SABC cooks up SA’s own ‘Dinner Date’
HIT British dating show Dinner Date is headed to South Africa in April‚ where it will join the likes of Mzansi Magic’s hugely popular Date My Family in bringing hopeful romantics together.
Dinner Date has been described by producers as an interesting way for singles to meet each other over a home-cooked meal or a three-course dinner made with love.
Five potential blind dates will be given the task of putting together a menu‚ and contestants will choose their dates based on the menu.
“We decided to bring the show to South Africa because we felt it is a great way to showcase South Africa’s melting pot of cultures and is a fun way to bring singles together‚” said producer Koketso Sefanyetso.
Koketso said that as producers they had also noticed the rise in popularity of dating shows.
“Two years ago people weren’t open to having their love lives on TV but people are getting out there‚” she said.
Commenting on the growing popularity of dating shows in South Africa‚ relationship expert and author Ali Murray agreed that dating shows were a great way of meeting new people. “I think it’s great. “I am frequently asked by patients‚ ‘where have all the men and women gone‚ where can you go to find a partner because the chances are you are not going to find them in a nightclub or bar’‚” she said.
Ali said that being on TV was a great way of trying something new and getting access to thousands of potential partners. She believed that the popularity of dating shows had increased because most people wanted to find love.
“I don’t think I have met a single person that does not want to be happy and passionately in love and TV shows on dating appeal to our desire to be loved and passionate about our partners‚” Ali said.
Dinner Date will air on SABC3 in April. — Tshisalive