TV3 unveils autumn schedule

TV3 is to broadcast 30 Irish-made episodes of the Channel 4 ratings winning show Come Dine with Me.

The show, which has been airing in the UK for the last five years, has consistently been one of Channel 4's most popular programmes and during repeats on More4.

The series consists of strangers cooking for each other and scoring each others efforts. The winner gets a cash prize of €1,000. It also involves guests looking around the host's home.

The Irish version will have narrator Dave Lamb whose acerbic commentary in the British series is an essential part of the programme.

The show will be an ITV studio production for TV3 and the programme will begin recruiting participants next month.

TV3's director of programming Ben Frow said they had been trying to get Come Dine With Me for years but their previous relationship with ITV, which was a major shareholder in TV3, made it difficult as rival broadcasters Channel 4 made the programme.

"We had to broker a marriage between the two. Channel 4 and ITV productions are right behind it. We are delighted with it. It is possibly the most successful food programme in the world after Masterchef," he said.

The Apprentice, one of TV3's most successful programmes, also returns. The Apprentice – You're Fired will have a new host. Anton Savage replaces Brendan O'Connor who is presenting a Saturday night chatshow on RTE One.

TV3 will host two new dating shows. A 10 part dating series which takes place in front of a live audience called Take Me Out Ireland will be presented by Today FM DJ Ray Foley.

Pecking Order will challenge five girls to think like men and to rate themselves through men's eyes.

TV3 also announced a slew of home-grown documentaries. They include a six part series running over 18 months taking an unsentimental view of farming called A Life on the Land, a four part series about life in Irish prisons called Behind Bars and a three part series on Irish men and women who were killed in the Second World War called The Irish in WWII.

There will programmes about depression, domestic violence and a new six part health series called How Healthy Are You presented by nutritional therapist Elisa Jones. Teenage Lives will focus on Irish teenagers and 24 Hours to Murder will seek to recreate the last 24 hours of some of Ireland's most notorious murders.

TV3 have also won the rights to show the Europa League final which will be held next May. Its footage will be shown in every country in Europe.

Boozed Up Irish Abroad and Cocaine Wars will shed a light on Ireland's drink and drugs habit.