Davina McCall, 55, to host ‘Love Island for the middle-aged’ after pitching idea to ITV bosses

Davina McCall will be signed up by ITV to host a new dating show called ‘Love Island for the middle-aged’.

Sources at the network say she is about to agree to host the program, The Romance Retreat, in which single parents will live in a mansion.

They told The Mail on Sunday that Ms McCall – who pitched the idea and became an unofficial spokesperson for middle-aged women – was their first choice.

“Davina is a perfect fit, she’s bubbly, fun and has been through her own relationship struggles as well,” an insider said. “Until she met her boyfriend, she was also a single mother.”

Ms McCall, 55, outlined her idea earlier this month on Steven Bartlett’s podcast, The Diary of a CEO, saying: ‘I could fill a villa on Love Island with middle-aged people with the best backstories you’ll ever see in your life heard.

“They’ve lived a life — they’re widows, they’re people who’ve been through gruesome divorces. They are people who broke up with someone and decided to date someone of the same sex as them. They’re just interesting people. I’d watch that show.’

New show: Sources at the network say she is about to agree to present the program, The Romance Retreat, in which single parents will live in a villa

‘Young buck’: They’ve told The Mail on Sunday that Ms McCall – who pitched the idea and became an unofficial spokesperson for middle-aged women – was their first choice (the summer 2022 cast)

The ITV website recently promoted a search for contestants for the series, saying: ‘ITV1 is looking for vibrant single parents from across the UK looking for love, for a brand new dating show!

“This is the ONLY dating show where single parents can look for love by spending time in a luxury getaway, where all parents are nominated by their adult children.”

McCall, the mother of three – a judge on the ITV show The Masked Singer – was first married to Andrew Leggett, but they split after just a few months.

She divorced her second husband, presenter Matthew Robertson, in 2017 and is now with hairdresser Michael Douglas, 48. They moved in together before Christmas.

One of Mrs McCall’s first television roles was on the Channel 4 dating series Streetmate.

The show saw her traverse the country in search of singles, then try to find their perfect partner by grabbing passersby in hopes of finding love.

Host duties: They told The Mail on Sunday that Ms McCall – who pitched the idea and became an unofficial spokesperson for middle-aged women – was their first choice (pictured as a judge on The Masked Singer)

Villa: The Romance Retreat and sees contestants staying in a luxury villa in an attempt to find love (Winter 2023 villa pictured)

With an official call outis the network looking for ‘vibrant single parents from across the UK looking for love’.

The Romance Retreat and will see contestants staying in a luxury villa in an attempt to find love.

It seems that the show is very similar to the Love Island concept, but it remains unclear whether the winners of The Romance Retreat will receive a cash prize at the end of the series.

Last week, Ulrika Jonsson threw in her hat to host the show before Davina’s name was called.

The presenter, 55, claimed she has “more zest for life now,” compared to her 20s when she attempted to land the job, during Monday’s Good Morning Britain.

She said: ‘If you host that programme, you should have a wealth of experience in modern day dating, which is very different from the old days where you see and meet people in the pub.

Yes, being single should be a prerequisite. Just because you’re over 50 doesn’t mean you’ve given up on life and don’t want new adventures.

“I have more zest for life now than I probably did when I was between twenty and thirty.”

Hopeful: Last week Ulrika Jonsson, 55, threw her hat in the ring to host the show before Davina’s name was called