Our Shirley Valentine Summer: Lizzie Cundy, Nancy Dell’Olio, Melinda Messenger and a host of over-40 celebrity single ladies jet to Greece to find the men of their dreams in new series
It's being pegged as Love Island for the over 40s.
And on Thursday, ITV will debut new series Our Shirley Valentine Summer, which will see a range of middle-aged celebrity women head to Greece in the hope of finding a lover.
The likes of former WAG Lizzie Cundy, Siân Lloyd, Annabel Giles and Melinda Messenger will feature on the show - which is based on the award-winning 1989 British romantic comedy-drama film, Shirley Valentine.
All the single ladies: On Thursday, ITV will debut new series Our Shirley Valentine Summer, which will see a range of middle-aged celebrity women head to Greece in the hope of finding a lover
The movie followed middle-aged Shirley - Pauline Collins - in an unexpected discovery of herself when she traveled to Greece and rekindled her childhood dreams and youthful love of life.
And these eight celebrity singletons are hoping to channel the film and achieve the same.
On Tuesday, Nancy Dell’Olio appeared on Loose Women to discuss her taking part in the series.
‘We were there for four weeks, there was eight of us. What the producer is trying to do is to get us to stay as open-minded as possible,' she said.
Love Island for the over 40s? [L-R] Ingrid Tarrant, Aggie Mackenzie, Lizzie Cundy and Siân Lloyd in Our Shirley Valentine Summer
‘I'm not looking for anyone, I'm looking for me. And it's not about age, I have no concept of age. That relates to women and to men. In my life it's about being with the right man at the right moment. When they asked me about age I said from 30 to 75.'
She went on to say: 'Every experience in your life is a moment when you're spending time with new people, not only to get to know them, they get to know more about me.
'Sometimes we fear something that's not necessarily going to happen. I knew that I had some reserve before accepting to do the show, but it was an incredible experience, we had fun and it was hard work.'
Of her fellow celeb singletons, the former lawyer said: 'I never read about anyone, I like to guess spontaneously and to get to know people. I'm very girly, I have much more fun with women.
Nancy Dell'olio told Loose Women: 'I'm not looking for anyone, I'm looking for me. And it's not about age, I have no concept of age. That relates to women and to men. In my life it's about being with the right man at the right moment'
On the lookout: Melinda Messenger and Lizzie Cundy are looking for love
Kicking and screaming: Melinda had reservations about going on dates on the show
'I like to spend a lot of time on my own, but I was very pleased to be with women. Sometimes we were too many at the same table.'
Comparing British culture to her native Italian culture, she mused: 'Because it's part of the culture - this kind of carry-on - it used to be more about sex than it is.
'Women tend to be looking like men to be taken seriously, in Italy they are much more about celebrating women. There's always something to learn from a woman.'
Co-star Lizzie was married for 16 years to former Chelsea and Spurs defender Jason Cundy from 1994 until 2012.
But since the demise of that marriage, she doesn't seem to have struck the right chord with anyone new, despite her ex re-marrying in 2015. Could this change on the show?
Love lookout: Ninia Benjamin and Ingrid Tarrant will appear on the show
An insider told The Sun, when the series was announced: 'It may sound like a cross between The Golden Girls and Love Island, but this is about a group of world-wise women who are just looking for some kind of epiphany.
'If that comes in the form of a man then that’s a bonus.'
David Clews, creative director, said: 'We can’t wait to take our brilliant cast of Shirleys over to Greece.
'Their summer in the sun will be a jam-packed experience - discovering new passions and rediscovering themselves as they get to grips with local life and the local dating scene.
'This is going to be a wonderfully warm, funny and heartfelt adventure. Hopefully with some romance too.
Our Shirley Valentine Summer debuts on ITV at 9.30PM on Thursday.
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I shouldn't, but I'm looking forward to this!
by VV-Louise 168