"First Dates Idents"

9 April 2025

68s

There's always another chance... unless there isn't.

Paddy Power's irreverent style is a good fit for this series of idents advertising the cheeky bookmaker's sponsorship of Channel 4's First Dates. Each features a gauche moment from a man as they attempt to find the right approach for the person sat opposite. (the fact that all the transgressors are male will probably inflame those who feel men are put upon these days, but 'boo hoo, lads')

The first one is the best of the five, with the male protagonist trying to work out the best way of greeting his date after being encouraged by barman Peter Crouch to "play it cool" and managing to achieve the exact opposite, and then some. Crouch proves reliable as ever for a brand that has given him his best opportunities to show off his comic timing and, here, guided by the excellent Andrew Gaynord, he gets it exactly right.

UK

Betting