Don't Tell the Bride is a British reality television series. The premise of the series surrounds couples being awarded money to fund their wedding ceremony; however, every aspect of the ceremony must be organised by the groom, with no contact with the bride. On 29 September 2023, it was announced there were no plans for the series to return.
Broadcast history The series first premiered on BBC Three on 8 November 2007. In February 2012, it was announced that the show had been nominated for a Rose d'Or award for best 'Factual Entertainment' show. Due to the impending shutdown of BBC Three as a linear television service, the 9th series of the programme was moved to BBC One. With the confirmed shutdown of BBC Three, as well as falling viewership in response to changes in the programme's format that occurred upon the move, the BBC dropped Don't Tell the Bride. The series was then picked up for its 2016 series by Sky 1. In 2017, it moved to E4 where it would broadcast a new 18-episode series later that year.
Reruns of the show, including the BBC and Sky One series are currently broadcast on E4 Extra.
Format The show's format consists of a couple who are given £12,000 (£14,000 in the BBC One and E4 versions) to spend on their wedding. However, they must spend three weeks apart with no contact, and the groom must organise every aspect of the event and attire, including the wedding dress, wedding cake, as well as the hen and stag parties, surprising the bride.
Although the series mostly features heterosexual couples, one episode broadcast in October 2010 featured a gay couple and another in November 2011 featured a lesbian couple, both preparing for their civil partnership.
Reception Nominated: Factual Entertainment – Rose d'Or 2012 Nominated: Reality & Constructed Factual – British Academy Television Awards 2012
Transmissions
BBC Three Series Start date End date Episodes 1 8 November 2007 20 December 2007 6 2 26 August 2008 30 September 2008 6 3 1 September 2009 10 November 2009 11 4 17 August 2010 2 November 2010 12 5 6 September 2011 29 November 2011 12 6 14 August 2012 30 October 2012 12 7 20 August 2013 5 November 2013 12 8 5 August 2014 21 October 2014 12 9 5 August 2015 21 October 2015 12 10 28 October 2015 15 December 2015 8
BBC One Series Start date End date Episodes 11 24 June 2015 29 July 2015 6
Sky 1 Series Start date End date Episodes 12 21 July 2016 25 August 2016 6
E4 Series Start date End date Episodes 13 26 July 2017 31 January 2018 18 14 15 August 2018 16 March 2020 30
Specials Title Air date Host Most Memorable Moments 12 January 2016 Stacey Dooley Bridezillas & Bromances 5 January 2016 Mad, Bad & Dangerous 29 December 2015 Christmas Special Clip Show 22 December 2015 Let it Snow 22 December 2014 Christmas on the Slopes 19 December 2013 Rebekah Staton Christmas on Ice 18 December 2012 rowspan=2 Christmas Revenge 2012 11 December 2012 Goes Global 6 November 2012 Ellie Taylor Best Ever 14 August 2012 Scott Mills Greatest Moments Cutdown 15 April–13 June 2012 Cherry Healey Mother's Day 13 March 2012 rowspan=5 Valentine's 13 February 2012 Don't Tell the Bride-to-be: The Proposals 13 February 2012 Christmas in Wonderland 20 December 2011 Christmas Revenge 13 December 2011 Live: Royal Wedding Special 29 April 2011 Cherry Healey Greatest Moments 2011 28 April 2011 Greatest Moments 2010 23 November 2010 Patsy Palmer The Brides' Revenge 21 April 2010
International versions Internationally, the series has attracted a strong following, with broadcast deals spanning 120 territories.
As of 2012, twelve locally produced versions have aired around the world. They are: Australia (Network 10, 2012), Denmark (TV 2, 2009–), Finland (Liv), Greece & Cyprus (ANT1, 2011), Germany (RTL II, 2011–), Ireland (RTÉ, 2010–), Italy (Lei), Norway (TLC Norway), Poland (TLC Poland, 2011), Sweden (TV4), Turkey and United States. Various clips from some versions were shown in the 'Goes Global' special in 2012.
The UK version has also been picked up by Russian broadcaster TLC, Vivolta in France, NHK in Japan and RTL Nederland in the Netherlands, who has secured an option to produce a local version of the format.
An Irish version of the show airs on RTÉ Two since 2010. A two episode Irish special, in which the couple's budget was €10,000, was first broadcast in May 2011 on RTÉ. A full series was aired in 2012. The Irish version also airs on Living in New Zealand and on Really in the UK.
In October 2011, the first series of the US version of Don't Tell The Bride was shown on OWN. In this version, the groom is given USD $25,000 to spend. In 2013, the series is being produced by Shed Media US for the USA Network. Shed Media conducted casting for the series between 14 June 2013 through 19 July 2013.
On 21 August 2012, an Australian version of Don't Tell the Bride began airing on Network Ten. Kate Ritchie was the narrator.Kate Ritchie narrates Don’t Tell The Bride for TEN tvtonight.au, 19 July 2012 In this version, the groom is given A$25,000 to organise the entire wedding. It was cancelled after one season.
In November 2016, a similarly formatted Welsh-language reality television show titled Priodas Pum Mil premiered on S4C.
On 31 August 2020 the most watched channel in Portugal, SIC, released their version of the show called "" hosted by the actress Cláudia Vieira.
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