CBS Reality Competition Moves to Paramount+

It’s been announced that CBS’ newest reality competition series The Real Love Boat has moved to Paramount+. According to TV Line, starting with the show’s upcoming fifth episode, The Real Love Boat will be a Paramount+ exclusive. Over on CBS, the show’s Wednesday night timeslot will be filled with new episodes of The Amazing Race.

The Real Love Boat is hosted by real-life married couple Jerry O’Connell and Rebecca Romijn, and is “inspired by the long-running scripted classic,” The Love Boat, which starred Gavin MacLeod, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Lauren Tewes, Jill Whelan and Ted McGinley. In the new show, real-life singles are “brought together for a Mediterranean voyage in search of The One,” per an official synopsis. “Assuming they navigate the compatibility and chemistry challenges along the way, only one lucky couple will win a cash bounty and ultimate luxury Princess Cruise.”

Previously, PopCulture.com had a chance to chat with O’Connell about the new show, and the actor explained that he and Romijn were already prepared to hold down hosting duties on the show because they “watch a lot of reality television” at home. “You know, it’s on right in between Survivor and Amazing Race,” he said. “I think it’s sort of like Survivor a little bit. It’s a little Amazing Race, except there’s a relationship aspect to it. [There’s] competitions where couples compete against other couples to show their compatibility with each other, and at the same time, it’s like a relationship elimination show. There’s a little bit of, ‘Will you accept this rose?,’ to it as well.”

O’Connell continued, “It’s funny, I’ve really… I’ve never hosted a reality show, a competition show and, man, I really enjoyed that, too.” He added, “I watch a lot of reality television, so my wife and I were ready for this.” When it comes to the nature of The Real Love Boat, O’Connell assured viewers, “We have made sure people weren’t just like wasted on the show. I understand how that’s compelling television. I do watch a lot of that television where people get drunk and then you film it, you know… We’re not like that. We’re a little classier than that.”

The actor went on to say, “If you watch Amazing Race and Survivor, there’s a competitive desire to win that we have in The Real Love Boat, while at the same time, you know, we’re looking to hook people up, so it’s like this competitive desire to win as a couple. It’s really interesting. I really love what they did with the formula and everything. I had a boss there named Jay Beanstalk who just kept saying to Rebecca and I, like I’d have a question about the show, and he’d go, ‘Trust the formula. Trust the formula. Trust the formula.’ And, it’s really there. It’s a fun show.” New episodes of The Real Love Boat begin streaming on Paramount+ this Wednesday, Nov. 2. Those interested in trying out a free trial of Paramount+ can do so by clicking here.