Cilla's back to play Cupid

The undisputed queen of dating Cilla Black is set to present a new version of the hit TV series Blind Date, it has been revealed.

Five years after she quit the original, Sky One has lured her to its own interpretation of the show, which will be called Loveland.

The ten-part series will begin next year and, similar to Blind Date, will see members of the public choosing a date from three contestants based on a number of tasks and questions.

However, in a modern twist, the contestants will be represented as a computer-generated image which may be nothing like their true persona.

Commenting on the decision to go back to playing Cupid, Black said: "Loveland captivated me with its modern day twist on the dating format. The unique animation may help couples find love and me the perfect hat."

Meanwhile, ITV are said to be keen to revive the original format of Blind Date, with Ant and Dec and Davina McCall among those tipped to be in the running to present it.

Black hosted Blind Date between 1985 and 2003, pulling in some 17 million viewers in its heyday.

She announced her decision on a Blind Date live programme, stunning her production team, who had not been told.

Black, whose real name is Priscilla White, is famed for her Liverpudlian inflections, including "Lorra Lorra Laughs", as well as her familiarity with other presenters and announcers.