First Dates

This article is about the British TV series. For versions in other countries and other uses of the term "first date", see First date (disambiguation).

First Dates is a British reality television programme that has aired on Channel 4 since 20 June 2013. The programme has been narrated by Brian Protheroe since 2015.

First Dates
Genre	Reality
Starring	Fred Sirieix
Narrated by	Dean Lennox Kelly Ralf Little Brian Protheroe
Music by	Miguel d'Oliveira
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	9 (regular) 3 (hotel) 2 (teen)
No. of episodes	183 (regular) 42 (hotel) 16 (teen)
Production
Production locations	Paternoster Chop House, London (2013–2020)[1] The Refinery, Manchester (2021–2023)[1] The Botanist bar & restaurant, Bath, Somerset (2023–)
Running time	60 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production company	Twenty Twenty
Original release
Network	Channel 4
Release	20 June 2013 (2013-06-20) – present

Production

The production was filmed at the Paternoster Chop House restaurant in Paternoster Square, central London from 2013 to 2020, showing many people on dates, none of whom have met each other before. At the end of the date, the couples are interviewed together and asked whether they would like to see each other again. The restaurant is closed to the public while filming takes place. The restaurant is fitted with 42 "Pan–tilt–zoom" cameras and there are at least 70 crew members on set during filming, which lasts 15 hours a day. Each diner is given £25 towards the cost of their meal.

The spin-off show, First Dates Hotel, follows the same TV format with contestants meeting for the first time in a hotel restaurant, but if the date goes well, the couples are offered the opportunity to check in for the night. The first series was filmed at Le Vieux Castillon in Castillon-du-Gard^[2] offering idyllic settings with a variety of activities for the successful second daters, and added sommelier Xavier Chapelou to Fred Sirieix's team. The second series was filmed at Aquapetra Resort & Spa in Campania near Naples, Italy.^[2][3]

In 2020, it was announced that filming would move to Manchester. The specific location was later confirmed in January 2021, when it was announced that the ninth series would begin airing on 19 January 2021, in the new location of The Refinery, located in Spinningfields, in Manchester.^[4]

Another spin-off show, Teen First Dates, began airing on E4 on 22 February 2021 and consisted of 6 episodes. Each episode was also available to stream on All 4. Following the same format as the parent show and also taking place at Spinningfields, it follows 16-19 year olds as they begin dating for the first time. Series 2 began airing on 23 February 2022.

In July 2023, it was announced that filming would be relocated to The Botanist bar & restaurant in Bath, Somerset for the 10th anniversary of the show.^[5] Along with a new restaurant location, the tenth anniversary series will launch brand-new cast members as well as a format refresh.

Restaurant staff

Since series 3 (2015) the restaurant's maître d'hôtel Fred Sirieix offers pieces to camera on the nature of love, romance and dating.^[6] When not filming for First Dates, he was the general manager at restaurant Galvin at Windows, although he left in December 2019 after 14 years.^[7]

The waiting staff and barman do not work in the restaurant full-time, but are recruited for when the series is being filmed. Surrey-born^[8] Laura Nicole Tott^[9] left the show, in 2021,^[10] to train as a Paramedic, get married and gave birth to their son in 2023.^[11] She hasn't ruled out a return at some stage.^[12] Oxford-born^[13] CiCi Coleman is an actor^{[14][15][16][17]} who trained at New York Film Academy. The waiting staff are joined by Sam Conrad,^[18] Austin Ventour,^[18] Aoife Smyth,^[19] Grant Urquhart, David Marc and Daniella Kalita.^[20]

London-born and Cheltenham-raised barman Merlin Griffiths was^[21] a pub landlord^[22] now owning a chain of pubs,^[23] who had previously worked as a global brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire gin.^[24] Griffiths also works alongside co-bartender Fiona Beck who as well as working in the First Dates restaurant, has a career in advertising. She has also worked as a model in the past, featuring in fashion shows in Paris, Barcelona and New York.^[25]

First Dates: The Podcast

In June 2023, First Dates production company Twenty Twenty and Nordic podcast company Podimo announced^[26] a new spin-off podcast would be launched in the Summer. The show, which launched in July 2023, is hosted by CiCi Coleman and Frankie Bridge.^{[27][28][29][30][31][32][33]}

Transmissions

Regular

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes
1	20 June 2013	25 July 2013	6
2	12 February 2014	2 April 2014	8
3	6 March 2015	24 September 2015	12[34]
4	1 October 2015	19 April 2016	24[34]
5	8 July 2016	30 May 2017	24
6	18 April 2017	18 December 2017	25
7	2 November 2017	3 December 2019	25
8	25 October 2018	23 December 2020	27
9	19 January 2021	15 May 2023	32
10	2 January 2024	TBD	30

Compilations

Date	Entitle
28 October 2020	Together Forever
4 November 2020	Opposites Attract
11 November 2020	Second Chances
18 November 2020	Plot Twists
25 November 2020	Celebrity Best Bits
2 December 2020	Fireworks
24 February 2022	The Awkward Ones
3 March 2022	Doubles Dates
10 March 2022	This Is Me
17 March 2022	The Returners
24 March 2022	Needle in a Haystack
31 March 2022	Odd Jobs
30 June 2022	Pride Special

First Dates Hotel

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes
1	2 January 2017	6 February 2017	6
2	8 January 2018	9 October 2018	12
3	5 September 2019	4 October 2022	24

Teen First Dates

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes
1	22 February 2021	5 April 2021	6
2	23 February 2022	TBD 2023	TBD

International versions

The format created in the United Kingdom has been adapted in Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Australia, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand, Italy, Poland, USA, France, Brazil, Israel, Sweden, Norway, Argentina, Portugal, Austria, South Africa and Greece.

Country	Title	TV channel	Year aired
Argentina	Primera Cita	Telefe	14 February 2018 – 30 March 2018
Australia	First Dates	Seven Network	3 February 2016 – 11 March 2020
		Network 10	24 February 2022 – 18 May 2022
Austria	First Dates Austria	ATV	17 April 2019 – present
Belgium	First Dates	Eén	5 March 2020 – present
Brazil	À Primeira Vista	Rede Bandeirantes	22 June 2017 – 21 September 2017
Canada	First Dates	Slice	1 September 2015 – 18 April 2017
Czech Republic	První večeře	Prima	30 August 2021 – present
Finland	First Dates Suomi	MTV3	19 September 2019 – present
France	Premier rendez-vous et plus si affinités	TF1	12 June 2017 – present
Germany	First Dates	sixx	21 October 2015 – 9 December 2015
	First Dates – Ein Tisch für Zwei	VOX	5 March 2018 – present
	First Dates Hotel		20 April 2020 – present
Greece	First Dates	Star Channel	30 April 2023 – present
Ireland	First Dates	RTÉ2	21 April 2016 – present
Israel	דייט ראשון Date Rishon	Channel 2	18 December 2017 – present
Italy	Primo appuntamento	Real Time	14 March 2017 – present
	Primo appuntamento Crociera		18 May 2021 – present
	Primo appuntamento Hotel		2 January 2024 – present
Netherlands	First Dates	NPO 3 (BNNVARA)	18 March 2015 – present
New Zealand	First Dates	Television New Zealand	October 2016 – present
Norway	Første date	TVNorge	4 January 2018 – present[35]
Poland	Pierwsza randka	TVP2	16 March 2017 – 16 November 2017
Portugal	First Dates – O Primeiro Encontro	TVI	2 January 2019 – present
South Africa	First Dates South Africa	BBC Lifestyle	16 October 2019 – present
Spain	First Dates	Cuatro	17 April 2016 – present
	First Dates: Crucero		13 January 2020 – present
Sweden	Första dejten	SVT	13 March 2017 – present
United States	First Dates	NBC	7 April 2017 – 26 May 2017

References

1. Nisbet, Megan (19 January 2021). "First Dates restaurant Manchester: Where is the new series filmed?". WalesOnline. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
2. "Media".
3. "You can actually stay at the First Dates hotel!". 16 January 2018.
4. "First Dates: Channel 4 series will feel 'more like real life'". BBC News. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
5. "Channel 4's First Dates restaurant relocates for 10th Anniversary to find romance in Bath | Channel 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
6. Nicholson, Rebecca (16 September 2015). "From Blind Date to First Dates: how TV matchmaking grew up". The Guardian.
7. bighospitality.co.uk (9 December 2019). "Fred Sirieix leaves Galvin at Windows". bighospitality.co.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
8. • https://metro.co.uk/2018/04/04/first-dates-laura-tott-age-career-partner-long-cast-7439920/
   • https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/tv-movies/first-dates-laura-tott-pregnant-how-old-husband/
   • https://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/18381630.coronavirus-first-dates-waitress-laura-tott-tests-positive/
   • https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/first-dates-star-laura-tott-24703040
   • https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/stoke-trent-paramedic-laura-tott-5228347
   • https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/first-dates-star-laura-tott-19280328
   • https://metro.co.uk/2018/04/27/tory-ministers-secretary-probed-by-mi5-for-selling-sex-to-sugar-daddies-7502401/
9. "Who are the First Dates' waiters and waitresses? Everything you need to know about Cici, Laura and Sam…". NUTesla | The Informant (in Italian). 16 February 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
10. Amin, Meghna (30 August 2023). "First Dates star Laura Tott gives birth and reveals sweet name". Metro. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
11. "Fred Sirieix's First Dates co-stars Laura Tott and Cici Coleman open up about Dadgate and express their sadness over his argument with Nella Rose - Bintano". 23 November 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
12. McLoughlin, Lisa (30 August 2023). "First Dates star welcomes first child and reveals sweet name". Evening Standard. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
13. "CiCi Coleman". It Can't Just Be Me with Anna Richardson - Podcast. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
14. Spence, Niamh (14 August 2023). "First Dates star Cici Coleman's life from Gethin Jones 'romance' to money woes". The Mirror. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
15. "Inside the gorgeous home of First Dates waitress Cici Coleman". OK! Magazine. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
16. "Cici Coleman: A Versatile Star and Influencer Talks About Her Workout, Diet And Beauty Secrets". Women Fitness. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
17. O'Sullivan, Kyle (24 March 2021). "First Dates staff's actual jobs, off-screen relationships and which are actors". The Mirror. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
18. "The loves lives and real jobs of the First Dates staff". Wales Online. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
19. https://www.nationalworld.com/news/people/merlin-griffiths-first-dates-bartender-wife-cancer-4463165 ^{[bare URL]}
20. "Meet the new First Dates staff for series 16". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
21. Jordan, Anna (30 November 2020). "Merlin Griffiths: 'We are creative, resilient, adaptable – this is hospitality!'". Small Business UK. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
22. "Merlin Griffiths, The Priory Tavern". Cocktail Saturdays. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
23. "First Dates' Merlin 'shed a tear in private' with girlfriend in cancer battle". Northants Live. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
24. "32 Things You Probably Didn't Know About "First Dates"". BuzzFeed. 29 September 2015.
25. "Who is Fiona from First Dates 2021? Meet the new bartender on series 16!". Reality Titbit. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
26. Shepherd, Adam (26 June 2023). "First Dates spin-off podcast to launch this summer". PodPod. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
27. "Launch date for brand-new First Dates: The Podcast revealed". Podcasting Today. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
28. "First Dates: The Podcast". audioboom.com. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
29. "First Dates: The Podcast - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
30. Media, Bionic. "Twenty Twenty Casting - First Dates: The Podcast". www.twentytwenty.tv. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
31. "CiCi Coleman". First Dates: The Podcast. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
32. "Frankie Bridge and Cici Coleman to host First Dates: The Podcast - PodcastingToday". 28 June 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
33. Cook, Sam (27 June 2023). "First Dates is launching a podcast and wants your incredible dating stories". Wales Online. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
34. "Channel 4 makes another date with First Dates". Channel 4. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
35. "Dplay". www.dplay.no. Retrieved 26 September 2020.

External links

• First Dates on Channel 4
• First Dates Hotel on Channel 4
• Teen First Dates on Channel 4
• First Dates at IMDb
• First Dates Hotel at IMDb
• Teen First Dates at IMDb