I see what they did here. Changing the lyrics of Katy Perry‘s iconic debut single to become a catchy reality show title. Seeing how the American Idol judge is close to being cancelled at this point, let’s hope that the same kind of viewer reception is not in the future for BBC’s I Kissed A Boy. Our community is desperate for a gay love reality series that isn’t so desperately problematic. I’m looking at you Boy Meets Boy (had straight men pretending to be gay), Finding Prince Charming (many issues before, during, and after) and Bobby I Love You (the overall what the fuck).
I Kissed A Boy, slated to debut on BBC next week, finds 10 single gay men – all aged between 23 and 29 – as they search for true love based off of law of attraction and their very first smooch. As an added twist to make the experiment more interesting, I Kissed A Boy will introduce ‘Kiss Offs,’ where potential lovers will choose to stay together another week or save their kiss for another man in the house, ultimately ending the relationship and re-entering the house as a single competitor.
I Kissed A Boy is hosted by pop singer Danni Minogue. While I only recognize her as a judge on The X Factor UK, Minogue is most known worldwide for birthing an enviable catalogue of music over more than two decades in show business. Her biggest hits include ‘Love and Kisses,’ ‘All I Wanna Do’ and ‘Put the Needle on It.’
Minogue tells potential viewers in a new teaser:
I Kissed a Boy is so important as the first UK gay dating show, because there has to be something for everyone. Everybody wants to be seen on TV in real relationships. It’s not about bodies, and image, and TV time, and 15 minutes of fame. It’s about people who want to look someone in the eye and explore something that could go somewhere as a relationship.
I’m ready for the UK’s first ever gay dating show #IKissedABoy 💋 Are you? It all starts with a kiss 14 May on @bbcthree & @BBCiPlayer pic.twitter.com/XqjK6bVENl
— Dannii Minogue (@DanniiMinogue) May 3, 2023
I love reality television, so I’ll try to watch this upcoming show somehow. I think it’s a really interesting concept, too. I knew from the first few minutes meeting someone if I wanted to smash, and I knew from the second date if I wanted to see the relationship progress further. It seems like my standard of dating way back when was adapted into a British dating show!
I Kissed a Boy is set to premiere May 14, 2023 on the BBC.
Will you be watching? Will this rendition of gay dating give us some great men? Or men we desire to forget?
This piece may contain opinions that are this writer’s and not those shared by other writers and Instinct Magazine.
So, out of all the gay boys I’d want to kiss : Ben, Bobski, Gareth, Josh & Ross.