Celebs Go Dating officially returns to our screens tonight (January 17), but it seems like this year's cast of love-lorn stars have been some of the most difficult to match up yet.
With a line-up that features the likes of former 5ive star Abz Love, Made in Chelsea's Miles Nazaire and Married at First Sight UK favourite Nikita Johnson, it's fair to say that these stars are used to calling the shots – and, according to the Celebs Go Dating agents, it took a bit of time for the celebs to open up to the matchmaking process.
"I would say, perhaps, [they're] the least receptive group ever, like hardest to break through," Paul Carrick Brunson told Digital Spy in an exclusive interview.
"Yes. Absolutely agree. Without a doubt," Anna Williamson added. "We've worked really hard to try and push them through."
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As for how this year's stars compare to some of the previous Celebs Go Dating line-ups, Anna continued to add that the 2022 cast was "a lot more inflexible".
"Some years, some groups of celebrities are a lot easier to mould," she explained. "When I say manipulate I don't mean manipulate in the horrible sense of the word but to try and help them. These lot sort of yeah, do seem to come in with their own agenda, and were a lot more inflexible, I think, than any other group that we've seen.
"I think you'll see with the series is how that translates. I think it's fair to say in a really good way that this series of Celebs Go Dating is quite a slow burner. Some years you know, it is like a roller coaster – ups, downs, ups, downs. I think this one, as viewers, I think you'll start to really go, 'Cor, what is going on with these dudes? What is going on?'
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"And then you know what? As the series goes on, more and more tough talk comes in, more and more readiness for change kicks in, and then we do have some pretty fantastic breakthroughs with some of them towards the end," Anna noted.
"They all have a breakthrough, just at different times."
Alongside Abz, Miles and Nikita, this year's line-up also features former The Apprentice star Ryan-Mark Parsons, TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson and TOWIE's Chloe Brockett, Married at First Sight Australia's Jessika Power and Geordie Shore's Marty McKenna.
Celebs Go Dating airs weekdays at 9pm on E4.
Freelance writer, Digital Spy
Tilly is Gold-Standard NCTJ accredited journalist with eight years of experience in entertainment journalism.
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