The Best LGBTQ+ Reality Dating Shows: ‘Finding Prince Charming,’ ‘Ex on the Beach’ and More

Credit: Brian Bielmann for MTV

The Best LGBTQ+ Reality Dating Shows: ‘Finding Prince Charming,' 'Ex on the Beach' and More

Representation matters. Although the world of reality dating shows focuses overwhelmingly on heterosexual couples, there are some series that have challenged that norm. Season 8 of MTV’s Are You The One? featured an entirely LGBTQ+ cast, including trans-masculine nonbinary contestant Kai Wes. The show’s executive producer Sitarah Pendelton spoke to Entertainment Weekly in 2019 about how the AYTO production team knew it was time for a change. “When you’ve produced a show that has multiple seasons, and in this day and age everything changes every day, we really wanted to make sure that we were continuing to be reflective of our viewers and true to how people were dating,” she told the outlet. The reality television producer continued, “We’re like, ‘Wow, this younger generation looks at love and dating and their relationships with a completely different prism than maybe generations of the past.’ And again, with MTV always wanting to be reflective of our viewers and understand where those stories lie, it just was an organic path to follow. Like, of course we would do this — if not us, then who?” [jwplayer 5wEqHH1a-zhNYySv2] By contrast, the Bachelor franchise has stuck to heterosexual relationships since it premiered in 2002. Before longtime host Chris Harrison left Bachelor Nation in 2021, he made comments about why there would probably never be a gay bachelor. “The question is: Is it a good business decision? ” Harrison told The New York Times in 2014. “I just spoke at U.S.C. the other night, and I explained it like this: Look, if you've been making pizzas for 12 years and you've made millions of dollars and everybody loves your pizzas and someone comes and says, 'Hey, you should make hamburgers.' Why? I have a great business model and I don't know if hamburgers are going to sell.” Chris Coelen, the showrunner of Netflix’s wedding-centric dating show Love Is Blind, has also expressed hesitance about an LGBTQ+ season. In a 2020 interview with Metro, Coelen said, “an LGBTQ+ version of [the show] has some logistical difficulties in the current setup. … This is not a show that is particularly about sexuality.” However, even within the confines of Love is Blind and Bachelor Nation, some LGBTQ+ contestants have been open about their sexuality; Demi Burnett came out as bisexual during season 6 of Bachelor in Paradise, Jaimi King was openly bisexual on Nick Viall’s season and Alexa Caves from Peter Weber’s season identified herself as sexually fluid. On Love Is Blind, Carlton Morton came out as bisexual to then-fiancée Diamond Jack and ended up leaving the show soon after. “I wish I hadn’t let my emotions get the best of me. But as soon as I began telling her that I was bisexual, I felt so much anxiety,” Morton told Women’s Health in 2020. “Our entire relationship just flashed in front of me. I could see it falling apart. I began to self-sabotage because her reaction didn't seem 100 percent positive.” Netflix announced its latest reality dating show The Ultimatum in March 2022, also teasing that the forthcoming second season will feature an all-LGBTQ+ cast. Scroll through to see the best reality dating shows with LGBTQ+ representation: [podcast_block]

Credit: Brian Bielmann for MTV

'Are You the One?' (Season 8)

All contestants on the MTV dating series’ eighth season identified themselves as sexually fluid. The cast included trans people, non-binary people and cis people who identify as bisexual or pansexual.

The 16 singles attempted to find their “perfect matches” in order to win a $750,000 prize.

Credit: MTV

'Ex On the Beach'

With the exception of season 1, all seasons of Ex on the Beach feature LGBTQ+ cast members. The MTV series follows alums from various reality television shows as they live with their exes.

David Barta came out as pansexual during the premiere episode of season 5. “I think I’m here definitely to get to know myself better and accept myself more,” he said on the show. “A big thing that has been going on for me, behind closed doors, in the past year and a half or so, has been my sexuality. Talking to guys is still pretty new for me. I’ve been interested in men for years now, I just haven’t been honest with myself.”

Credit: Netflix

'Dating Around'

Netflix’s first original dating series follows one person per episode as they go on five blind dates and then choose one person to reconnect with a second time. Several episodes feature LGBTQ+ daters.

Charlotte Glaser, who appeared on a season 1 episode with five other gay women, talked to Go magazine about the importance of representation in 2019.

“The absolute highlight of this experience is all the messages I’m getting from people appreciative of my visibility on the show. I think doing a show like this and trying my best to be authentic really impacted the people who watched and/or could relate,” she told the outlet.

Credit: Lovedown/YouTube

'Lovedown'

After coronavirus restrictions made dating nearly impossible in 2020, the UK series Lovedown embraced the new normal by focusing on virtual dates.

All the season 2 contestants are members of the LGBTQ+ community, including drag performer Miss Orry and Mr. Gay England 2020 finalist Kyle Elson, also known as “The Bionic Hairdresser.”

Credit: YouTube

'Finding Prince Charming'

The 2016 Logo series, which unfortunately only had one season, was the gay version of The Bachelor. Interior designer Robert Sepúlveda Jr., the "Prince Charming" figure, had to eliminate one suitor per episode until only one man was left standing. Hairstylist Eric Leonardos won although he and Sepúlveda didn’t pursue a relationship outside the house for long.

“Eric is a super, super sweet guy, but we’re not together and I’m completely, completely single,” the California native revealed in a video shared exclusively with Us Weekly in March 2017.