FIVE MINUTES WITH

Channel 4’s bare-all dating show Naked Attraction is comparable to Marmite. Applauded by many for normalising the human body in all its shapes and forms, it has also been labelled controversial by some for its frank approach to full frontal nudity.

Hosted by journalist and presenter Anna Richardson, the show has six nude contestants gradually revealing their bodies in a bid to win a date with one equally naked picker.

Every inch the reversal of Blind Date, Naked Attraction continues to entertain and educate in equal measure. From fearless cancer survivors to liberated transsexuals mid-transition, it’s a show that embraces diversity – complete with a handful of wince-inducing moments for good measure. Now, set to return for an eighth series alongside five “best of” episodes this spring, we speak to Richardson to discover more.

We’re looking forward to the “best of” episodes – what moments remain the most memorable?

Who can forget Judith – the breast cancer survivor, who played The Lord is my Shepherd on her little Casio organ and who caused an internet breakdown when she got all the naked bods to try her Victoria sponge? My dad’s a vicar, so you can imagine, I grew up in a church. So when Judith came on, I was like, ‘What was the vicar going to say?’.

How do you keep your composure in those situations?

You know what, I’ve only lost it a couple of times. I was crying with laughter in the voiceover booth with this and I guarantee lols with the “best of”. In fact, in this new series, the next five episodes coming up – it might be Jet Fashion, actually. There is a moment where I properly lose it... I do have to bite my cheeks to stop myself from laughing. But normally I’m quite good at sort of keeping some journalistic

composure. It’s about respect. So I’ve also genuinely got to be aware of boundaries and trying to be respectful.

Can you tell us more about Jet Fashion and the forthcoming series?

We’ve got a guy called Iain, I think he’s in episode one, who is a pro wrestler from Manchester. And I don’t know if you’ve ever seen Glow? I think it’s on Netflix. Iain the pro wrestler literally comes into the studio with his gloves on and this kind of like unitard and super boots, and his pro wrestler name is Jet Fashion. He’s Jet because he’s fast and nimble, and he’s Fashion because he’s always in style – or so he thinks. He reckons that his wrestling moves are always a winner with the ladies in the bedroom and he’s mastered things like the tombstone piledriver that he likes to demonstrate in bed.

There are also some incredibly heartfelt moments, aren’t there?

We’ve also got our oldest ever picker, Ian, who is 75. And Ian, in his twilight years, has realised that he is bi-curious. So even though he was married for decades – sadly he lost his wife, so he’s a widower – but in his twilight years he’s realised that actually he might be into trying it with the fellas.

We’ve also got a guy called Carlo, who is a leukaemia survivor. And he’s also a sexy steeplejack, unbelievably, who’s ready to get back into his harness and is looking for the perfect girl to settle down and marry just because he came so close to losing his life.

Naked Attraction returns to Channel 4 on Tuesday

Anna Richardson