McGuinness fronts date show

The Phoenix Nights star will host a new ITV dating showÂ…

09:58 28 August 2009

Paddy McGuinness has been announced as the presenter of a brand new prime-time dating show on ITV.

The broadcaster announced that 'Take Me Out', which will air on Saturday nights, will be fronted by the popular 'Phoenix Nights' actor and will begin in the new year.

Elaine Bedell, ITV's director of entertainment and comedy said: "I've long thought ITV should be back in the prime-time dating game and this is a great new, modern, dating show."

The show will feature 30 women looking for Mr Right. Each week a single man will be introduced to a group of women, who will each compete for a date with him.

But if they are not interested in pursuing a date, they can decide to turn the contestant down.

'Take Me Out' comes six years after long-running favourite 'Blind Date' was axed from ITV after 20 years, when host Cilla Black quit the show in May 2003.