Catfish UK start date and hosts as hit series comes to MTV

MTV has announced a first UK version of its hit reality show Catfish.

The series seeks to reveal the truth about those in online relationships as the show’s team seek to discover if the person on the other side of the screen is really who they say they are.

Based on the film of the same name, the original American series of Catfish premiered in 2012 and has aired 150 episodes across eight seasons to date.

The first ever UK series will be hosted by Julie Adenuga and Oobah Butler.

Four, hour-long episodes will air on MTV starting on Wednesday, 21 April at 9PM.

Julie Adenuga said: “As someone who has spent the most part of my career in the bubble of music and entertainment, Catfish UK is my first chance to connect with people in a completely different way, which is really exciting for me!

“The show is about vulnerability, empathy… and drama! Rule #1: Expect the un-expected!”

Oobah Butler added: “It’s wild to me that the person who learned about the internet and deception by watching Catfish with his five brothers and sisters gets to be a part of its latest chapter.

“We live in a moment where everybody’s lives have moved online. I can’t wait to travel around the country, meet people, and use the tools I’ve developed making documentaries, to help them and better understand what it is about society that drives people to feel so inadequate that they cannot be themselves.”

A UK version was first planned in 2016 but never materialised.

For now, seasons of the US series airs on MTV in the UK. The latest episodes are currently co-hosted by Nev Schulman and Kamie Crawford.

Host Nev previously revealed there was still no shortage of applications from those concerned they’ve been fooled.

“We’ve made about 80 episodes of the show and we’ve probably had, I don’t know, 30,000 emails,” he told the BBC in an interview.

Picture: MTV