Romeo & Duet is mixing music and romance and sees former Strictly Come Dancing pro Oti Mabuse playing matchmaker by hosting the new ITV series.
Romeo & Duet, created by Goat Films, goes into production in January 2022. Fans of Oti have already seen her branch out from Strictly, appearing as a celebrity detective on The Masked Dancer on ITV in 2021 and she was a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 3 on BBCIplayer. And from January 16 2022 on ITV, she'll also be part of the judging panel on Dancing On Ice for its 2022 series.
Katie Rawcliffe, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at ITV, says: “Romeo & Duet is a fun twist on the dating show format, and Oti Mabuse is the perfect choice to host this entertaining cross between music and matchmaking.”
Mel Crawford, Founder of Goat Films adds: “Oti’s talent has been bouncing off our screens for years and we are delighted to be working with her. Here at Goat Films, we are over the moon to be the first production company that is putting her front and center of her own prime time entertainment show, exactly where she deserves to be.”
So here's everything we can tell you so far about Romeo & Duet on ITV...
Romeo & Duet release date
Romeo & Duet is a seven-part primetime ITV series that starts on April 16 2022 at 7 pm. Episodes will also be available on ITV Hub
Is there a Romeo & Duet trailer?
Yes, you can see how Romeo & Duet works in the trailer below released by ITV. Enjoy the singing and romancing!
How does Romeo & Duet work?
In Romeo & Duet, Oti Mabuse presides over the musical matchmaking as singletons stand on a breathtaking balcony to be serenaded by potential love matches that they can hear, but not see. The show gives its lovelorn singers just one song to entice a singleton down from the balcony. Only then do the two come face-to-face for the first time. Think Cilla Black's Blind Date but with singing.
The newly formed couple then head off on a duet-date to learn a duet before returning later in the show to perform that duet in the ultimate love battle — a singing competition against the other couples — to be crowned the winners.
Oti says: "One person is standing on a balcony hoping to be serenaded down this beautiful staircase before they go off and rehearse for a duet performance. Four couples then perform and our studio audience decides which couple has the most chemistry — not the best singers because not all of them are great singers! But the people that showed a genuine connection were the ones that won."
Oti Mabuse on hosting Romeo & Duet
Oti Mabuse is swapping the glitter balls of Strictly for Cupid’s arrows in Romeo & Duet. She says: “I’m so excited to be part of Romeo & Duet. It’s always been a dream of mine to host so this is a real pinch-me moment. It’s about love with a little bit of a twist and showcase of talent, it’s fresh and fun, and I hope everyone’s going to love it as much as I do. Thank you to Katie Rawcliffe, Mel Crawford and Joe Mace for believing in me and giving me this incredible opportunity.”
"So it is a dating show that has a little bit to do with singing. It’s just a fun Saturday night show...It felt good to be a part of it. It’s one person, they stand on a balcony and then four random people come in, but there’s a wall between them. They have no idea what that person looks like, so all they have to go by is their voice. So if they like it, then they step down and this whole thing happens. The set was amazing - the wall goes up. And they go on their first date which is a duet rehearsal. We have four couples, they all compete and the audience votes for the best couple with the best chemistry."
On hosting the brand new Saturday night ITV series, Oti said: "Oh my goodness, I was so nervous, but at that point, we were able to have a full audience and it was so nice as the audience gave back and it felt like they were doing it with me and we have a live band on the show, so they were able to support me.
"I worked closely with Dermot O’Leary. He taught me how to work with an autocue, how to read it and how to edit it. I was texting him all the time! Steph McGovern had a big impact too. But I just learned really quickly that I needed to have charisma, be really connected and do a good job."
Oti even twerked with one contestant! "Ha! I realized how it was important to make everyone feel at ease and not think, ‘Oh my goodness, I’m on a TV show talking to Oti.’ I wanted them to feel like they were talking to a friend, that we’re all having fun."
So what’s her singing voice like? Oh, my word! In the shower, in the car and in my head I think I sound incredible but I’m not so sure! If I were on the show, I’d go for singing Endless Love by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey and it would have to be a duet with Zac Efron. It’s a childhood thing, I was a huge fan of High School Musical, and he was my celebrity crush!
Do you and your husband, Romanian dancer Marius Lepore, ever sing together? "No! Most of the time neither of us know the words because he sings his Romanian songs and I have no idea what they mean and I sing my South African songs and he has no clue either!"
More about Romeo & Duet
Filming of Romeo & Duet took place at Dock 10 Studios in Manchester. Throughout the series, Oti is joined on stage by musical director Vikki Stone and her sensational live band Vikki Stone & The Heartbeats, who provide the perfect soundtrack for each sizzling performance.
