Buff dating? Reality shows are getting too extreme

Introducing Dating Naked, a new reality dating show set in early 2024 and will tell the story of a group of singles living together in South Africa in pursuit of romance... All while being completely naked . Basically, it's "Love Island. "

Of course, any fan of reality TV knows that this isn't the first program aimed at helping people find love in the nude. Channel 4's iconic show "Naked Attraction," in which single people choose dates based on people's naked bodies, is now in its 11th season. But unlike that show, where the nudity was the meaty main course (if you can call it that), in "Naked Dating," the nudity will be more of a shiny side dish. In other words, it's just an added layer of drama and intrigue to the usual dating show.

But is that really how it is for us? I understand why it was commissioned. It's been eight years since ITV launched Love Island and we're tired of seeing the same show play out on our screens every summer. It's the same with rival series - think of Too Hot to Handle, Blind Love and Married at First Sight. By this point, we've all been there, done that and gotten t-shirts 1,000 times - and it's becoming increasingly nauseating to see each show turn into influencer factories.

 No matter how you slice it, the genre is tired and requires extreme action to maintain any level of intrigue. But at what cost? Conversations about psychological well-being among reality show contestants have been going on for years, and for good reason. Being isolated from the real world for a few weeks to later become a real TV star with hundreds and thousands (sometimes millions) of followers on social media is no easy feat. But imagine doing it while putting your naked body on display for all to see?

Dating Naked contestants will be judged on more than just their flirting skills or how they feel about the people they're attracted to. They will be scrutinized on the most intimate parts of themselves. And what happens when the show ends? Do they just go back to their old lives, knowing that every friend, coworker, and family member now knows their bodies as well as they do?

But leaving aside the contestants, what does this mean for the viewer? What's the added benefit of people meeting in the nude, aside from the obvious shock factor of it all (which will inevitably fade after an episode or two)? Wouldn't it make you a little uncomfortable and awkward to watch?