ITV buys Israel dating show

Three’s format sees the women form a team to share their experiences as they first hold X Factor-style auditions for men and then go through an elimination process until only a few candidates remain.

When one of the trio finally asks out one of the contenders, the show can take a twist. In the Israeli episodes there was embarrassment for the women when men rejected their advances, followed by fierce rivalry when two of the women began to date the same man, driving a wedge between the “sisterhood” that the show had supposedly created. Viewers loved it: Three topped the ratings for five weeks of its two-month run and became the highest rated, non-live reality show since Israeli ratings began in 1999.

Former MTV and Big Brother presenter Emma Willis will front the ITV2 version. ITV’s Angela Jain said: “Three has already proven itself to be a hit format. Showing the emotional highs and lows of finding the partner of your dreams, coupled with Emma Willis in the role as a confidante for these three girls will, I hope, make this an unmissable show.”

An American version will launch on CBS this summer.

Israeli shows have enjoyed growing success around the world in the past four years. BeTipul, about a psychiatrist and his patients, led the way when it was remade as the HBO hit, In Treatment, in the US. It was followed by Ramzor, which focused on three male friends and was successful in the US as Traffic Light.
The most celebrated of all, though, has been Hatufim, which was bought by US producers and re-made as the critically acclaimed Homeland.