian singer-presenter has criticised dating shows that exclude LGBTQ+ contestants, saying: "It's confusing to me why so many people are asking for it but then nobody was making this show."

Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press ahead of I Kissed A Boy's launch, the presenter said she signed up for the show as "it's about time" the UK gets a gay dating show.

"I think so many people have been wanting a gay dating show. There are so many comments that I've read over the years – 'Our brand of dating show, it's not going to include that, it's never gonna happen.'

I Kissed A Boy
Embargo: 9th May I Kissed A Boy BBC

"And it's confusing to me why so many people are asking for it but then nobody was making this show. I actually got asked yesterday, 'Had you been asked to do a lot of other shows like this and this was the first one you said yes to?' and I was like, 'No, this is the first time that's ever come up.' So I think a lot of people wanted it, but it just wasn't happening."

The upcoming show pairs up 10 single men who decide whether it's love at first peck when they meet in an Italian villa.

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Narrated by Bad Education's Layton Williams, the matches will be tested when all of the contestants get to know each other, delivering "explosive drama, gripping cliffhangers and powerful untold stories".

Minogue, who has been a judge on The X Factor, Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model and Let It Shine, added that she was initially "concerned" about the "intentions" of the show.

"I was very excited about the concept but concerned about how it would work and how it was going to be done, and what the intentions of everyone were that were involved in it," she said. "So for me the LGBT community is very important to me, my friends, my people, I didn't want to be part of anything that was not aligned with my intentions of looking after those people, wanting it to be great for them, wanting it to be a really cool experience.

"So it was a lot of research for me before getting from that first conversation to actually filming it. I think we've got a great cast, we've got a great crew looking after everyone and these guys' lives are going to change overnight."

I Kissed a Boy arrives on BBC Three on Sunday 14th May at 9pm on BBC Three. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on.

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Authors

Lauren Morris
Lauren MorrisEntertainment and Factual Writer
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