If you’re hunting for UK reality TV with sapphic and lesbian representation or dating shows in the UK, we’ve got you covered.
After Netflix’s disappointing move to cancel The Ultimatum: Queer Love – a show that finally gave queer women messy, emotional, chaotic reality TV they deserve – it reminds us how rare this kind of content is. But the good news: there are shows to catch. From full sapphic dating formats to surprise queer moments in mainstream reality TV, here’s your updated guide to UK (or UK-accessible) shows with lesbian/sapphic representation.
Before you read on, don’t forget to bookmark this article, as we update it on the regular.
What Counts as “Lesbian / Sapphic Representation” in UK Reality TV to Make Our List?
To make this list, a show needs to include:
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- At least one lesbian, queer, or sapphic woman in a meaningful role (not just a token cameo)
- Some focus on dating, relationships, or romantic tension
- UK production or version
- Still available or known enough to reference
But, if we’ve missed any, let us know and we’ll have it added.
12 Reality TV + Dating Shows with Lesbian & Sapphic Representation in the UK
1. I Kissed a Girl
If you haven’t seen this, then you must. Here’s a rundown.
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Ten sapphic singles are matched in secret and then meet for a kiss. No swiping, no chats first, just straight up kiss before anything else. They live together in a villa and see if that spark can turn into something real.
It’s flirty, emotional, and refreshingly honest. Critics have praised it as a sweet and touching example of queer dating done right. Watch all of our interviews with the cast of season 1’s I Kissed A Girl.
Where to watch: BBC Three and BBC iPlayer. The show is listed as active / returning.
2. The Bi Life
Singles head to Barcelona to date, flirt, and figure out what they want – all guided by host Courtney Act. It leans into discovery, friendships, heartbreak, and experimentation.
Where to watch: Originally on E! UK; episodes available via YouTube and hayu.
3. Married at First Sight UK 2025
Strangers are matched by experts and marry the moment they meet. Then they live together, face challenges, and decide if they stay together. Jenna Robinson and Zoe Clifton appeared in Season 7 (2022). And Leah Marie Tyrer and Leigh Harris are in Season 10 (2025).
Where to watch: E4 / Channel 4 streaming.
4. Naked Attraction
It’s not a traditional dating show, but it is one of the few UK shows that sometimes features queer contestants. People pick potential partners based only on physical appearance. Yes, there’s nudity (censored). It’s awkward, wild, and voyeuristic, but when queer women appear, it’s notable
Where to watch: Channel 4 and its streaming services.
Read More: 20+ Best Lesbian Shows and TV Series To Watch
5. Candy Bar Girls
This is a much older show – possibly one of the few UK reality series completely devoted to lesbians. Shout out to our millennial+ readers, you’ll remember this one.
It followed a group of lesbians in London (Soho), centred on a lesbian bar called Candy Bar, showing their social lives, relationships, drama, work, and personal issues. It was treated as a “fly-on-the-wall” series, with a bit of soap energy mixed in. Critics noted low budgets and some of the content being sensational.
Where / when it aired: Channel 5 (UK), in 2011.
The show is not current, but it’s part of queer TV history worth spotlighting. You can still catch some of the series on YouTube.
6. Open House
Open House (full title: Open House: The Great Sex Experiment) is a bold British reality show that sends committed couples to a luxury retreat, where they test the boundaries of monogamy and explore non-monogamy, polyamory, and open relationships.
Throughout the series, couples face emotional challenges, jealousy, communication breakdowns, and ethical dilemmas as they experiment with opening up their relationship. The show doesn’t shy away from the messy side – participants may engage in group sex, sexual encounters outside the primary relationship, and deeply personal conversations about trust and boundaries.
Open house shows a lot of couples opening up about their sexuality and the desire for monogamy. Warning: Not one to watch with your parents – yikes.
Where to watch: Channel 4 / All 4
7. Made in Chelsea
Mainstream shows like Made in Chelsea occasionally lean into queer romance, which is meaningful for representation.
In a recent season, Demi Sims is shown in a same-sex relationship with Jazz Saunders. In a clip, Jazz confesses, “I feel like it’s out of ten now,” and Sims says she “just sees a future with you.”. It’s a bit of queer inclusion within an otherwise hetero-dominant reality format.
Watch our red carpet interview with Demi Sims.
Where to watch: Originally on E4 in the UK.
8. Celebs Go Dating
This show regularly throws in queer cast members (dating in the public eye). While most seasons focus on straight couples, queer participants have appeared, gaining screen time and normalising queer dating in celebrity formats.
Celebrities are paired with (non-celebrity) singles. Dating, awkward conversations, therapy sessions, and public drama ensue.
Where to watch: Often airs on E4 / Channel 4 or affiliated networks.
9. Don’t Tell the Bride
Generally, a straight-couple show – a groom plans the entire wedding without telling the bride. But there have been same sex couples featured.
One partner plans an entire wedding in secret – dress, venue, ceremony – and surprises the other. It’s high stakes, emotional tension, romantic reveal.
The UK version of Don’t Tell the Bride included a lesbian wedding in Series 5, Episode 11 (Anna & Sian) – so that’s Season 5.
Where to watch: Channel 4 / All 4
10. Come Dine with Me
Come Dine with Me is a British reality competition show where a group of amateur chefs take turns hosting dinner parties for one another. Over the course of several nights, each contestant cooks a three-course meal and entertains their guests – who then secretly rate the evening on food, hosting skills, and overall vibe. At the end of the week, the contestant with the highest score wins a cash prize. It’s best known for its mix of home cooking, awkward dinner chat, and the hilariously snarky narration by Dave Lamb.
In Couples Come Dine with Me Season 6, Episode 13 (Bournemouth), married duo Karen and Lindsay set the tone for the week with a cosy night of “trusted family favourites” – think hearty vibes, homely plates, and zero pretence. They’re up against newlyweds Matt and Jay, who bring a Russian twist to their menu (though some guests can definitely taste the supermarket shortcuts), and David and Elaine, whose turn in the kitchen quickly turns into a full-blown domestic showdown.
Where to watch: Channel 4 or stream it on All 4.
11. First Dates
First Dates follows single people meeting for a blind date in a restaurant setting – they’ve never met before, and we watch what happens from start to finish. Each episode takes place in a curated restaurant (the date setting) where the “daters” talk, laugh, maybe get awkward, and then afterwards each is interviewed on whether they’d like to meet again.
Fred Sirieix, as maître d’, plus the restaurant staff act almost like guides – they help create the warm, supportive atmosphere that makes the show feel intimate and human.
While not exclusively a queer dating show, First Dates often includes daters of all sexual orientations, letting sapphic and queer women appear naturally within its format. Because of its gentle style and relational tone, it can create moments of real connection that feel less sensational and more authentic.
Where to watch: Channel 4
12. Stranded on Honeymoon Island
BBC’s Stranded on Honeymoon Island throws the conventional dating show out the window: 12 singles meet via five-minute speed dates, then experts pair them off and the new couples “marry” in a symbolic ceremony—before being dropped onto a remote tropical island with minimal creature comforts. Over the course of three weeks, the pairs must navigate survival, communication, and temptation (hello, “Couples Cove” twist) to see if their chemistry can last when phones, make-up, and distractions are stripped away.
In its first season, we see Helen and Abby take on marriage together. Read our interview with Helen Scott about her time on the show.
It premiered 3 September 2025
Where to watch: BBC One, with episodes also available via BBC iPlayer.
Final Thoughts
Cancelled shows like The Ultimatum: Queer Love hurt – they show the uphill battle of queer TV. But the presence of shows like I Kissed a Girl, The Bi Life, Candy Bar Girls, and even surprise moments in Made in Chelsea suggests there is a demand and a path forward. The more we watch (legally!!), talk and share, the more likely studios and networks will fund shows where queer women’s stories aren’t optional.
Nonchalant x
This article was written by one of our creative team writers here at Nonchalant Magazine.
