My Mum, Your Dad Is Not ‘Middle-Aged Love Island’ – Here’s Davina McCall’s New Show Explained

After months of hype, My Mum, Your Dad is finally set to arrive on ITV1.

The brand new show, fronted by Davina McCall, sees people in their 40s and 50s shack up together in a bid to see if romance could be on the cards.

The format probably sounds familiar as it shares a couple of elements with Love Island, but there are plenty things which separate the new series from its ITV2 counterpart.

Heres everything you need to know…

Billed as a “relationship show with a difference,” My Mum, Your Dad sees a group of single, mid-life parents move into a luxe country retreat with the hope of finding love.

The hopeful romantics have all been nominated by their grown-up kids and in a Sun, Sex And Suspicious Parents-style twist, their children will be watching their every move from a nearby location, ‘The Bunker’.

ITV’s blurb reads: “From humorous moments to heartwarming confessions, the kids will see their parents in a whole new light as they are presented with opportunities to select who they’ll be matched with on one-to-one dates, and who may join the family celebrations for years to come.”

The kids will have the chance to meddle too, and play matchmaker for their much-loved mums and dads – who have no idea they’re being spied on.

No. While some people will leave the retreat (and new ones will arrive), they’ll be spared brutal votes, dumpings and recouplings.

“They don’t get evicted or chucked out,” explained host Davina. “It’s a decision that the grown-up kids come up with.

“They can see that their parent hasn’t made a connection and eventually their grown-up kid says, ‘Okay, I think it’s time for them to leave. They’re not getting anything from this anymore. I want them to come home where they can start using what they’ve learnt to date a bit closer to home’.”

My Mum, Your Dad has been referred to as ‘middle-aged’ Love Island ever since the concept was being devised, but both ITV and Davina are keen to put some distance between the two shows.

“I have inadvertently called it this myself,” admitted Davina. “But it’s really not the same show.

“The music, the setting, the grown-up kids being involved in their parents’ love lives, it’s very different.

“Once viewers see the show, they’ll see how different it is. Love Island is great, I watch it with my kids, but this is a totally different show and there is room for both.”

While the Love Island villa has played host to plenty of screaming matches and bust-ups, My Mum, Your Dad will instead focus on heartwarming moments.

One hopeful is a widow and Davina teased: “Just the act of his daughter dropping him off at the retreat to go and potentially try and meet someone, is the sweetest thing, because you know how hard it must be for her to give permission to her dad to move on from her mum.”

“Then we have another guy who I needed to give a pep talk to,” she continued. “He was amazing in his chosen profession, but he really struggles with self-confidence.

There’s no prize. Well there is, but the prize is love instead of a big, fat cheque – which means we won’t be seeing conversations about whether anyone is sticking around just for the money (ahem, Love Island).

The people moving in at the start of the series are:

• Therapist Monique, 50, and her daughter Tanya, 21, a student
• Safeguarding and welfare officer Sharon, 53 and her daughter Tia, 24, an influencer
• Tench advisor Caroline, 51, and her daughter, Karla, 20, a flight attendant
• Self-esteem and relationship coach Natalie, 44, and her son Kaliel, 20, a gas and plumbing apprentice
• Decorating company owner Paul. 47, and his daughter Mazey, 21, a student
• Pastoral support officer Clayton, 57, and his son, Christian, 35, a graphic artist
• Postman Roger, 58, and his daughter Jess, 28, a network rail planner
• PE teacher Elliott, 53, and his son Zachary, 21, a student

ITV has also confirmed one pair who will be new arrivals – Singer Janey, 47, and her son Will, 19, a student.

Yes! You can watch it below:

The first episode of My Mum, Your Dad will air on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm on Monday 11 September. The show will then air every weeknight for two weeks.