Why Naked Attraction Is The Best Programme On Telly
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Naked Attraction first aired last year on Channel 4. The programme consists of one fully clothed male or female gradually whittling down six naked people down to two, as more and more of them is exposed. Once they have two potential dates left, they themselves have to strip off before choosing the person they would like to later go on a date with. The rather unusual (to say the least) format did initially leave me sceptical, but all that changed very quickly.
The first thing you experience when confronted with Naked Attraction is confusion. Why are they naked? Is this okay, or is it incredibly superficial? Who on Earth is signing up to these programmes? Does anyone involved have their head screwed on? (This is leaving out the absolute total shock at being confronted with six naked bodies – in fact I was so bemused I could barely handle it. I think I was expecting a hyper-sexualised boobs and bums fest, with rather strange folks leering at each other and licking their lips, but that couldn’t have been further from the reality.)
The second striking thing is when you realise how incredibly normal everyone is; usually very sweet and down to Earth, and enjoying lovely gentle chat with the wonderful Anna Richardson (the fabulous host, who opens each show with declaring her appreciation for male and female bodies, and who brings me a great deal of joy). The final stage of your growing love for Naked Attraction (and it does grow) is the delight in how fabulously non-judgemental everyone is. It’s gorgeous! Everyone involved seems to leave feeling genuinely pleased and complimented, expressing how much more confident they feel about bits of themselves they always felt awkward about.
All of this is, of course, brilliant, but what I love the most about this show is how diverse and inclusive it is. I’ve never known (apart from the superb First Dates, which I also love dearly) any dating show to so openly embrace different sexualities. Considering only five episodes exist, it’s amazing to see the scope of people involved, and how warm it is without ever seeming to bat an eyelid or treat these things as a novelty. (Exactly how it should be, I might add.) I highly recommended Naked Attraction as a really pleasant surprise, and I will continue to hold it as an example of my high hopes for TV inclusivity in the future.