Reports today suggest that ITV is bringing Blind Date back for a one-off show, to celebrate Cilla Black’s 50 years in the entertainment industry.
An “ITV insider” told The Sun that the Blind Date special is likely to feature former contestants, including celebrities Amanda Holden and Jenni Falconer. The production team is also trying to track down those that still haven’t found a partner, to see if they can find love this time around.
Cilla Black announced her decision to quit the long-running series live on air in 2003. She’d presented the Granada show for 18 years and regularly pulled in audiences of more than 10m.
ITV has announced details of a tribute show entitled The One and Only Cilla Black, which will be presented by her friend, Paul O’Grady and see Cilla return to her home city of Liverpool. The show will also pay “homage to one of her biggest TV hits, Blind Date.” Although it’s not been revealed whether it will just be an insert within the programme or, as The Sun suggests, a full show.
The programme was commissioned by John Kaye Cooper, ITV’s controller of entertainment and has been produced in-house by ITV Studios Production.
