TV host thinks beloved dating show couldn't be made today - but I'd really 'likey' to see it back on our screens

The women were all stood in front of podiums which were lit up red. As the single man revealed more information about himself they kept their light on if they were still attracted to him or turned their light off if he said something they didn’t like. As Paddy’s famous catchphrase went, “no likey, no lighty”.

The show was hugely successful, and ran for 11 seasons from 2010 before it was cancelled in 2020. Now, five years after the last episode air date, McGuiness has said that Take Me Out could not be made in the same way as it was then in the modern day.

Speaking on the Table Manners podcast with singer Jessie Ware and her mum Lennie Ware, McGuiness said young people are still coming up to him asking him about the show and expressing their hope to see it return, but he doesn’t think this would be possible.

“I think the way things are in the world now, in media, we live in a very strange time where if you’re saying something jokey or something not serious or whatever, it gets taken out of context, put online, and there’s a spin on everything,’ he said.

“And I think Take Me Out, because it was so kind of pure, lovely, fun and on a Saturday night, and we had a laugh – that was of its time. I think if you did it now, I hope I’m wrong, but I think if you did it now, there’d be that many bloody things going, oh, you can’t do that. You can’t say this and take things out of context and what have you. Because essentially, it’s a family Saturday night entertainment show.”

McGuinness was known for having jokes with the contestants, and essentially taking the mick out of them but in an affectionate way. For example, one of the most memorable contestants was Peggy Lawrence, one 19 reality TV contestants who have been on more than one dating show as she went on to appear on Married at First Sight UK in 2023.

The reality star had black hair when she was one of the 30 single girls looking for love on Take Me Out back in 2012. She was given the nickname 'picky Peggy' by McGuinness as she turned her light off a lot. More than 10 years later, Lawrence, now a blonde, tried her luck again on MAFS UK. Spoiler alert, she didn’t find long lasting love on either show . . .

On the podcast, 51-year-old presenter McGuinness said that he’d be “all over it” if he were asked to do charity specials for the dating show, showing that he clearly still has affection for it. He added that Take Me Out was a “lovely thing to be a part of”, and he has “a lot of good memories” from the show.

Her also hailed it as “one of the world’s most successful dating shows”, as there have been several success stories from the matches that were been made during the decade it was on the TV, including six marriages and five or six kids.

I can see McGuinness’ point, but I was one of the avid Take Me Out fans who watched every week and I’d love to see it return. Admittedly, my memory of the jokes he made are hazy now, but I remember that everything was said in a kind way and that actually the main thing he provided was lots of care and support for both the men and women. He certainly didn’t say anything inappropriate or outright cruel.

We still have jokey commentary on dating shows today . . . think of comedian Rob Beckett on Celebs Go Dating . . . and certainly plenty of controversial moments . . . think of the eyebrow-raising words and actions of Married at First Sight contestants each year. Take Me Out was tame in comparison, and was nothing but light-hearted.

I would certainly ‘likey’ to see Take Me Out back on our screens. If Blind Date can make a revival then surely there’s space for one more.