Why Blind Date turned into a surprisingly emotional experience for host Julia Morris
JULIA Morris has toned down the gags for Channel 10’s Blind Date, where contestants range from 18 to 80 and include single sex couples in a modern-day Perfect Match.
Reality
Don't miss out on the headlines from Reality. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Just what the world needs — another dating show. But Blind Date could be just the tonic for viewers still reeling from Nick “Honey Badger” Cummins’ controversial “double dump” in last week’s finale of The Bachelor Australia.
Julia Morris hosts the Channel 10 show which will be familiar to Aussie viewers who remember Greg Evans and Perfect Match.
Three singles are asked a series of questions by a Date Picker who can hear their answers but not see them.
When the Date Picker has made his or her decision a wall is rolled back and the couple meet for the first time. The pair go on a date and then report back to Morris about how it went.
ALI JUDGED ON ‘BUSTY’ APPEARANCE
Blind Date is one of three projects that Morris has on her plate. The 50-year-old is also set to co-host new show Sunday Night Takeaway and another season of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! with Chris Brown.
Is Blind Date your Hello Dolly moment?
I’m in my element. I knew I was going to enjoy it but I didn’t expect I would enjoy it as much. I loved meeting our Aussies looking for love. I was really surprised and delighted that they weren’t just desperate to be on television. They were people who are genuinely looking for love.
What is your hosting style? How funny are you trying to be?
Being a comedian is only one of the jobs that I do. This needed a much more heartfelt approach rather than disposable jokes. No-one wants to be looking for love while being shot with comedy barbs. I don’t feel like it is that sort of show at all. I want them (singles) to trust me that I’m doing the right thing by them — that my team and I have tried our best to actually pair them with people who are appropriate.
I have people on the show that are widows or widowers so I don’t want to be making jokes about them being single. I had to return to more of my nurturing style rather than the quick-fire of I’m a Celebrity.
We tend to see lots of beautiful young people on dating shows. Is that the case with Blind Date?
We have an extremely broad palette. Our youngest contestant is 18 and our oldest is 80. People that are single aren’t all in their twenties.
I think viewers are going to be really in love with our single sex couples. We have single sex girls and single sex boys looking for love. It is a much truer snapshot of the Australian single landscape. It’s not like the other (dating) formats. This feels like Aussies that we haven’t seen on television for a long time.
How successful is the show at finding that perfect match?
I think we have hit the target a couple of times which is great. But it can also be that people end up with finding someone who would be a great friend of companion. Looks was very high on the list of the younger contestants. The people in their seventies who came on were just happy they woke up alive.
Did you find yourself getting unexpectedly emotional?
It definitely was when people told the stories of why they are single. I was moved by lots of stories. In an unprecedented move in my lifetime, it (the show) wasn’t about me. I really genuinely tried to make it about everyone else (singles).
Your hosting of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! has gone global. There has even been a campaign to get you to host the British version.
Apparently I’m in a viral spiral after 25 years in the business.
You did the drama House Husbands. Do you want to do more of that style of television?
Absolutely. It is definitely something I’d like to do. I spend my spare time writing away hoping to make something happen. I feel like I need a specific type of project for me. I figure I better put some finger to keyboard. There are lots of amazing dramas on the slate in Australia — but I would definitely prefer to be a bigger part of the process. It (more acting) is very much on the menu and high on the menu.
WATCH, BLIND DATE, CHANNEL 10, MONDAY, 7.30PM
Originally published as Why Blind Date turned into a surprisingly emotional experience for host Julia Morris