Fox double-dates with Deeley

Fox has added another dating format to its schedule, lining up So You Think You Can Dance US presenter Cat Deeley as host.

Produced by A. Smith & Co (Hell’s Kitchen), The Choice (6×60′) sees eligible men and women convincing celebrities that they are date worthy.

First, four celebrities, sitting on spinning chairs, must pick three potential dates each out of a group on the basis of personalities alone. Then, each celebrity eliminates one of his or her chosen three, face to face.

In the final round, Deeley poses a challenge question to each celebrity’s remaining two choices, and each celebrity has to decide which person to take on a date.

Mike Darnell, president of alternative entertainment at Fox, said: “We wanted to put a new spin on the dating game show that gives celebrities the choice of a lifetime and the chance to prove you really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.”

Arthur Smith, Kent Weed and Scott St. John (Deal or No Deal) serve as executive producers. It is slated to premiere on 7 June, the same day Fox’s other new dating show, Take Me Out, is scheduled to air. Last month, the network secured comedian George Lopez as host of the latter, which will be produced by FremantleMedia North America.

This summer sees a wave of dating shows hit screens in the US, with Fox’s rival network NBC launching its own new dating show, Ready for Love, produced by Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria. CBS, meanwhile, has acquired Israeli dating format 3, from Keshet Broadcasting – a format that’s now also due to be remade in the UK.