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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Entertainment
Lauren Fletcher & Maisie Lillywhite

'Midlife' version of Love Island is taking applications for 'vibrant single parents'

Do you have a vibrant single parent who is ready to mingle? If you're on the hunt for a new step-parent, you may want to sign your mum or dad up for the middle-aged equivalent of Love Island.

The Romance Retreat was announced by ITV last month, and will see single parents enter a villa to find love with other people of a similar age. There will be some time before the exciting new show lands on our screens, but production company Lifted Entertainment is currently on the hunt for sexy middle-aged singletons ahead of filming.

OK reports that, although applications are currently open, it is not up to parents to nominate themselves for The Romance Retreat. Instead, this responsibility lies in the hands of their children.

Read more: Adult content creator says looking like Maya Jama has helped her make £30k

If you're wondering what the exact premise of the show is, Lifted Entertainment has written a blurb online: "ITV1 are looking for vibrant single parents from across the UK who are in search of love, for a brand new dating show!

"This is the ONLY dating show where single parents can search for love, by spending time in a luxury retreat, where all the parents have been nominated by their grown up children."

Davina McCall is reportedly set to present the show (Instragram)

According to the producers, the upcoming ITV show will require the participation of a parent and their adult child. If you would like to participate in the show with your mum or dad, you need to check whether you are eligible.

First of all, the child needs to be at least 18 years old on or before May 1, 2023 and their parent must be single. You and your parent need to not be currently employed by ITV or be a live-in partner or immediate relative of someone who works on the programme.

Applicants and their parents must also be legal residents of the United Kingdom, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, and currently live in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or Isle of Man. To apply for The Romance Retreat or find out more, click here.

An insider recently told The Sun that The Romance Retreat is all about allowing older parents to have fun and giving them a "second chance". They revealed to the publication: "Times change and the current generation in their 40s and 50s still care about how they look, are fit and healthy, into fashion and are ready to let their hair down.

"And, let’s face it, they know their minds, will be capable of intelligent conversation and are likely to be much more adventurous – all ingredients regular Love Island sometimes lacks."

It is not yet known who will be at the helm of ITV's newest reality show, but Davina McCall, 55, has put her name forward after pleading with the broadcaster to let her host a "midlife" version of Love Island, which recently returned for a ninth series with Bristol beauty Maya Jama as host. The Masked Singer judge recently told Steven Bartlett on his Diary of a CEO podcast: "[I have] no embarrassment or shame about emailing a TV company and going, 'Have you thought about this?'"

Kelly Brook, 43, also begged ITV to let her be the face of The Romance Retreat. Kelly's previous experience would make her a great fit for the show, as she hosted the original series of Love Island with Patrick Kielty in 2005.

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Vote for your favourite past winners of Love Island in our poll.

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