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Dating shows have long been a staple of reality TV. The wild popularity of dating shows like Netflix’s Love is Blind and Too Hot to Handle has brought millions of viewers together over the years, and new variations on the classic dating show setup seem to crop up daily. Whatever the platform, whatever the premise, the trend is clear: people love dating shows.
But streamable TV isn’t the only place to get your dating show fix. Social media channels like UpDating and Left on Read now play host to dating shows of their own. The difference? These shows are happening in front of a live audience, right on social media.
So what’s really going on with the live dating show on social media, and who are the creators to keep your eye on? We’ll break down everything you need to know about live dating shows and where to find them on social media. Let’s go!
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Why the Live Dating Show Is a Perfect Match for Social Media
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The dating show genre has always thrived on tension, drama, and audience engagement. That makes a live dating show an ideal candidate for social media platforms, where audiences from all over can keep up and chime in on what they see with ease. Whether these shows are pulling audiences into NYC comedy clubs or interviewing people out in public, live dating shows on social media have taken off, finding new ways to incorporate live audiences and engage online viewers.
Like a lot of social media content, many of these shows are influencer-driven productions that don’t require a subscription service to access. You won’t need a hundred different subscriptions to get access to these dating shows — you can follow along or even participate right there on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube.
Some live dating shows on social media post clips and highlights from their live-ticketed events to their social channels. Others take place in more organic settings, finding subjects for their interview-style content on sidewalks, parks, and streets. Whatever the format, short-form social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram provide the perfect landing place for creators looking to build and sustain an engaged audience for their live dating show.
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The Best Live Dating Shows on Social Media
The live dating show on social media is a genre that’s only just beginning, but there are many strong creators in the space already. Here are some of the biggest and trendiest influencers in the live dating show space on social media:
UpDating
@updatingshow Will Matts inexperience get in the way of finding love with Kate?! FULL EPISODE now LIVE on our YouTube🍿 #dating #college #collegedating #fratboy #comedy #ivyleague #updating #updatingshow #fyp #foryoupage
What’s more daring than a blind date? A blind date in front of a studio audience!
Created and hosted by Brandon Berman and Harrison Forman, UpDating is a show that takes the ‘blind’ part of blind dates literally, blindfolding guests as they share their first date live on stage. The guests on stage respond to questions and trade answers as they evaluate whether they would make a good couple, aided, of course, by the raucous input of the live audience, sitting just feet away from the stage. The result? A wildly popular live dating show that is just as chaotic and hilarious as it sounds.
What began as a New York comedy event has since gained huge traction on TikTok and Instagram, where short clips from each show rack up hundreds of thousands of views. The comments sections on UpDating posts become another live audience to the blind date, weighing in on the chemistry between the guests or poking fun at the answers provided by the contestants. It’s silly, it’s spontaneous, and it’s fun for all involved.
The real, authentic, engaging comedy of the UpDating live dating show has made it a smash hit on social media. Want to catch an UpDating show in person? Check out their website for all their upcoming shows.
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Left on Read
@leftonread_show Alex (24) got #leftonread for being insanely available. #dating #hinge #nyc #single
Where Updating brings blind dates to a stage, Left on Read lives entirely on social media. Instead of live matchmaking, Left on Read taps into relatable dating scenarios, toxic texting habits, and the all-too-familiar experience of getting… well, left on read.
Left on Read takes all the worst parts of online dating and softens them with a creative and hilarious spin. Been ghosted on a dating app recently? Fumble a Hinge conversation with the first date of your dreams? Soothe your feelings with stories from fellow first-date hopefuls who were ignored, shunned, or otherwise ‘left on read.’ Prepare to laugh, too–– these stories get crazy!
Left on Read is a show that’s more introspective than interactive, but it’s struck a chord with audiences looking for funny content on social media that mirrors their own dating lives. Left on Read’s TikToks frequently garner tens of thousands of views, with top-performing posts exceeding 2 million views. The comment sections are filled with audience members revealing their own ghosting tales or venting about other dating horror stories. It’s a community where people come to feel validated and get humbled about what it’s like in the modern dating world.
Being left on read can make anyone feel lonely, but Left on Read is there to fill the gap and add a little humor to the frustrating, confusing, and oftentimes just plain silly realities of online dating.
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Final Thoughts
If the rise of shows like Updating and Left on Read tells us anything, it’s that audiences are hungry for something real in their dating shows—even if it’s a little messy. Live dating shows on social media thrive on spontaneity, relatability, and community involvement, and they prove that the rise of live dating content isn’t just a gimmick. Whether it’s TikTok dating shows in front of a live audience or street-side interviews with hopeful singles, love is going live on social media.
To learn how to go live on TikTok, check out our step-by-step guide!
