BBC Three’s new gay dating show needs to make sure it doesn’t fall into lazy stereotypes
Love Island, there’s a new kid on the block. He’s here, he’s definitely queer, and he’s called I Kissed A Boy.Commissioned by BBC Three, the new dating show will take 10 single men abroad, coupling them up before putting them through their paces in various challenges.
Sound familiar? It is – except for one big difference: all the contestants are men.On meeting their matches for the first time, the couples will immediately kiss (hence the title) – though they’ll undoubtedly lock lips with others throughout the 10-episode run.Celebrations on social media are justified – a primetime, queer inclusive dating show has been notably missing from schedules – but it’s also important that the show takes the time to get things right.
If the contestants are treated with care and respect, it could prove groundbreaking for reality dating programmes, which are becoming predictable.While there are some trailblazing LGBTQ+ inclusive dating shows such as The Bi Life and Are You The One?, they sit behind paywalls on streaming services, rendering them inaccessible for many audiences.
Other dating shows seem to include LGBTQ+ contestants as an afterthought, or a box-ticking exercise.As the first mainstream show of its kind, I Kissed A Boy – which is a working title – will place its gay and bi contestants at its heart and use them to its advantage.
