Children pick blind date for mothers in new show

A television programme that uses the Blind Date formula to make children pick partners for their single mothers was accused last night of exploiting vulnerable youngsters.

The ITV1 daytime show, presented by Lorraine Kelly, will ask children to pick one of three single, widowed or divorced men to be the ideal date for their mothers.

The winners will be given an all-expenses-paid date and the mother will return to the show to explain how it went. Carlton is about to make a pilotand a series will be screenedthis year if it is approved by executives.

Debra Shipley, Labour MP for Stourbridge, said: "Children's emotions are not for entertainment and I think this programme is straight exploitation. It is wholly inappropriate that their hopes, ideas, dreams even, should be manipulated for public viewing." Dr Adrian Rogers of the pressure-group Family Focus said it was an unpleasant example of exploitative television.

A Carlton spokesman said the programme would be "fun and upbeat".