The popular Netflix dating show "Love is Blind" is releasing a new season on Friday with a Houston cast.
"Love is Blind" is currently the number one unscripted show on the streaming platform. The show is so popular that it reached the number 2 spot on Nielson's Streaming Top Ten list after last season's live reunion special with 1.2 billion viewing minutes. Nielsen is an organization that measures audience data and analytics for streaming, TV, and video games.
"The viewership for this show is in the tens of millions. It is a loyal fanbase. And to have a show like that film in Houston and showcase our city, it's a wonderful opportunity for marketing and branding," said Holly Clapham, the Chief Marketing officer of Houston First.
Houston First helps production crews with logistics, hospitality, meeting people in the community, and location section. Clapham said in the case of "Love is Blind", they provided the cast with passport resources as well.
"That was critical because that's part of the show. Being able to travel internationally," she said.
Clapham said while she can't confirm any locations for the show, she said Houston is becoming more desirable for filming a variety of shows, and the city is becoming a more show-friendly destination.
"Proximity to Galveston, areas that could look like Nebraska, Hermann Park, Memorial Park, the bayou," she said. "That's the beauty about Houston, is you cannot just answer it with one scenario because there's so, so many layers to explore."
Shows like Love is Blind, the Bachelor, and Top Chef have all been filmed in Houston within the past two years according to Clapham. She said there are other productions in the works that have been filmed in Houston but can't say which ones yet.
"There are productions happening all the time," she said. "I can't talk about some of the other shows that have recently filmed, but there are shows that are coming up. They will be debuted at a later date."
Clapham recommended those who are looking for more shows that were filmed in Houston can look to “Mo Amer: Mohammed in Texas” on Netflix or “House of Ho” on Max.
"Two very different storylines that reflect the Houston connection," she said.
Love is Blind's season 5 was taped over a year ago, but the season premiere on Friday will have four episodes for viewers to watch on the day of. The trailer can be found here.
