# Dating in the Dark

Dating in the Dark (Dutch: Daten in het Donker) is a reality show created in the Netherlands where 3 single men and 3 single women move into a light-tight house getting to know each other and form bonds in total darkness.

## Format
### Dating

Three men and three women are sequestered in separate wings of the house, unable to have any conversation or contact with the opposite sex unless in the dark room. Initially, all six contestants have a group date in which they all sit at a table in the dark room exchanging names and getting to know one another's voices and personality types. After this date, each contestant can invite another contestant for a one-on-one date; these dates are also held in the dark room.
Throughout the show, the host provides the men and women with additional insights by providing personality profiles showing which contestants are their best matches and also allowing them to view items the others have brought to the house, such as items of clothing or luggage. Other episodes include sketch artists drawing contestants' impressions of each other.
After the one-on-one dates, each contestant can choose to invite another that they wish to see. The contestants enter the dark room for the final time and are revealed to each other one at a time. During the reveal process the couple must remain silent.

### The Reveal Process

While being shown in the light, a contestant cannot see the other contestant's reaction. Each contestant is standing at opposite ends of the dark room with a very large two-way mirror between them. A color camera films from the dark side of the mirror while the other is illuminated on the other side. A separate infrared camera films the person on the dark side's reaction; the two images are combined in post-production. This is done, in part, by using video editing software to fade the infrared image of the person being revealed to black before they are illuminated, then seamlessly showing the color image of the person being revealed as it is faded in and out. During the reveal process the couple must remain silent.

### The Balcony

The show culminates with each contestant choosing whether to meet another on the balcony of the house. The contestant will go to the balcony and wait for his or her prospective partner to join him or her. Joining the other on the balcony signifies that the contestants both want to pursue a relationship; exiting the house through the front door signifies that they do not want to pursue a relationship. Cameras are set up to show both the meeting balcony and the front door.

## International versions

| Country | Name | Host(s) | TV station | Premiere | Finale |
| Australia | Dating in the Dark Australia | Laura Dundovic | FOX8 | 1 December 2010 | 29 May 2012 |
| Brazil | Romance no Escuro | Eliana | SBT | 29 June 2010 | 2 January 2011 |
| Chile | La Pieza Oscura | José Miguel Viñuela | Mega | 1 June 2011 | |
| China | 完美暗恋 Wanmei Anlian | Zhū Róng | Guangdong TV | 27 August 2011 | |
| Colombia | Cita a ciegas | Carolina Cruz | RCN | August 2010 | |
| Finland | Treffit pimeässä | Susanna Laine | Sub | 24 December 2010 | |
| France | L'amour est aveugle | Arnaud Lemaire | TF1 | 16 April 2010 | |
| Germany | Dating im Dunkeln | | RTL | 21 November 2010 | |
| India | MTV Dating in the Dark | Nora Fatehi | MTV India | 8 June 2018 | 31 August 2018 |
| Israel | דייט בחשיכה Date BaHashekha | Yaron Brovinsky | Reshet | 13 October 2012 | |
| Italy | Appuntamento al buio | | Sky Uno | May 2011 | |
| Netherlands | Daten In het Donker | Renate Verbaan | RTL 5 | 6 April 2009 | present |
| Netherlands | Daten In het Donker | Gigi Ravelli | RTL 5 | 6 April 2009 | present |
| Norway | Dating i mørket | | NRK3 | 12 January 2011 | |
| Romania | Intalnire pe intuneric | Andreea Raicu | Prima TV | 4 August 2010 | |
| Serbia | Sami u tami | Nikolina Pišek | Prva Srpska Televizija | 9 April 2013 | |
| Slovenia | Zmenek na slepo | Jasna Kuljaj | Planet TV | Spring 2014 | |
| Sweden | Dating in the Dark | | kanal 5 | 2 March 2010 | |
| Turkey | Aşkın Gözü Kördür | | Kanal D | 4 June 2009 | |
| Ukraine | Побачення у темряві | | Inter | 16 February 2011 | 30 March 2011 |
| United Kingdom | Dating in the Dark | Scott Mills | Sky Living | 9 September 2009 | 5 July 2011 |
| United Kingdom | Dating in the Dark | Sarah Harding | Sky Living | 9 September 2009 | 5 July 2011 |
| United Kingdom | Dating in the Dark | Mathew Horne | ITV2 | 15 September 2016 | 20 October 2016 |
| United States | Dating in the Dark | Rossi Morreale | ABC | 20 July 2009 | 13 September 2010 |