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Despite being married, Ed Balls has put his name in the running to feature on the upcoming’middle-aged’ Love Island.
ITV reported last week that a new series titled The Romance Retreat, aimed at those over 40 yearning for romance, is in the works, and would feature a group of singletons placed together in a luxurious villa.
On Monday’s broadcast of Good Morning Britain, Balls expressed interest in joining the show despite being married to his wife of 25 years, Yvette Cooper.
He also took use of the chance to flirt with Ulrika Jonsson, who appeared on the broadcast as a guest to discuss the show.
‘I don’t want to be a presenter, I want to be a contestant,’ Balls declared after Jonsson explained that she doesn’t want to see a ‘smug’ married person present The Romance Retreat.
‘Oh God, what’s your wife going to say about that?’ Jonsson probed Balls.
‘Well, don’t you think that married people should be allowed to be contestants?’ he asked back.
‘No!’ Jonsson responded, adding: ‘The whole process of the show has gone over your head.’
At this point, a shocked Susanna Reid got involved. ‘That’s Affair Island!’ she remarked. ‘That’s a whole different thing!’
‘It would get the viewers in, I tell you!’ Balls added.
Balls attempted to flirt with Jonsson before the session ended.
‘If you like Ulrika, maybe after the show we can go over there for a conversation?’ he suggested, much to the studio’s entertainment.
Jonsson laughed at Balls’ proposal and exclaimed: ‘He’s not giving up, is he?’
In January 1998, Balls married Labour MP Cooper in Eastbourne. When Cooper became Chief Secretary to the Treasury in January 2008, they were the first married pair to serve together in HM Cabinet.
They have three children together.
The Romance Retreat was launched by ITV last week when they issued a casting call for middle-aged candidates.
‘ITV1 are looking for vibrant single parents from across the UK who are in search of love, for a brand new dating show!’ the advertisement read.
‘This is the ONLY dating show where single parents can search for love, by spending time in a luxury retreat, where all the parents have been nominated by their grown up children.’
Although the official debut date has yet to be announced, applications are due on Friday, March 31.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1.
The post Married Ed Balls puts himself forward for ‘middle-aged’ Love Island before trying to pull Ulrika Jonsson for a chat appeared first on My Celebrity Life.