Claudia Winkleman might be the new face of love on TV as she's tipped to host a fresh version of Blind Date. Dan Baldwin, who is Holly Willoughby's husband and a big name in TV production, has his sights set on Claudia to take over the role.
The original Blind Date was a hit show that ran from 1985 to 2003 with Cilla Black as the host. Now, after bringing back Gladiators and Wheel of Fortune, Dan thinks it's time for Blind Date to make a comeback too.
He wants it on the BBC with Claudia, known for The Traitors and Strictly, leading the way, reports the Mirror. Dan shared his thoughts on BBC Radio 4, saying, "You always look at old shows that are no longer on television. You are always coming up with new ways of bringing back a show."
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He added: "There is nothing wrong with that because those shows were great for a reason. As well as coming up with new ideas, we've always got one eye on what could come back and what could be a hit like Gladiators is. Another one that you'd like to see back, Blind Date, are we ready for that? What a Saturday night that was. I'm thinking Blind Date with Claudia Winkleman on BBC1, how about it?"
It's hard to say if Blind Date will be the same without its famous host Cilla Black, who has sadly passed away. The show's announcer, Graham 'our Graham' Skidmore, is also no longer with us.
Even when Paul O'Grady, a close friend of Cilla's, tried to bring the show back on Channel 5 in 2017, it didn't work out. Critics liked it, but didn't prove popular with viewers and it was eventually cancelled.
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A source shared with the Daily Star in 2020: "After a number of series on Channel 5, it's been decided that it's time to ditch it. Execs loved reviving such an iconic show, but it hasn't gone as well as they hoped. Everyone involved is sad to see it go." Melanie Sykes was also part of the show, doing the voiceover for the dating series.
Blind Date stopped suddenly in January 2003 when Cilla Black announced she was leaving during a live show. She surprised everyone by saying: "Over New Year I thought a lot about what I wanted to do in 2003, and decided that it was the right time to move on from Blind Date."
She added: "All good things come to an end and the show deserves to finish on a high and be remembered as a success. Now I'm looking forward to a year filled with exciting new challenges. I have had great fun for 18 years and would like to thank everyone involved in the show."