SOUTH AFRICA'S TV WEBSITE
SIGN IN SEARCH MENU
SOUTH AFRICA'S TV WEBSITE


Dating in the Dark

Genres: Game/Quiz Shows, Reality, Dating Game Show

Rate:

7.0

Add to Show Favourites

Seasons


Season 1

Dating in the Dark is a British reality dating game show based on the original Dutch series Daten in het Donker, in which three single men and three single women move into a light-tight house, getting to know each other and forming bonds in total darkness.

The series premiered in the UK on Living TV on 9 September, 2009. It moved to Sky Living for the third season, where it ended its run on 5 July, 2011. There are 24 hour-long episodes in three seasons.

Dating in the Dark premiered in South Africa on DStv's BBC Entertainment channel on Thursday 7 July 2011, at 20h00. It later aired on BBC Lifestyle. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.

Season 1 originally aired on BBC Entertainment from 7 July to 25 August, 2011, on Thursdays at 20h00. New episodes broadcast weekly.

Season 1 later aired on BBC Lifestyle from 8 January to 26 February, 2012, on Sundays at 19h00. New episodes broadcast weekly. There are eight episodes in the first season.

Synopsis

Forget speed-dating, forget internet-dating, forget double-dating - Dating in the Dark is the series that puts a whole new spin on blind-dating.

Putting paid to the theory that beauty is only skin deep, this series explores how important aesthetic attraction is when it comes to achieving emotional intimacy, and asks the million dollar question – do looks really matter?

Each week the show offers six singletons, all genuinely looking for love, a totally unique way of meeting someone special – in total darkness.

We all think we know what we're looking for in a partner: tall, dark and handsome... but surely you wouldn't be so shallow as to rule out the potential love of your life on something as transitory as looks?

Each episode of Dating in the Dark invites three single guys and three single girls to take up residence in separate apartments within a specially designed house where they are kept completely apart, only meeting each other in a dating room which is kept in pitch darkness: the Dark Room. So dark, the singletons cannot even see their own hand in front of their face.

Viewers follow the action, week by week, via state-of-the-art infra-red cameras in the dark room, as well as fully-lit footage of the boys and girls in their separate apartments.

Following the first group date, which takes place in the dark room, the lovebirds decide who they like the sound of most, based on listening to each other's voices.

A spot of shirt-swapping then helps guide their attraction as they get a proper whiff of each other's pheromones. Based on theses two sensory experiences, they each decide who they want to go it alone with on a first date in the dark room.

Will the pheromones kick in? Will a husky voice swing it?

The next round of dating is based on a scientific compatibility test, designed in partnership with Senior Lecturer for the Department of Psychology at Goldsmiths University of London, Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic.

Based on compatibility scores, matched couples are sent back to the dark room to find out whether there really is any science in chemistry. Will new ties form and new interests blossom?

Daters are then given a free choice as to who they'd like to meet again, their original choice, or their compatibility match.

By now, all have begun to form an idea of what their potential love interest looks like physically, and sketch artists work alongside each dater to produce an artist impression of their date. The drawings are then handed to their subjects and tensions mount as expectations come into play.

In a dramatic moment, each of the lonely hearts is finally given the chance to see their date in the flesh for the first time. As they stand in the dark room, fifteen seconds of light is briefly placed on each person, and true reactions are revealed. But will that mere 15 seconds change everything? Is beauty really in the eye of the beholder?

In a brutal culmination, the love birds must decide whether to date or ditch their suitors.

If they still want to go ahead with the date they either turn up in the library to prove their love and go on a date, or leave the house and walk away with their suitcase forever. Rejection was never so harsh!

Dating in the Dark is produced by Initial, an Endemol company. The format was originally devised by the Dutch entertainment company Talpa. David Staite is executive producer, Daniella Berendsen and Alex Cross are the series poducers.

Seasons

Season 1 (8 episodes)

Channel: BBC Entertainment | Premiere: 7 Jul 2011 | Finale: 25 Aug 2011 | Thu, 20h00
Channel: BBC Lifestyle | Premiere: 8 Jan 2012 | Finale: 26 Feb 2012 | Sun, 19h00

Season 2 (8 episodes)

Channel: BBC Entertainment | Premiere: 12 Apr 2012 | Finale: 31 May 2012 | Thu, 20h00
Channel: BBC Lifestyle | Premiere: 19 May 2013 | Finale: 7 Jul 2013 | Sun, 18h00

Season 3 (8 episodes)

Channel: BBC Lifestyle | Premiere: 2 Mar 2014 | Finale: 20 Apr 2014 | Sun, 18h00


Season 1 Cast

as
Narrator - Himself


LATEST ARTICLES

New on TV today: Sunday 28 April

Royal Autopsy returns to HISTORY and the 30 Years of Democracy documentary airs on M-Net.


New on TV today: Saturday 27 April

kykNET documents 30 Years of Democracy and the 2024 Metro FM Music Awards air live on SABC1.


Diepe Waters Teasers - May 2024

Gross out alert! The source of the mysterious illness plaguing the swimmers might be right under their noses.


Titli Teasers - May 2024

Titli inadvertently hurts Garv while he attempts to be romantic.


Anupama Teasers - May 2024

Anupama asks Pakhi to care for the Shahs, but Pakhi refuses, stating she won't be their maid.


Imlie Teasers - May 2024

Imlie feels uneasy when Agastya finds her diary filled with thoughts about him.


Gqeberha: The Empire 2 Teasers - May 2024

Nomaflower is forced to bury her love, Stokkie's life hangs in the balance and Lulama receives a letter.


New on TV today: Friday 26 April

SABC2 travels Around the World in 80 Ways and Disney+ tells The Bon Jovi Story.


Summertide character portrait: Tanya van Graan as Charlie

She's an influential new character who has the hotts for who?


My Desire Teasers - May 2024

Kaashvi discovers Arjun in an embarrassing situation and assists him in resolving it.

LATEST SITE ACTIVITY


More activity at TVSA Central



LATEST SOAPIE TEASERS



LATEST SOAPIE TEASERS





×
×

You browser doesn't have Flash, Silverlight, Gears, BrowserPlus or HTML5 support.