From the matchmaking shows of the 1960s to the pop culture behemoth that is Love Island, audiences, LGBTQ+ and otherwise, have long been enamoured by dating TV series.

However, many mainstream dating shows have had a distinctly heterosexual lens, and the inclusion of LGBTQ+ couples has been dismissed by some as a “logistical challenge”.

The appetite for queer dating shows is there, but in order to satiate it, we have to look beyond the mainstream. Lucky for you, dear reader, we’ve already put together some of our favourite dating shows with LGBTQ+ contestants, so line these recommendations up, grab the popcorn and get ready to root for your favourites.

The Ultimatum: Queer Love

The Ultimatum: Queer Love is a runaway Netflix hit, and we can understand why. In the two seasons, viewers are introduced to a cast of sapphic couples, where one person wants to get married and the other is less certain. The couples then meet each other, select a new “trial wife” and live with them for three weeks. Then, they return to the original partner and make a decision – do they get married or go their separate ways?

Dating Around

This Netflix show is well known for its inclusivity in terms of age, race and sexuality, so its spot on our list is well-deserved. Each episode follows a person that goes on a blind date with five other people, proving that queer people are far from a “logisitcal challenge” in the world of dating television.

Vanjie: 24 Hours of Love

Vanjie: 24 Hours of Love combines two of our favourite things – drag and dating. This series follows Drag Race Season 10/11 alum Vanessa “Vanjie” Matteo as she puts 18 contestants through curious challenges to determine who they’d like to date. The catch? The queen only has 24 hours to choose a suitor for her contestants, offering a unique glimpse into the complexities of modern dating.

Are You The One?

MTV’s Are You The One? has multiple seasons under its belt, but when it released its eighth season, it levelled up by including LGBTQ+ contestants, casting gender-fluid, trans and non-binary daters. The contestants are asked a number of questions by an algorithm that finds their perfect match. However, they are not privy to the algorithm’s workings, and it’s up to them to find who they are most compatible with.

The Bi Life

Another Drag Race alum to dip their toe into the world of dating television is Courtney Act. The Aussie star hosts The Bi Life, a dating show which follows nine British singletons looking for love in stunning Barcelona. The show, which was particularly revered for refreshing bisexuality representation, is available to watch on Hayu.

12 Dates of Christmas

Many of us are familiar with the pressure to bring a partner home for Christmas, and 12 Dates of Christmas follows couples as they search for The One. The series has two seasons to date and features gay and lesbian hopeless romantics on the hunt for love. The best part? It’s set in an idyllic Austrian castle, making it a dreamy watch in every sense.

I Kissed A Boy

I Kissed A Boy, which premiered in 2023, made history as the first-ever British dating show to feature gay men exclusively. Couple that with the show’s fabulous host – the one and only Dannii Minogue – and you know you’re in for a treat. In the show, 10 gay men travel to an Italian villa where they compete to find love. But before the guys can get to know one another, they’ll first have to share a kiss.

I Kissed A Girl

I Kissed A Boy‘s sapphic spin-off, I Kissed A Girl, is another very worthy inclusion on our list of dating shows with LGBTQ+ representation. The show, which is also hosted by Dannii Minogue, was the first UK reality show with a contestant pool consisting exclusively of lesbian and bisexual women, and follows a similar premise to its predecessor.

Ex on the Beach

​​Known to be one of MTV’s more chaotic reality shows, Ex on the Beach takes a handful of young contestants and forces them to live alongside their exes. The show didn’t feature any LGBTQ+ contestants in its first season, but has featured a multitude of queer people with different sexual orientations in its other seasons.

Finding Prince Charming

Logo TV’s Finding Prince Charming was one of the first exclusively LGBTQ+ dating shows to come to cable television when it debuted in 2016. Structured similarly to shows like The Bachelor, the series featured Atlanta-based interior designer Robert Sepulveda Jr as its lead. Throughout the series, Sepulveda Jr hosted eight contestants vying for his love and attention. Episodes of the series are available to stream on Logo TV’s website.

For the Love of DILFS

Hosted by adult film star Stormy Daniels, For the Love of DILFS premiered earlier this year, featuring a cast of ten gay contestants who were categorised into two groups: “Daddies” and “Himbos”. Not only are these men looking for love, but for one lucky couple, a $10,000 prize hangs in the balance.

The One That Got Away

Hosted by the bisexual star Betty Who, the show follows six single people who are reunited with people from their past to see if they still have that spark. The reality show claims that “by the age of 25, most people have already met The One – they just don’t know it,” and they test this theory throughout.

Who Likes My Follower?

Ever wondered if your favourite influencer would make a good dating coach? Who Likes My Follower? answers this question by having three Spanish influencers help one of their followers find love. Featuring several queer moments throughout the episodes, this Netflix reality dating show depicts people trading in their digital likes for real-life love.

From the chaotic to the dreamy, this concludes the roundup, so the ball is now firmly in your court. Go forth and find your new favourite queer dating show!

GCN’s wonderful Christmas Raffle is back! To be in with a chance of winning some fantastic prizes while also supporting GCN, buy a raffle ticket from as little as €5 at this link.