'My Mum, Your Dad is more than just shagging,' insists host Davina McCall
ok.co.ukSince the arrival of Love Island in 2015, fans have been demanding a spin-off for singles from an older generation - and ITV has finally answered our prayers with My Mum, Your Dad.The 10-part series takes a group of parents looking for a second chance at romance and invites them to a country house retreat, where they’ll head off on dates and mingle with other eligible empty-nesters.
But while the show sounds very Love Island-esque, host Davina McCall is determined to set it apart from its younger ITV2 cousin. “It’s my fault that it got called Midlife Love Island - that’s what I called it in an email to [Commissioning Editor] Amanda Stavri.
I’ve been trying to burn that name ever since!” the 55-year-old admits. The former Big Brother host, who jokes that she “manifested” the gig, approached ITV with her idea for a middle-aged dating show and even put a few friends forward as contestants. “I wrote out five bios of friends of mine - it was hilarious, I really went to town,” Davina laughs. “But Amanda was really sweet, she got back to me quickly and said, ‘We’re not going to do that!’” The channel ultimately decided to go with another format, based on an Australian show of the same name, but asked a delighted Davina to front what became My Mum, Your Dad. “I just can’t believe it’s happened because I really do believe in it so much,” she gushes. “There are so many second-time-round-ers who’ve lost someone or been unsuccessful [in love] time and time again.
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