The Undateables
The Undateables is a British TV documentary series that follows a range of people on dates who have long term conditions, including: disabilities, developmental disorders, and learning difficulties. The series worked in conjunction with the dating agency, Flame Introductions, and is broadcast on Channel 4.
| The Undateables | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Reality |
| Voices of | Sally Phillips |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 11 |
| No. of episodes | 53 (to 9 April 2020) |
| Production | |
| Production company | Betty |
| Release | |
| Original network | Channel 4 |
| Picture format | 16:9 |
| Original release | 3 April 2012 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
There have been 53 episodes since the documentary first aired on 3 April 2012, split into eleven separate series and a few additional episodes. The documentary has been narrated by Sally Phillips throughout.
Transmissions
| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 April 2012 | 17 April 2012 | 3 |
| 2 | 8 January 2013 | 5 February 2013 | 5 |
| 3 | 9 January 2014 | 30 January 2014 | 4 |
| 4 | 5 January 2015 | 2 February 2015 | 5 |
| 5 | 4 January 2016 | 1 February 2016 | 5 |
| 6 | 2 January 2017 | 30 January 2017 | 5 |
| 7 | 11 September 2017 | 9 October 2017 | 5 |
| 8 | 21 December 2017 | 29 January 2018 | 5 |
| 9 | 10 September 2018 | 18 December 2018 | 5 |
| 10 | 9 January 2019 | 17 December 2019 | 6 |
| 11 | 11 March 2020 | 9 April 2020 | 5 |
Episodes
Series 1
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luke & Lucy | Stand-up comedian Luke has Tourette's. He is reluctant to approach a girl in case he calls her a slag - or worse. How will he cope when he meets Lucy, who has never known anyone with Tourette's before?[1] | 3 April 2012 |
| 2 | Justin & Shaine | Justin has tumors on his body and face, and has never been out with a girl. He goes on a date with Tracey. Shaine has a learning disability. He can write a lady a poem but struggles to ask women out.[1] | 10 April 2012 |
| 3 | Hadyn & Sam | Hadyn has undergone 40 facial operations and is partially deaf. His twin brother hopes to help Haydn get over his lack of confidence with girls and find a girlfriend.[1] | 17 April 2012 |
Series 2
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael, Brent & Sarah | Michael's autism makes conversation difficult; Brent from Plymouth has Tourette's syndrome; and Sarah from Hertfordshire has expressive aphasia, which makes communication hard.[1] | 8 January 2013 |
| 2 | Ray & Chris Hobbs, Steve | Featuring Chris, 64, who has achondroplasia, the most common type of dwarfism, Ray is 49, an office-worker who has a learning disability, and Steve, 30, who has a facial disfigurement, Crouzon Syndrome.[1] | 15 January 2013 |
| 3 | Kate, Damian & Oliver | The Undateables this time include incurable romantic Kate, who has Down's Syndrome, and Damian, who has albinism and whose dream date is a moonlit picnic in the park.[1] | 22 January 2013 |
| 4 | Heather, Gareth & Matthew | Heather has severe OCD. Gareth has brittle bones and has broken his legs over 200 times. Matthew has autism. Can the three of them find partners?[1] | 29 January 2013 |
| 5 | The Undateables - Revisit | This episode revisits Richard, an amateur radio enthusiast with Asperger's, and comedian Luke, who has Tourette's.[1] | 5 February 2013 |
Series 3
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mary, Daniel & Hayley | The Undateables returns to follow the journeys of several extraordinary singletons as they enter the dating circuit. This episode features Mary, a mature student with achondroplasia.[1] | 9 January 2014 |
| 2 | Ruth & Zoe | The dates this time include bisexual jazz singer Ruth and the incurably romantic Zoe.[1] | 16 January 2014 |
| 3 | Michael, Ray, Brent, Kate & Steve | This episode catches up with some memorable daters from previous shows, including incurable romantic Kate, and Michael, whose autism makes it hard for him to understand the rules of dating.[1] | 23 January 2014 |
| 4 | Sam, Shaine, Richard & Justin | This episode catches up with some memorable daters, including actor Sam, romantic poet Shaine, Richard, who has Asperger's, and self-confessed flirt and local hero Justin from Rugby, Warwickshire.[1] | 30 January 2014 |
Series 4
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex, Matthew & Daniella | A professional model with a stammer gets his tape measure out. There are dates at a ski park and also at Brands Hatch race track.[1] | 5 January 2015 |
| 2 | Tim, Ali & Alec | Tim, who has a mild learning disability, meets Laura. Essex boy Ali has achondroplasia, and has never had a girlfriend. And will love blossom when raver Alec meets research scientist Charlie?[1] | 12 January 2015 |
| 3 | Richard, Chris & Christina | Richard, who has Asperger syndrome, has high hopes for his posh afternoon tea at a five star hotel with Tammy, while Chris, paralyzed from the chest down, longs to find lasting love.[1] | 19 January 2015 |
| 4 | Ruth, Daniel & Michael Revisited | The show catches up with Ruth, Daniel and Michael as they continue their quest to find love. Daniel, who has autism, goes on a bowling date with Charley, and Ruth meets comedian Nathalie.[1] | 26 January 2015 |
| 5 | Two Weddings and a Baby | This special episode follows some success stories from previous shows, as Brent and Steve plan to pop the question to their girlfriends and Carolyne prepares to become a mother.[1] | 2 February 2015 |
Series 5
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James, Tammy & Tom | How does James fare on a first date with Chloe? Will Tammy get over her first date nerves? And as Tom prepares to meet with Megan, what will he reveal of his Tourette's and Asperger's?[1] | 4 January 2016 |
| 2 | James, Lucas & Tom | James has a learning disability and has not had a girlfriend in 10 years. Lucas has facial dysplasia and wants to conquer his fear of being rejected. And Tom is looking for love of the magical kind.[1] | 11 January 2016 |
| 3 | George, David & Bethany | George, who is paralysed from the chest down, meets Nathalie; magician David, who has a learning disability, goes on a first date with Claire; and Bethany, who has Downs syndrome, meets Bradley.[1] | 18 January 2016 |
| 4 | Holiday Romance | Some of the Undateables from previous shows embark on romantic adventures overseas, including Alex and Eloise in France, and Brent and Challis in Amsterdam.[1] | 25 January 2016 |
| 5 | Wedding Bells | Steve, who has Crouzon Syndrome, prepares to marry Vicky, while Matthew is concerned that his stammer may hinder his bid to propose to Jessica.[1] | 1 February 2016 |
Series 6
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam, Kate & Ian | Postman Sam has Asperger's syndrome. Kate has narcolepsy. Ian is going blind. Can they find love?[1] | 2 January 2017 |
| 2 | Eddie, Lily & Pani | Musician Eddie, who is autistic, meets Cassie for a date. Josh and Lily, who has Williams syndrome, go for a date at a haunted house. And Pani, who has dwarfism, meets Ellen.[1] | 9 January 2017 |
| 3 | Jamie, Luke & Lizzie | Jamie, who has Asperger's, has his first ever date. Luke, who's autistic, uses his language skills to impress Alice. And Lizzie, who has a learning disability, dreams of finding love.[1] | 16 January 2017 |
| 4 | Shaine, Alex & Ray | Shaine, who has a learning disability, goes on a date with an old school friend. And Alex, who's autistic, wants to celebrate his two-year anniversary with Eloise in style.[1] | 23 January 2017 |
| 5 | Richard, James, Tom & Daniel | This episode catches up with familiar faces, including rugby player Tom, whose Tourette's and Asperger's leaves him short of dating confidence, and singer-songwriter Daniel who is autistic.[1] | 30 January 2017 |
Series 7
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jason, Souleyman & Charley | Jason is a transport buff with autism. Vlogger Charley has cerebral palsy. And Souleyman is a sprinter going blind, whose search for love is a race against the clock.[1] | 11 September 2017 |
| 2 | Kaia, Rhys & Joshua | Cooking enthusiast Kaia is profoundly deaf. James Bond fanatic Rhys is autistic. Keen gardener Joshua is also autistic. Can these three young people find a partner?[1] | 18 September 2017 |
| 3 | Sam, Katy & Donovan | Movie fan Sam, who is autistic, looks for his leading lady. Katy, who has Tourette's, seeks a man who accepts her for who she is. And Donovan is looking to bag a second date.[1] | 25 September 2017 |
| 4 | Richard, Lizzie, Eddie & Sam | Richard is 43 and autistic and last year managed his first ever second date. Can he now build on this success with Anna? There's also postman Sam. And the show also catches up with Lizzie and Eddie.[1] | 2 October 2017 |
| 5 | Shaine, Lily, Ray & George | Poet Shaine and Gemma celebrate their first anniversary, as ghost hunter Lily and charity worker Ray go looking for love again.[1] | 9 October 2017 |
Series 8
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel, Shaine, Ray & Sam | Rock musician Daniel is dreaming of a girlfriend for Christmas. Poet Shaine is getting in the mistletoe. Ray plans a romantic date. And postman Sam plans to ask Francesca if she will be his girlfriend.[1] | 21 December 2017 |
| 2 | Luke, Sam & Becky | More singles looking for love. Like rugby player Luke, who has Tourette's, and Sam, who has Asperger's and finds the gay scene intimidating. There is also self-confessed romantic Becky.[1] | 8 January 2018 |
| 3 | Nisar, Daniel & Fatima | Trainee accountant and Bollywood fan Nisar has a stammer, grunge-lover Daniel has Asperger's and fashionista Fatmina has dwarfism.[1] | 15 January 2018 |
| 4 | Amber, Richard & Nick | The love-seekers this time include Amber, who suffered a major stroke eight years ago. Having learned to walk and talk again, Amber's ready to find her Prince Charming. There's also Nick and Richard.[1] | 22 January 2018 |
| 5 | Alex, Jason & Tom | The singletons looking for love are airplane buff Jason, rugby player and model Tom, and Alex - proud owner of a new sports car.[1] | 29 January 2018 |
Series 9
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte, Mitch & James | Film buff Charlotte, who has Asperger's, is a sucker for romance. Mitch, who was born deaf, lip reads when dating, while James has all the chat-up lines ready to go.[1] | 10 September 2018 |
| 2 | Rory, Roland & Molly | Rory has Asperger's and hopes to meet a girl who shares his love of horror films. Roland wants a leading lady to serenade. And animal lover Molly seeks a soulmate.[1] | 17 September 2018 |
| 3 | Jordan, Paige & Sam | Three singletons go looking for love: personal trainer Jordan, who suffers from speech problems; vlogger Paige, who has cerebral palsy; and basketball player Sam from Shropshire.[1] | 24 September 2018 |
| 4 | Ray, Jason & Luke Revisit | The cameras catch-up with charity worker Ray, who's celebrates his first anniversary with Christine. And plane spotter Jason and Luke from Hull resume their search for The One.[1] | 1 October 2018 |
| 5 | Christmas: A Festive Proposal | It's almost Christmas and some familiar faces have big plans. | 18 December 2018 |
Series 10
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael, Tobi & Emily | In this episode, there's a poetry lover, a bold dance teacher anxious about meet-ups, and a tennis player seeking a guy with a six pack. | 9 January 2019 |
| 2 | Tom, Esther & Thomas | This episode features the romantic adventures of autistic film aficionado Tom, nurse Esther, who has a large birth mark on her face, and Thomas, a deaf Sports Science student | 16 January 2019 |
| 3 | Ray, Becky, Shaine & James | A catch up with some familiar faces, including Leeds fan Ray, photographer Becky, James, who's back dating, and poet Shaine, who marks two years with his girlfriend on a special trip to London | 23 January 2019 |
| 4 | Daniel, Rhys, Richerd, Rory | Rock star Daniel's career has taken off, but his biggest hit has been finding love with Lily. And James Bond fan Rhys has joined a dating agency, hoping to find romance. | 30 January 2019 |
| 5 | Francesco, Feron & Alex | Featuring Japan aficionado Francesco, who's never been on a date, 54-year-old Feron, and Alex, who dresses loudly to stand out from the crowd. Will any of them find romance? | 13 March 2019 |
| 6 | The Undateables at Christmas 2019 | A festive show featuring much loved familiar faces sharing their special plans for the most wonderful time of the year, including rock singer Daniel, and massive Leeds fan Ray from London | 17 December 2019 |
Series 11
| Episode | Title | Description | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicholas, Sam and Shantae | The award-winning dating show returns. Nicholas is struggling to find love, Robbie Williams superfan Sam is looking for his own 'angel' to sing to and Shantae dreams of meeting a religious family guy | 11 March 2020 |
| 2 | Sam, Jodie and Hannah | Sam, who's never had a date, is looking for love, Jodie is looking for someone to explore the world with and Hannah, who plays ice hockey for Team GB, is looking for an action man | 18 March 2020 |
| 3 | Rory, Lily, Jordan and Nicholas | Rory is determined to find love, Lily is on a mission to find the one, country boy Jordan takes his girlfriend away on a surprise weekend, and Nicholas is back for his second date | 25 March 2020 |
| 4 | Charlotte, Richard, Alex and Sam | Charlotte and Richard are looking for love, bright clothes-loving Alex is back to find that special someone, and postman Sam is back happier than ever now he is engaged | 1 April 2020 |
| 5 | Michael and Zena | Fine art student Michael expresses his emotions through his work, but there's one emotion he's yet to paint: love. And showgirl Zena is looking for someone to settle down with. | 9 April 2020 |
Additional episodes
| Title | Description | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Extra: What We Learnt About Love | Some familiar faces from The Undateables explain what the series has taught them about love.[1] | 4 minutes |
| Extra: A Guide to Dating | A guide to navigating the tricky world of dating from some of The Undateables.[1] | 4 minutes |
Controversy
There was a lot of controversy surrounding this show when it was first introduced from newspaper companies such as The Mirror and The Guardian, due to the word 'undateable' being used in the title to describe people with mental and physical disabilities. However, Channel 4 claim the title of the series was based upon Society's preconceptions.[2] The Undateables faced a lot of back lash from doctors who branded the show "offensive" and "exploitative". Dr Rachael Pickering said the series left her "disturbed at being part of a society that might seek to view disabled people as a source of comedy". She also spoke with the BMA, British Medical Association, annual representatives about the danger of patients being exploited by the TV documentary.[3] In an interview with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on This Morning, two stars of the then-upcoming fifth series, Tammy and James, hit back at these assertions, with Tammy stating that “I find it quite insulting that I would be exploited in any way. Just because I’m disfigured, I’m not stupid."[4]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | BAFTA Television Award [5] | TV Programme of the Year | The Undateables | Nominated |
| 2017 | Diversity in Media Awards | TV Programme of the Year | The Undateables | Nominated |
References
- "The Undateables - Episode Guide - All 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- Ryan, Frances (2 April 2012). "The Undateables? Disability rights, but Channel 4 wrongs". the Guardian. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- McGeorge, Alistair (24 June 2015). "The Undateables branded 'offensive' and exploitative by doctors". mirror. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- Kitchener, Shaun (4 January 2016). "'It's insulting' The Undateables stars rubbish 'exploitation' claims ahead of new series". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- "Bafta TV awards 2014: Winners in full". BBC News. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
External links
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