Love Is Blind UK panned by critics as Matt and Emma Willis slammed for 'hosting through gritted teeth' and Netflix premiere branded 'awful' Do YOU have a story? Email [email protected] By Codie Bullen For Mailonline Published: 11:48, 7 August 2024 | Updated: 11:49, 7 August 2024 e-mail View comments Love Is Blind UK premiered on Netflix on Wednesday, but it was hit with a wave of withering negative reviews from TV critics. After its success in the United States - where six series' have aired - the show has landed in the UK - with thirty stunning contestants hoping to bag themselves a partner and get married during the show's wedding finale.
Married couple Emma and Matt Willis will be filling shoes previously worn in the US by Nick and Vanessa Lachey by hosting the entire series. But critics have slammed the couple for 'hosting through gritted teeth' and have branded the Netflix premiere 'awful'. The Guardian's Elle Hunt gave the show a disappointing two star review, claiming the concept of the show is 'un-British'.
Love Is Blind UK premiered on Netflix on Wednesday, but it was hit with a wave of withering negative reviews from TV critics After its success in the United States - where six series' have aired - the show has landed in the UK - with thirty stunning contestants hoping to bag themselves a partner and get married during the show's wedding finale She wrote: 'Emma and Matt Willis are a good match for Nick and Vanessa Lachey's star power, even if they don't share the American couple's supreme ease with the undertaking. It is, after all, essentially un-British to talk about your feelings, which all Love Is Blind participants are obliged to do constantly.' inews gave it a four star review, and despite saying the first four episodes were 'addictive', Emily Baker was less than impressed with Matt's hosting skills.
She penned: 'The difference in their experience is stark – while Emma is relaxed and chatty with the singletons, Matt is stilted and looks visibly uncomfortable. 'Not that it really matters – in the four episodes streaming today, the pair only pitch up twice.' The Independent's Ellie Muir issues a two star review and said: 'Things got off to a promising start when it was announced that former Busted singer Matt Willis and his wife Emma would be inheriting hosting duties.
.. 'That hope, though, is quickly lost in episode one when an unenthused Matt asks "Is love truly blind?" through gritted teeth.
He added: 'Everything is copied and pasted from the US edition, minus the accents. Rinse and repeat. 'The Willises are essentially reading from the same script as the Lacheys, delivering the same unimaginative one-liners with the same sing-songy intonation.
In one moment, Emma gives Matt a cringeworthy on-camera bum tap; Matt looks like he’d rather be anywhere else but here.' The Irish Examiner wrote in their review: 'If you want some muzak TV that plays in the background while you look at your phone, this is fine. If you want some real-life drama, get married.
'The whole show is designed to make you shout "this is a terrible idea'" at the telly. After that though, it's fairly dull.' Married couple Emma and Matt Willis will be filling shoes previously worn in the US by Nick and Vanessa Lachey (pictured) by hosting the entire series The couple, who married in 2008 and share three children, Isabelle, 14, Ace, 12, and Trixie, seven, will be at the helm to guide viewers through the popular reality series However, The Standard gave it a four star review, explaining: 'Yes, it's made for American audiences, but this cast is surprisingly loveable.
' The first four episodes of Love Is Blind: UK were released on August 7, followed by three more on August 14. The finale episode will air on August 21. The dating series from Netflix aims to help a group of singletons try to form connections, without ever laying eyes on the other person.
Read More EXCLUSIVE Love Is Blind: UK cast REVEALED as Emma and Matt Willis host Netflix show's first British series Interacting only through their voices in special Pods, they will date for a number of weeks before choosing one person to marry. After conversing in the Pods they can interact with each other - and the other couples - for the first time as they move in together and plan their weddings. The couples will then find out if their physical connection matches their strong emotional bond developed in the Pods.
The social experiment, which has already proven popular in the US and seven other countries, will explore if looks, race or age do matter. Following the success of six US series hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey , presenters and married couple Emma and Matt Willis are taking over the helm on UK soil. More than a decade since their last joint TV presenting gig, Emma and Matt will team up once more, following in the footsteps of other husband-and-wife TV couples.
And just like Richard and Judy, Eammon and Ruth and Rochelle and Marvin, the Willis' could find their respective careers are all the more lucrative. The couple, who married in 2008 and share three children, Isabelle, 14, Ace, 12, and Trixie, seven, will be at the helm to guide viewers through the popular reality series. inews gave it a four star review, and despite saying the first four episodes were 'addictive', Emily Baker was less than impressed with Matt's hosting skills However, The Standard gave it a four star review, explaining: 'Yes, it's made for American audiences, but this cast is surprisingly loveable.
' Emma started her career as a model before branching out into television early on - and has stayed faithful to presenting, appearing on some of the biggest shows on TV including The Voice and Big Brother. However, Matt, who is eight years younger than his wife, is still most famous for his pop star hellraising as part of pop punk trio Busted, and continues to tour with the band, with gigs in Margate and Newmarket lined up this summer. Matt, who was a graduate of The Sylvia Young Theatre School along with Billie Piper, Amy Winehouse and member of rival band McFly, Tom Fletcher, set Busted - originally named The Termites - in his Southend bedroom with James Bourne.
The pop-punk trio enjoyed a great deal of success before they split in 2005, bagging four UK number-one singles as well as winning two Brit Awards for Best Pop Act and Best British Breakthrough Act. In 2023, Busted announced a comeback for their 20 year anniversary, whilst also launching a greatest hits album and another arena tour. Now, after years of focusing on their separate careers, the couple have joined forces professionally, and communications guru Hayley Knight, who runs Be Yellow, thinks it could be a genius move for the husband-and-wife team - with big financial rewards.
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