My Mum Your Dad fans say show is better than Love Island for important reason

13 September 2023, 13:28 | Updated: 13 September 2023, 13:52

Davina McCall reveals what she loves about My Mum Your Dad

My Mum Your Dad viewers praise the 'refreshing' show and insist it's so much more 'heartwarming' than Love Island.

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My Mum Your Dad fans have admitted they are "already obsessed" with the brand new dating show that follows single parents on their journey to find a soulmate.

ITV's latest creation, presented by Davina McCall, took viewers by surprise on Monday night after episode one introduced them to a fresh format and wholesome cast, leading to some backlash online.

The programme was originally dubbed the "middle-aged Love Island" due to its luxury villa, glamorous contestants and intimate dates.

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But many people are slamming the comparison, insisting this "sweet" telly hit is so much more "refreshing" than its younger counterpart.

The single parents' search for love began on Monday night. Picture: ITV

"Really pleased to see how successful #MyMumYourDad is. I’ve been saying for years that not everybody wants to watch manufactured young wannabes on telly. They want to see older people who are genuinely taking part for the experience, not for the fleeting fame at the end of it," wrote one enthused fan.

"Absolutely love #MyMumYourDad. Such a refreshing and unique concept. A perfect example of how anyone no matter what their age background or experience can find love and be happy. The music choices in the episode were lush as well. Well done @ThisisDavina. Bring on tomorrow night ♥️," said another.

"My Mum Your Dad (ITV1 at 9pm) is a great format, and far more interesting than you might think. Its heart is in the right place and it shakes up the dating formats in a good way," added a third.

While a fourth wrote: "#MyMumYourDad is the sweetest programme I can’t cope with it 😭❤️ @ThisisDavina the perfect person to do this 🙌🏼."

The singletons tried to find a spark during welcome drinks. Picture: ITV

Not only were viewers loving the depth that shone from the more mature contestants, the single parents' children made a positive impression on them, too.

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"The kids of these parents are incredibly thoughtful and show insight, intelligence and integrity. Their parents will be proud when they watch it back. Bloody wish society’s young people and teenagers in general could be more like them! #MyMumYourDad," wrote one Twitter user.

"The kids on #MyMumYourDad are amazing. So emotionally intelligent & thoughtful. Basically killing their Love Island counterparts," a second agreed.

Fans praised the "refreshing and unique" format. Picture: ITV

Host Davina opened up during Wednesday's episode of This Morning to reveal why she had fallen head over heels for the show.

She told Holly Willoughby and Josie Gibson: "I love Love Island. And Love Island has a very important place on telly and we're all obsessed with it and we love it.

"What's good about this is it's different. You can love both, right? There's no prize money. There's no cameras in bedrooms. And there's no real career at the end of it. What there is, is love, potentially.

"But it is heartbreaking because we all get to mid-life, and you can't get to mid-life without baggage.

"You will come with heartbreak, you will come with grieving, you will come with anger, walls you've built up, and the kids are trying to help navigate their parents through this quite difficult experience and help them find someone.

"There's no games and there's no 'how am I going to look?', nobody cares.

"They all arrive looking absolutely amazing in their show clothes, then what I loved was that the next morning they all came down for breakfast, no-ones got any makeup on, no-one cares, everybody's in their bare feet just walking around the kitchen. It's real."

Roger shares heartbreaking story of losing his wife on Your Mum My Dad

Twitter has exploded with chatter about the ITV dating show since My Mum Your Dad first launched on Monday 11th September.

Episode one saw widowed father-of-three Roger break down on his first date since the death of his wife Joanne.

Viewers were left sobbing after he struggled to keep it together while telling date Caroline the devastating circumstances in which she passed away.

Meanwhile other contestants were finding themselves in awkward situations, from business owner Paul forgetting one his dates' names, to therapist Monique admitting she had forgotten how to kiss.

My Mum Your Dad follows a group of single parents on the quest to find love later in life.

Nominated by their grown-up children, the middle-aged singletons believe they are being matched up by experts when actually their kids are calling the shots – and watching the entire thing from a hidden out-house.