THE success of ITV dating series My Mum, Your Dad has sparked interest in seeing mature singletons hooking up on telly.
And I can reveal a copycat version is in the works — but with a more transatlantic feel.
Made by the brains behind BBC3’s I Kissed A Boy and ITV’s Loaded In Paradise, it will feature over-45s from both the UK and US.
A TV insider said: “Bosses believe viewers might be getting fed up with young contestants only signing up for fame, rather than love, which is why My Mum, Your Dad was such a hit — they were in it for the right reasons.
“They now see the value of having a show dedicated to mature stars who will see if love or friendship can blossom while on feel-good dates.”
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The series is in development and show chiefs hope it will air next year, with the likelihood of a rival channel to ITV bagging the rights.
Brits and Americans have featured together on dating series including Netflix’s Too Hot To Handle and Love Island Games, , currently on Peacock and coming to ITV at a later date.
But we haven’t seen older contestants from both sides of the pond before.
revealed last month that My Mum, Your Dad was returning for a second series, with host Davina McCall back at the helm.
Fans will riot if the new show dares poaching her.
WAD A LOT OF XMAS CHEER
HANNAH WADDINGHAM’s bid to become the UK’s version of Mariah Carey is in full swing.
The Ted Lasso star can be seen belting out Christmas songs in the trailer for her AppleTV+ festive special, which airs on November 22.
Looking amazing in a gold dress, she performs What Christmas Means To Me in the promo for Hannah Waddingham: Home For Christmas, which also promises a bunch of special guests joining in with the fun.
Her Ted Lasso co-stars Phil Dunster and Juno Temple also feature, the latter popping up in the trailer saying, “I’m your Christmas miracle”, as Hannah screams.
The show will also feature the English National Opera, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, The Fabulous Lounge Swingers and an 18-piece band.
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Chuck in a lorry load of mince pies and that’s Christmas completed for me.
SOUND GUY, IAIN
LOVE Island narrator Iain Stirling may not get recognised when out, but people clock his voice.
The comedian told the Chatabix podcast of a time he went into a Bristol kebab shop after a gig and no one knew who he was.
Iain said: “They go, ‘What would you like in your kebab?’, and I’m like, ‘I’ll have salad’.
And the minute I said, ‘I’ll have salad’, everyone’s like meerkats, like, ‘It sounds like the Love Island guy!’.
It’s made worse by the fact he has a naturally loud voice.
Iain continued: “I’ve got one of those voices . . . my voice carries. AJ Odudu has got the same voice as me.”
Not quite the same, Iain
MATT: I’VE GOT BAD TASTE
MATT LUCAS has revealed he’s on the autism spectrum while talking about his bland taste in food.
The funnyman, who quit co-hosting the Great British Bake Off earlier this year, admitted he couldn’t stomach particular foods because the taste was “overwhelming”.
He told the Table Manners podcast: “I think some people are called ‘super tasters’.
"Everything tastes much stronger to them than it does to other people.
“Food can be overwhelming to me because I think I’m one of those super tasters, so I look for slightly blander food.
“I’m a bit on the spectrum so it’s just how that manifests.”
Revealing the one dish he can’t abide, he added: “I’m not really a fan of quiche. Even the finest quiche is not for me.”
On the other hand, I could eat three whole ones for breakfast.
ANGELA’S GOT THE ANSWERS
STRICTLY’s Angela Rippon isn’t just dazzling on the dance floor – she’s getting top marks behind the scenes too.
Zara McDermott, who was voted off two weeks ago, revealed that she and her fellow celeb dancers were awestruck by the Rip Off Britain host’s quiz skills.
On the Staying Relevant podcast, Zara said: “She is so intelligent. The other week we were waiting to do It Takes Two and we were all watching Mastermind together.
“It was on the TV and Angela was answering every single question correctly and it was a really niche topic, like a really random French artist I’d never heard of.
“We were all like, ‘This woman is a machine!’.
“She is great.”
MONTY’S DON FOR
MONTY DON is planning to throw in the trowel and quit Gardeners’ World by 2025.
He has one more year left on his contract on the hit BBC Two show, but says he wants to step off the “remorseless treadmill” and spend more time writing books and filming travel shows.
Monty told Times Radio: “If they offer me a bit more time, I may take it. But I’m 70 in a few years.
"I like writing books and doing TV shows and to have the energy to do that, I have to give something up.
"And I’m not prepared to give up writing and I really enjoy the travel stuff.
"So the logical thing is to give up Gardeners’ World.”
AL’S ABBA FABBA DAY
ALAN CARR once sang ABBA hits alongside Hollywood royalty.
The comedian, who is a judge on ITV talent show Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream, had seats next to Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson when he took his mum to see ABBA Voyage.
He was also sitting by Richard E. Grant, but was too nervous to introduce himself to the suave actor.
Alan says: “I turned to my right, Tom Hanks was sitting there with his wife and Richard E Grant.
“We were doing all the pointing, hitting all the dance moves. And I was thinking, ‘Wait a minute, is he a hologram?’.”
On wimping out on speaking to him, Alan adds: “He clearly did not know who the hell I was. But Richard said, ‘Hello, Alan’.”
Alan, right, who also revealed he once saw BENNY ANDERSSON from Abba at Heathrow Airport and just stared at him in awe, added: Tom Hanks’ wife, Rita, she smelled lovely.”
Sure she’ll be chuffed with that compliment.
