The ITV original, starring Cilla Black, was a Saturday night fixture from 1985 to 2003 – but now a whole host of fresh singletons are set to return for a brand new series
Blind Date is making a comeback, as the Daily Star revealed earlier this month. The iconic TV dating show is set for a Disney+ reboot, with Claudia Winkleman among those tipped for hosting duties.
The ITV original, starring Cilla Black, was a Saturday night fixture from 1985 to 2003. Now, here’s Meg Jorsh with a quick reminder of the facts…
Give a hoot?
Originally called It’s A Hoot, the first series was meant to be hosted by comedian Duncan Norville. He recorded a pilot in 1985, but network executives were apparently put off by his camp style and “chase me” catchphrase. It never aired – and soon afterwards, Scouse singer Cilla got the job.
Comeback kid
Famed for 60s hits like Anyone Who Had A Heart, Cilla’s star was fading by the early 80s. But she turned heads with a quirky appearance on BBC chat show Wogan in 1983 – and Blind Date cemented her comeback. She soon won the nation’s hearts with catchphrases like “a lorra lorra laughs”.
Love me don’t
Thelma Pickles, a friend of Cilla’s from her days at Liverpool’s Cavern Club, became one of the show’s earliest producers. Thelma was also John Lennon’s first girlfriend. She said she dumped the Beatles star after he allegedly hit her – and went on to briefly date his bandmate Paul McCartney.
Eyes wide open
Voiceover artist “Our Graham” Skidmore became a Blind Date legend with his cheeky reminders of each contestant, despite never appearing on screen. If you’re curious about what he looked like, you can spot him in the background of raunchy 1999 film Eyes Wide Shut.
Holden on
A host of celebrities got their big breaks on Blind Date – including Amanda Holden. The Britain’s Got Talent judge appeared as a contestant in 1991, despite already having a boyfriend. Luckily, she wasn’t picked. She says: “For me, it was a television appearance. Love was not on my mind.”
Dating with the stars
Ex-EastEnders star Nina Wadia and This Morning host Jenni Falconer were also Blind Date contestants. And comedian Ed Byrne says he’s never gotten over getting snubbed on his episode in 1993. “She chose Gavin the stripper from King’s Lynn,” he explains. “It’s still very raw.”
Wedded bliss
Three couples who met on the show went on to get married. Sue Middleton and Alex Tatham were the first in 1991, tying the knot in front of millions of viewers with Cilla as a guest, after meeting on-screen in 1988. They marked 25 years together in 2013 and even renewed their wedding vows last year.
Highs and lows
At the height of its popularity in the 1980s, an incredible 18.2million people tuned in to watch Blind Date every Saturday. But by 2003, the audience had dropped to just 5million. In January that year, Cilla shocked producers by announcing on air she was quitting.
Gilding the Lily
Blind Date returned to Channel 5 in 2017, hosted by Cilla’s pal Paul O’Grady. The late comedian, famed as drag queen Lily Savage, was so close to his fellow Scouser he even gave a speech at her funeral in 2015. His version of the show featured same-sex couples for the first time, but lasted just three series.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
