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First Dates viewers have a complaint about new series

Photo credit: Channel 4
Photo credit: Channel 4

From Digital Spy

First Dates returned to our screens on Tuesday evening (January 19) with a brand new setting for the hopeful singletons to find love.

After 15 series set in London's Paternoster Chop House, the Channel 4 dating show has moved up north to a Manchester restaurant.

But while you may have assumed there'd be some big changes for the new episodes, some viewers took to Twitter to point out that things were still very 'London'.

Photo credit: Channel 4
Photo credit: Channel 4

Notably, the first couple featured were both from the capital.

"First Dates London. Almost every person on the show from the South. First Dates Manchester. 3 out of 6 people on so far from London and one other from the South Coast," complained one fan.

Another questioned: "Why did they make such a big deal about #FirstDates being in Manchester only for half the people on it to be from London?"

"Why are they doing #FirstDates in Manchester with people from London?" asked a third.

Along with the move to Manchester, the new series of First Dates has had to work around Covid-19 restrictions.

A spokesperson for the show detailed the precautions that were taken to allow the participants to have a 'normal' first date.

"At the time of filming, production followed government protocol and put robust procedures in place to ensure the safety of all daters and staff," they said (via Metro).

"Measures included rigorous testing, self-isolation and a bubble system, whilst filming took place in a restaurant closed to the public.

"These strict measures meant daters featured in the show were safe to enjoy a First Dates experience as close to normal as possible, including, at their own discretion, whether they held hands or kissed."

Photo credit: Channel 4
Photo credit: Channel 4

Meanwhile, fan-favourite waitress Laura Tott has explained why she's not in the new series.

In an Instagram post, Laura said that the production team wanted "some new local faces among the old faces" for the Manchester episodes.

She also added that her day job as an NHS paramedic would have made it difficult to fit in filming during the coronavirus pandemic.

First Dates airs on Channel 4.


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