ElimiDATE
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- The correct title of this article is elimiDATE. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
elimiDATE was a television dating reality show in which one contestant chooses between four contestants of the opposite sex by eliminating them one by one in three total rounds. The host of the show for the first season was Kerry Katona (the show went to a hostless format for season two and beyond), and Dale Inghram was the announcer. On August 11, 2006, it was announced that the show would not be renewed for the 2006-07 season due to low ratings, and the show went out of syndication after September 5, 2006 [1]. It is likely some stations may continue to air reruns because of the success of the show, or a cable channel may air reruns of the series in the future.
The contestant (sometimes female, but usually male) met their four dates one by one, and then gave their first impression in a confessional-style cut scene. The other four contestants would then size each other up along with the contestant within their own confessional scenes.
The group of five was cut by one each round and in each round the group usually went to a different place. The show started out in late afternoon at a public place (e.g. a city park or restaurant). Then, when there are only two suitors left, the setting moved to a hot tub or VIP area of a club where different sexual actions were apt to happen.
Typically, the contestants were very competitive and directed insulting comments towards the other competitors many times during an episode. There were rare cases where there is fighting, but "catty" bickering is the major draw of the show. The extremity of some of the cattiness sometimes points to fed lines or suggestions from the producers, and contestants responded "real-time" through cutscenes to their opponents' remarks. Most cuts are preceded by some variation of the phrase I liked everybody but unfortunately the name of the game is 'elimiDATE', so I have to make a cut. So I decided to cut.... Contestants who were cut had the opportunity to react to their eviction. Many, who are often clearly intoxicated with alcohol, usually dismissed the contestant, claiming He/she wasn't my type, anyway. Although the four contestants usually competed intensely for the main contestant, there was at least one instance of two females leaving with each other because they were so disgusted with the male contestant.
The syndicated program premiered in September 2001 and was produced by Dawn Syndicated Productions in association with Telepictures Productions, and distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. While initially filmed only in New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles, the popularity of the program encouraged the producers to film episodes in other cities. Episodes were filmed in over three dozen cities, including Little Rock, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Toronto, Phoenix, Columbus, Chicago, Raleigh and Sacramento, and the syndicators usually received strong support from their affiliate stations to find contestants for the series within their cities through casting calls.
The show was popular due to it being designed to be aired around or past midnight, when their target audience was just coming home from being out or ending their studies for the evening. It developed a cult following of sorts among college students nationwide.
Nationwide, it was broadcast on cable late nights on Superstation WGN.
In 2002 a short lived British version aired on ITV1, presented by former Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona. It generated a little controversy when contestant Donovan Russell lodged a complaint with the Broadcasting Standards Commission alledging that the programme was 'fixed' and contestants were told in advance who to pick. Although the complaint was not upheld, the series was dropped mid-way through its run.
