If you’re looking for love, then auditioning for a reality show might not seem a particularly efficient way to find it. But dating shows have never been more popular, and the chance to appear on them might be appealing.
Dating trends have naturally evolved over time, for pretty much as long as people have been dating. In recent times, the pace of change has been supercharged by technology. Our dating behaviour, and our dating decisions, are increasingly shaped by smartphone apps, and by streaming services like Netflix. Going on a reality dating show might seem like the modern thing to do – especially if you happen to have a face for television.
Before you fill out your application, however, it might be a good idea to look into how many couples who get together on these shows actually last for the long term. Fortunately, the necessary research has already been done by black hosiery specialist Honkemöller.
The success of different dating shows
Of all the shows analysed by the researchers, it was Netflix’s ‘Love is Blind’ that boasted the highest success rate, with around a third of couples sticking together. In second place came ‘Too Hot to Handle’, while ‘Love Island’ rounded out the top three.
At the other end of the scale came ‘Dinner Date’, which secured just one successful couple from more than a decade of airtime. ‘Naked Attraction’, notably, came in at 2%, which might indicate that being familiar with someone’s anatomy isn’t a deal-maker when it comes to romance.
It should be noted that the success rate of a given program isn’t just determined by the show itself, but by the sorts of people who are likely to apply for them. Clearly, you have to be a certain sort of person to go on a television show in the first place. It’s worth therefore looking at people’s general attitude to shows like these.
How many people would go on TV in search of love?
According to the pollsters, around two-thirds of Brits would prefer the traditional route into dating than to go on a television show. The picture changes slightly as we examine younger people who might be more comfortable with the format: more than half of 25-34-year-olds expressed an interest. For this demographic, Love Island was the most popular show, with around 28% saying they’d be happy to apply.
Sadly, almost two-thirds (65%) of those surveyed shared they don’t believe any of the UK dating shows mentioned showcase love in a positive or realistic way. Of course, what we actually decide to watch and what we think is good for society more broadly are two different things – and given the viewing figures, it’s unlikely that shows like this are going to go anywhere soon!
