TelevisaUnivision orders Boxfish adaptation of WBITVP format First Dates for US

Dating show First Dates has been sold worldwide

TelevisaUnivision’s Hispanic-language network UniMás has ordered a local adaptation of British format First Dates, which is distributed internationally by Warner Bros International TV Production (WBITVP).

With no launch date yet confirmed, the new version is titled Primeras citas and will be hosted by Chilean presenter Rafael Araneda. It is produced in Mexico City by Boxfish, the prodco led by Diego Guebel, which has offices in Argentina, Brazil and Spain.

First Dates launched on the UK’s Channel 4 in 2013 and has since had more than 20 international adaptations, including in markets such as Australia, Germany, France, Canada, Norway, the United States, Argentina, Brazil and Spain.

Spain is one of the territories where the format has been most successful, having aired continuously since 2016 on Mediaset España’s Cuatro channel, with more than 2,200 episodes. The show is produced there by WBITVP España and has spawned three spin-offs: First Dates Hotel, First Dates Crucero and First Dates Café.

This new version is led by the Boxfish Spanish team and includes services from Nippur Media.

First Dates follows a first date between two people who have never met before in an elegant restaurant, where they get to know each other, have an intimate conversation and assess whether there is a potential romantic connection. At the end, both must decide whether they want to see each other again.