Pucker up and prepare to feel the love as the First Dates Restaurant reopens for another season of smouldering desires, secret passions, cheesy chat-up lines, risky banter, awky mo-mos, bombastic side-eye, juicy gossip and jaw-dropping revelations as a new batch of hopeful singletons arrive for their dates with destiny.

On hand as always with kind words of encouragement, shoulders to cry on and insightful observations on love, life and dating etiquette are Maitre D’ Mateo, table angels Alice and Pete and Neil, the world’s friendliest barman. Probably.

Here - everyone has an equal opportunity to find romance: young, old, straight, LGBTQ, new faces, memorable returners, shrinking violets and strutting peacocks alike. Expect drama, delight, butterflies, burst bubbles, fireworks, freakouts, hilarity and humility – it’s all good.

This year’s rich crop of Romeos and Juliets includes our oldest ever lovebirds: 89 year old Kevin and the evergreen Georgina – married at 18, widowed at 22 and still full of spritely mischief at 88.

We also have a brother/sister double date, two sets of twins and – further expanding the family theme – one twin dating another twin. Confused? You will be. This year’s celebrity daters include singer and former X-Factor finalist Mary Byrne, who arrives hoping not to be recognised….

Meanwhile, back at the restaurant after appearing on the first ever programme, the charming OG dater Simon reflects on marriage, separation and the fact that he still gets recognised as ‘that beardy guy from season one’ ten years after the fact. Also returning to help Cupid practice his aim is the debonair Doyle, determined to tone things down after a memorably steamy date with Luis last year. Right. Let’s see how that works out.

And where – you may ask – is all this going? Well, this year, fans of flirtation can expect more successful romantic outcomes than ever before including one couple who decide to get matching tattoos and two more discussing the prospect of marriage.

So kick back, tune in and bliss out – Thursday nights are about to get seriously loved-up as Ireland’s most passionate dating show returns to RTE at 9.35pm on the 29th January 2026.