My Mum, Your Dad (ITV1) is the midlife answer to Love Island, in which a group of single parents, divorcees, and people who have cheated on their spouse (more of that later) move into a big house together and pair up on romantic dates.
Each is packed off by one of their children with some solemn words of advice. “Whatever you do, just don’t be cringey,” a 17-year-old urges his dad. “I do not want you embarrassing me,” a girl tells her mum. Another dad is told, more mysteriously: “Don’t take your socks off.”
The set-up is that the children, all in their late teens or 20s, are in a house down the road, observing their parents via live link. Maria, 51, single for eight years and a veteran of dating apps, soon forgets the above advice not to embarrass her daughter. “When I first separated, I’m not gonna lie, it was all about the sex,” Maria announces.
Her mortified offspring, watching from afar, says: “It’s OK to talk about your feelings, but stop telling the whole world your sex stories, especially when your daughter’s watching.”
But that’s as risqué as this show gets. It’s otherwise very sweet, particularly the close relationships between the parents and children. Some may joke about raising teenagers – a chap called Andy says he’s looking forward to spending time with people “who want to talk to me, don’t give me dirty looks, and might even be up before lunchtime” – but there’s a lot of love here.
Jenny’s 19-year-old son says she deserves to settle down with someone after a lifetime as a devoted mum: “It’s been just her and me for 17 years… all those rainy days at the rugby, shouting on the sidelines with all the dads.” But some of the dates are a cringeworthy watch for the viewer, never mind their own kids.
One man instantly declares that he doesn’t believe in marriage, before asking his date if she wants to get married again (she does). Another confesses to an affair which ended his marriage, which was a bold conversational gambit for a first date. Maybe save it for date two?