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The BBC is said to be developing a new dating programme that welcomes participants of every gender and sexual orientation, targeting young adults aged 18 to 26.
The as-yet-unnamed show remains in its development phase and will be produced by Strong Watch Studios, a company recognised for its digital broadcast output.
Rather than airing on traditional television, the series is being created specifically for the BBC’s YouTube channel as it acts on its commitment to online-first content.
Production is expected to begin in London in early November.
The show arrives just weeks after the corporation came under fire for dropping several prominent LGBT-friendly programmes from its schedule amid ongoing budgetary constraints.
Last month, the BBC confirmed it was parting ways with RuPaul’s Drag Race UK after 11 series. The competition has found a new home on streaming platform WOW Presents Plus.
Dannii Minogue’s dating formats I Kissed A Boy and I Kissed A Girl were also scrapped earlier this year.
I Kissed A Boy broke new ground in 2023 as the first gay dating show on British television, with an all-female companion series following a year later.
Both cancellations were down to the corporation’s need to find £500million in savings, with director-general Matt Brittin having warned staff that the scale of cuts demanded tough decisions.
A casting notice for the new dating programme, obtained by The Sun, reads: “A new dating show is looking for outgoing people who are open, looking for love and have great chat.”
The advertisement goes on to ask: “Could you be the best of the bunch and get a second date? Open to all genders and sexualities.”
A BBC spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by GB News
The corporation has been steadily investing in YouTube-first programming, with recent examples including a Q&A spin-off of Stacey Dooley’s Clickbait Clinic series.
Explaining the rationale behind the show cancellations, a BBC spokesperson said: “As the BBC continues to navigate significant financial pressures and deliver the savings required of us, we have had to make some very difficult choices, none of which have been taken lightly.”
Regarding Drag Race UK specifically, the broadcaster said it was “incredibly proud of all 11 series of this groundbreaking show” and extended thanks to “RuPaul, World of Wonder and everyone involved, both on and off screen.
BBC bosses similarly described themselves as “exceptionally proud” of the I Kissed A Boy and Girl formats, citing “difficult choices in light of our funding challenges” as the reason for their cancellation.
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