Format

The Love Experiment is a format which Australian prodco Media Stockade and Dublin-born filmmaker Sinéad McDevitt (Alchemy Productions) developed from her short film, ‘How to Fall in Love with a Stranger’ and is designed to connect people via an uplifting social experiment, with a basis in hard science. Social isolation is a growing health epidemic. A third of marriages still end in divorce, and the world at large remains in conflict, unable to find common ground. But what if one social experiment could help?
The Love Experiment is modelled on a ground-breaking study carried out in 1996 by US psychologist Dr Arthur Aron, with powerful results. Two strangers are seated in a room facing each other and ask one another 36 intimate questions, thereafter they must stare at each other for 3 minutes with uninterrupted eye contact. This travelling laboratory invites singletons, estranged couples and total opposites to bear their souls to see if love will blossom, with some fascinating results.
Sally Roden, RTÉ Executive Producer, TV Factual said: "We are really looking forward to making an Irish version of The Love Experiment. It's an interesting, exciting format which we believe Irish audiences will enjoy. The psychological experiment it is based on brings a new and exciting element to current dating formats which we believe will be a great addition to the Irish TV schedule."
Fiona Gilroy, Content Sales & Acquisitions Director, Flame Distribution said: “This format couldn’t have been better timed as the pandemic has clearly driven a wedge between social interaction and relationships more than ever, creating a real craving for connection. RTÉ is a superb platform and with the natural friendliness and warmth of the Irish people, we know viewers will find this experiment fascinating.”

The Love Experiment format is produced by Rebecca Barry and Madeleine Hetherton-Miau (Media Stockade) and directed/co-produced by Sinéad McDevitt.

Rebecca Barry, Madeleine Hetherton-Miau, Sinéad McDevitt said: “With modern dating and digital addiction keeping us stuck behind screens, we are in danger of losing the art of authentic, imperfect human connection. Enter The Love Experiment – our offering to the world to watch and even try themselves at home. We are excited to have the format achieve its third international home at RTÉ in Ireland to carry the torch for love and connection.”

RTBF in Belgium marked the first broadcaster to air the format last month on its new youth offering Tipik, following on from a deal struck directly by Media Stockade, whilst recently appointed global distributor Flame Distribution also licensed the format to broadcaster Media 24 in South Africa for their 24-hour Afrikaans lifestyle channel VIA TV.