My Mum, Your Dad's Maria opens up on not 'wanting to be a burden' in emotional admission
Maria, star of the ITV dating show My Mum, Your Dad, has opened up about her experience on the programme ahead of its return to our screens on Monday, 16 September. The 51 year old and her daughter Livia, 19, are set to appear in the second series of the show, often referred to as 'middle-aged Love Island'.
The mother-daughter duo appeared on This Morning alongside fellow MMYD stars Andy and Issy, where they chatted with hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley about the upcoming series. Maria shared what attracted her to the show and why she found it "really quite emotional".
"For me anyway, I'd watched it last year and I just thought, what an amazing opportunity to get to go with your kids. They get to watch you navigate a new environment and build friendships," she explained.
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"It is really quite emotional. You sort of hide that with your children, as a parent, you hide your scars because you don't want to be a burden to them," Maria added, visibly moved.
She then confessed that she hadn't anticipated getting emotional on national television. "I know some people say 'Oh you've gone on national television and done it', but, I mean, I wasn't expecting that. I didn't think I'd be going on ITV and shedding tears, no way! But, it's such an incredible show."
Maria concluded by saying that everyone was "open and honest" on My Mum, Your dad and she found it a "rewarding" and "amazing" experience, reports the Mirror.
Maria, the Surrey-based events coordinator and radio presenter, opened up about her love life post-divorce. Despite being on the dating scene for some time since her 16-year marriage ended, she expressed frustration, mentioning that as she celebrated her 50th birthday, there was just "nobody she liked".
Her daughter Livia has even called her "fussy" in her search for a new beau. Eager about the return of MMYD to our screens, Maria shared: "I've always used dating apps and found them quite fun. When I hit 50, there was nobody I liked. For the last year, it had just been awful. I don't meet people anymore when I go out so I thought let's give this a go!"
Excitement is brewing as the beloved dating series comes back to ITV1 on Monday, 16 September, bringing eight fresh faces hoping to rediscover romance. The charismatic Davina McCall hosts the show which takes single parents, alongside their cupid-playing children, to a special retreat designed for love.
This season, a tantalising new twist lets the parents turn off cameras during dates, leaving their kids in the dark about the sizzling encounters.
