I'm a relationships expert and here's my verdict on TV's newest dating shows

As a nation, we can’t seem to get enough of watching people fall in (and out of) love. And to satisfy our appetite, a new wave of dating shows are coming to our screens this spring.

But from brutal truths to lust in paradise - which shows are most likely to spark real love?

On the launch week of Channel 4’s ‘ The Honesty Box’ and Netflix’s ‘ Cheat: Unfinished Business’ and the announcement of BBC’s ‘Stranded on Honeymoon Island’ airing later this year; relationships expert and Lovehoney’s ambassador, Annabelle Knight is offering her take on the latest binge-worthy formats and what they reveal about modern romance.

Annabelle shares her expert insights into the three new high-profile formats and predicts which ones are most likely to lead to real, lasting love.

Why we’re so obsessed with TV Dating Shows

“As a nation, we’re fascinated by love in all its forms and reality dating shows offer us a safe space to explore emotional highs and lows from the comfort of our sofas and without putting our own hearts on the line. There’s something incredibly compelling about watching people be vulnerable, make mistakes, fall in love, and navigate life's wins and losses when it comes to love. These newer formats are tapping into more emotionally complex territory with shows dealing with loves deeper complexities such as truth, betrayal and resilience. This makes these shows feel a little more grown-up compared to earlier dating shows that focused more on drama than depth.”

Annabelle’s take on 2025’s biggest TV dating shows...

The Honesty Box (Channel 4)

“Honesty is the foundation of any successful relationship, so a dating show built entirely around truth-telling is absolutely fascinating to me. In many ways it could really challenge the way people normally present themselves when dating – which is often with a filter of what they think someone wants to see or hear.”

“It’s good to remember that there’s no such thing as ‘Brutal’ honesty, nothing about the truth needs to be brutal, as this can be too confronting and potentially damaging. Considered honesty is your best policy, the truth should always be delivered with empathy and compassion if you want to improve your relationship and connection. I’ll be watching closely to see how vulnerability is handled, as that’s the real key to connection."

Annabelle’s prediction: Most likely to spark genuine long-term relationships.

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️

Binge-worthiness: 🍿🍿🍿🍿

Real connection potential: ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Cheat: Unfinished Business (Netflix)

“Reuniting exes who cheated on each other is bold, to say the least. But healing from betrayal can be incredibly powerful and can actually lead to an incredibly strong, healthy and ultimately happy relationship afterwards - even if it doesn’t lead to rekindled romance.”

“What’s interesting here is the opportunity for people to hold themselves and their partners or exes emotionally accountable for their actions, only after this form of acceptance can true growth occur. Viewers may gain insight into the long-term effects of cheating, and how honesty, closure, and growth play a role in moving forward - whether they get back together or choose to stay apart.”

Annabelle’s prediction: Great for closure, but romance rekindling? Unlikely.

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Binge-worthiness: 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿

Real connection potential: ❤️❤️

Stranded on Honeymoon Island (BBC)

“Throwing newly matched couples straight into the honeymoon phase on a remote island is an extreme way to fast-track intimacy, but it’s also a pressure cooker. Without their normal lives to keep them on track - I’m talking family, work, hobbies and real-world stressors - it’s hard to tell if these relationships that are forged in paradise will actually translate to the real world. That said, the show could reveal a lot about instant chemistry vs. long-term compatibility.”

Annabelle’s prediction: High chemistry, low longevity.

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Binge-worthiness: 🍿🍿🍿

Real connection potential: ❤️❤️❤️

How Likely are these to create real relationships

"Dating shows often spark strong initial connections, but only a few are structured in a way that supports the couple so that they can achieve long-term success. After looking at the shows in question, I think that ‘The Honesty Box’ has the best chance at building something real. This show rewards emotional transparency and shared values. Although I do feel as though ‘Cheat: Unfinished Business’ has the potential to help people learn and grow – but rekindled romance is a long shot. ‘Stranded on Honeymoon Island’ is a bit of a wild cad, while there’s no doubt that this show is going to be fun to watch I don’t think it’s going to lead to many long term loves… the couples chemistry may be high, but a lack of stability and depth indicates to me that there’ll be a lot of lust, but not much love."

TV Dating shows – a positive or negative influence?

“Overall, dating shows can shine a positive light on love when they’re handled with emotional intelligence. If they encourage viewers to reflect on their own relationship habits or start conversations about honesty, trust, and forgiveness, then in my opinion, that’s a major win. Any show that sparks conversation, debate, or challenges people to think about how they can make their relationship better is all good in my eyes.”

“However, they can sometimes cross into exploitative territory, which for me doesn’t sit well. Especially if they push people too far or make fun of people expressing genuine emotion, if dating shows err towards this side of things, then the impact becomes less helpful. However, these new formats seem to be aiming for a more thoughtful and emotionally grounded approach – and that is definitely encouraging.”

For more expert advice and trend insights, or to browse the range of offers and make savings in Lovehoney’s current ‘Red Hearts Sale’ (running until 6th May) visit https://www.lovehoney.co.uk.