The Love Is Blind UK cast was revealed last week, with 30 dating hopefuls joining hosts Emma and Matt Willis as they attempt to find love.
And one contestant Aaron Murrell boasts a Premier League football star as one of his close friends, with Ivan Toney featuring in his Instagram snaps.
The restauranteur, 33, from Milton Keynes, owns chicken hotspot Wing Kingz which has proven very popular with footballers and has a reputation for hosting star-studded events.
In photos shared to social media, Aaron and his close pal England player Ivan, can be seen enjoying a holiday to Marbella together and nights out in London.
He says he’s looking for long-lasting love on the Netflix show and aims to find a relationship like his parents, who have been together for 34 years.
The Love Is Blind UK cast was revealed last week, with Aaron Murrell later joining hosts Emma and Matt Willis as he attempts to find love
The contestant boasts a Premier League football star as one of his close friends, with Ivan Toney featuring in his Instagram snaps
But after coming out of his latest long-term romance, Aaron has been partying and enjoying his single status, a lifestyle he says quickly became tiresome.
As well as Ivan, in another post, Aaron is seen posing alongside Turkish chef Salt Bae, with Ivan reacting to the upload by posting four crying with laughter emojis.
Love Is Blind UK premiered on Netflix on Wednesday, but it was hit with a wave of withering negative reviews from TV critics.
After its success in the United States – where six series’ have aired – the show has landed in the UK – with thirty stunning contestants hoping to bag themselves a partner and get married during the show’s wedding finale.
Married couple Emma and Matt Willis will be filling shoes previously worn in the US by Nick and Vanessa Lachey by hosting the entire series.
But critics have slammed the couple for ‘hosting through gritted teeth’ and have branded the Netflix premiere ‘awful’.
The Guardian’s Elle Hunt gave the show a disappointing two star review, claiming the concept of the show is ‘un-British’.
inews gave it a four star review, and despite saying the first four episodes were ‘addictive’, Emily Baker was less than impressed with Matt’s hosting skills.
The restauranteur, 33, from Milton Keynes, owns chicken hotspot Wing Kingz which has proven very popular with footballers and has a reputation for hosting star-studded events
In photos shared to social media, Aaron and his close pal England player Ivan, can be seen enjoying a holiday to Marbella together and nights out in London
The Irish Examiner wrote in their review: ‘If you want some muzak TV that plays in the background while you look at your phone, this is fine. If you want some real-life drama, get married.
‘The whole show is designed to make you shout “this is a terrible idea'” at the telly. After that though, it’s fairly dull.’
However, The Standard gave it a four star review, explaining: ‘Yes, it’s made for American audiences, but this cast is surprisingly loveable.’
The first four episodes of Love Is Blind: UK were released on August 7, followed by three more on August 14.
The finale episode will air on August 21.
The dating series from Netflix aims to help a group of singletons try to form connections, without ever laying eyes on the other person.
Interacting only through their voices in special Pods, they will date for a number of weeks before choosing one person to marry.
After conversing in the Pods they can interact with each other – and the other couples – for the first time as they move in together and plan their weddings.
The couples will then find out if their physical connection matches their strong emotional bond developed in the Pods.
Love Is Blind UK premiered on Netflix on Wednesday, but it was hit with a wave of withering negative reviews from TV critics despite its success in the US
The social experiment, which has already proven popular in the US and seven other countries, will explore if looks, race or age do matter.
Following the success of six US series hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey , presenters and married couple Emma and Matt Willis are taking over the helm on UK soil.
And just like Richard and Judy, Eammon and Ruth and Rochelle and Marvin, the Willis’ could find their respective careers are all the more lucrative.
The couple, who married in 2008 and share three children, Isabelle, 14, Ace, 12, and Trixie, seven, will be at the helm to guide viewers through the popular reality series.
