Scoring a match: Soccer superstars search for love in hot new reality series
With series like “Welcome to Wrexham” and “Ted Lasso” sweeping the nation and bignamed celebrities making headlines just by canoodling with (American) football players, there’s no doubt what viewers are hungry for: sports, romance and drama. This brand-new series marries all three; “Love Undercover” premieres its first three episodes Thursday, May 9, on Peacock.
With each journey narrated by comedian and podcaster Jared Freid (“Seeking Sublet”), this reality series follows as five different international soccer superstars begin their search for love, traveling to Los Angeles to meet single women from across America. The catch? While they know they’re involved in a dating game, the women in question have no concept of their potential partner’s fame overseas or their skills as an athlete. Any and all connections must be built of first impressions and first impressions alone.
In a news release regarding the show, Peacock explained: “Today’s athletes are mega stars with extreme wealth, giant fandoms and lavish lifestyles. You could even call them royalty. And naturally, with any royal story, a fairytale is never too far away. ‘Love Undercover’ is a modern-day fairytale meets buddy comedy about an elite group of international soccer stars who come to the United States on a secret quest for true love. We’ll follow them on an epic journey filled with drama, heartbreak and self-discovery.”
The description continues: “Can they win over the ladies without their fame and fortune? Will they manage to keep their true identities a secret? And will any of them fall for an American princess before inviting them back to their home countries and testing their relationships on the global stage? For these men, finding love is the No. 1 goal.”
The athletes joining the experiment for its inaugural run include Premiere League stars Jamie O’hara (36, United Kingdom), Ryan Babel (36, Netherlands) and Lloyd Jones (27, United Kingdom). Joining the trio are Olympic gold medalist Marco Fabián (33, Mexico) and football champ Sebastián Fassi (29, Mexico). Together, the men must leave their lavish lives behind, taking on secret identities to complete their dating “mission.”
Packed with twists, turns and gasps galore, “Love Undercover” comes from executive producers Alycia Rossiter (“The Bachelor”), Jessica Nahmias (“Where To I Do?”), Sonya Wilkes (“Pooch Perfect UK”), Michael Krupat (“Battle of the Decades”) and John Luscombe (“Mythbusters”), and premieres Thursday, May 9, on Peacock.