Dr Tara Suwinyattichaiporn | Celebs Go Dating 2026

What did you think when you saw the lineup this series?

To be honest with you, I didn't know any of them prior to coming here. I know that they are very famous faces here, but across the pond, I wasn't super aware of their work until I came here. And then I learned about them and I have so much respect for all of them and what they do and the experiences that they've gone through. But when I first saw the lineup, I was really ecstatic about the age representation and also people with different abilities, representing neurodivergence and people who have had experiences with different sexualities and polyamory and so forth. So I was excited about that.

The series starts with a dinner party where you get to know the celebrities better, what was that like?

We've never done a dinner party before. This is our very first. And it was actually incredible. I hope they continue to do it because it allows for all of us to get to know the celebs so much more than a mixer, and allows viewers to feel more connected to them from the get go. I sat next to James and I just thought like, ‘oh, you know, this guy, he's kind of like loud, big energy. He's an athlete’. So I had a stereotype going like, 'oh, he is gonna be one of those ladies men’. But throughout the journey you'll see him unpacking and revealing himself and he's actually extremely sensitive. He's a sensitive boy and he was showing himself to us. And I think that has been one of the biggest u-turns I've had, he showed himself to be very emotionally open and vulnerable. He does flirt with every single person, man, woman, non-binary!

You invited the loved ones to the dinner party, why?

The decision to do that is so that we can understand the background of each person. We all exist in a context. We don't just exist alone. And most of the times our loved ones, some know us better than we know ourselves. So that's the logic behind it. When we started hearing from their families and loved ones, we started understanding the celebs a bit more. And that gives us the context to where we should start our work from. They were able to reveal certain things that the celebs weren't able to articulate themselves about their own feelings and experiences. So it was extremely insightful and valuable.

Stephen has his stage alter ego, Professor Green - is there a difference between the two?

I wondered which one would show up.  Before we started, I of course,  research our celebs and I listened to his music, watched his music videos. And I thought, ‘oh, he's a rapper, probably gonna be a ladies man’. He's actually very authentic and vulnerable and sensitive. I would say at the agency he always brings Stephen and on dates too. You’ll see he’s a very different person to who people think of as Professor Green.

How open has he been about his marriage and recent relationship breakdown?

He's been very open with his part of the story and how he feels, but also very respectful.

How have you navigated having somebody that's neurodivergent in the agency?

It's all about listening, active listening, giving space, meet them where they're at, and being empathetic towards what they may be going through, even though we might not go through it. We give accommodations where they are needed. In consultation, we obviously always try to help celebrities unpack and open up, but we don't push too much. Talking in depth about yourself and past relationship experiences is tough anyway so we are respectful of boundaries and we give people their space.

Lucinda has a similar outlook to you when it comes to sexual relationships, that must have been a breath of fresh air for you?

Yeah, I feel like we are sisters from another mother. We have had very similar life experiences and we also get to a place that is very similar where, you know, she was talking about wanting to have children and maybe not able to because of her age. I'm getting up there closer to my forties and we were talking about how hard it is for women because we have this biological clock and we're trying to date and find love, but at the same time also build a family. So that can be really hard. She has had a lot of different experiences, like me, she's been with women, she's been with couples, she's been polyamorous. So I just feel like she’s a sister from another mother. We had lots to talk about. We were unpacking those things in the consultation room. I really love it. I love that this series in particular is pushing more of that discussion, it helps normalise that not everyone is in a monogamous relationship and that's okay. Monogamy can be beautiful. Non-monogamy can also be beautiful

What have the mixers been like this series?

The mixers have been very explosive. A lot of unexpected rejections

How savage have the brunches been?

Yeah, I was very sweaty at a brunch, especially in Tenerife, that’s how savage they are! The brunches are very intense.

Did anyone give you second hand cringe while watching them on a date?

James went in and he was trying to talk to a group of girls and his game was not good! He’s not got game, he was just like, you know, jokey, jokey. He was asking party trick questions. He wasn't really being vulnerable or opening up. So we told him that he’s not good at dating and he was shocked because he totally thought he was the God of dating!

Did anyone shock you?

I would say someone that the person who really shocked us, like our jaws were on the floor the whole time has been PK. He has got a roster of women and I'm not down with that. He's from a good family. He's a sweet boy. He's respectful to us. So I think he has learnt a lot and is revealing himself to be a very actually sensitive and kind person. He just needs to show that more towards women and on dates.

The show has been on air for a decade now, why do you think it's still so successful?

I think it's so successful because it's warm, it's authentic, it's spicy and it has good representation of people of different demographics, different abilities, different backgrounds, sexuality, racial background, relationship orientation. So it has good representation of different life experiences. I think that's why people really love it. You know, they don't just wanna watch celebs being terrible at dates, deep down it subconsciously gives them hope of what it's like to date in these different identities.

Ends