Make a date with these reality shows, as romance starts to heat up on your screens this summer

Your summer lovin’ TV guide

The annual reality TV summer of love (yes, that show) is in full swing for another year. Dinner Date and First Dates have been giving us our fill of dating (normally disaster) stories. We even saw couples having their memories erased so that they could restart their relationships in Channel 4’s latest romantic experiment, Hello Stranger.

Watching dating shows arouses pretty much the same emotions as going on actual dates – it’s quite weird, it can even be more than a little uncomfortable, but it always makes for a great story. And that’s why we’ve been obsessed with watching them since Cilla first started playing Cupid on Blind Date in the 1980s.

But do they actually fulfil their promise of finding you love? Does anyone live happily ever after? Or are Chris-and-Kem-style bromances the best we can ever hope for? We’ve followed up some of our favourite screen romances to see how they are shaping up…

Adam and Dan from First Dates, 2014

While there may be some rumours circulating that they have split (their shared Instagram hasn’t been updated since March), we are choosing to ignore such talk. Because this pair are First Dates legends. Adam’s story was particularly touching, as he revealed he only found out he was gay after suffering a stroke at the age of 21. “I went in hospital straight and came out gay,” he said. Last we heard, they were engaged and planning a wedding – potentially in South Africa.

Adele and Dave from Take Me Out, 2010

Weekdays, 5.50pm, ITV2/HD (CH 115/176). Also available for 7 days in Catch Up > Channels > ITV Hub

It wasn’t exactly love at first sight for Adele and Dave. They met on Paddy McGuinness’ fast-paced dating show, and both ended up picking other people. However, true love triumphs over all, and a few months after the show they started dating. They are now married and have a son, Freddie. Awww!

Jemma and Edd from Dinner Date, 2010

Weekdays, 6pm, ITVBe/HD (CH 119/179). Also available for 7 days in Catch Up > Channels > ITV Hub

Of all the dating shows, this one never seems to lead to anything apart from really awkward meals between two people who have literally nothing in common. The one exception is Jemma and Edd. She fell for him after he served her a deep-fried chocolate bar for pudding (who wouldn’t? The man is clearly a genius). Six years later, baby girl Ember was born.

Tiffany and Megan from The Bachelor, 2016

This love story doesn’t quite have a happy ending, but it was good while it lasted. Tiffany and Megan met on the set of the Australian The Bachelor, where they were competing to win the heart of some bloke called Richie. But rather than finding love with Richie, they found it in each other. Unfortunately, after moving to Bali to start a business together, they split – but better to have loved and have lost than to never have loved at all…

Alex and Sue from Blind Date, 1988

Alex and Sue were the first of Blind Date’s three wedding success stories and, after more than a quarter of a century together, the couple are still going strong. Back in the show’s heyday, when Cilla Black and Our Graham reigned supreme on Saturday nights, around 18 million people tuned in to watch them fall in love. This was a simpler time – while Love Island contestants share beds before they have exchanged surnames, Alex and Sue didn’t even stay in the same hotel when they went on their first date, as arranged by the show. And of course, Cilla was a guest at their wedding.