M6 is launching the 20th season of Love is in the Meadow, featuring 15 farmers, including Roquefort cheese producer Mathieu, who shares his inspiring health journey. Viewers will also meet Océane and Denis, among others, as social media buzzes with reactions. The season, spanning a year, includes farmer portraits, speed-dating events, and careful selection of suitors, with a two-month gap before initial meetings. Filming concludes with emotional moments at the farms, airing in late August.
Exciting New Season of Love is in the Meadow
As the final applause fades, M6 launches into a fresh season of excitement. Just one month after airing the two-part recap of the 19th season of Love is in the Meadow, host Karine Le Marchand promptly reveals the first portraits of the 15 farmers selected for the much-anticipated 20th edition. On Monday, January 13, audiences were introduced to Mathieu, a nearly thirty-year-old whose love life has been a ‘blank page’. This Roquefort cheese producer, who shares a close bond with his family, touched the hearts of loyal fans as he shared his inspiring journey of recovery from a heart condition he faced at just 21 years old.
Heartfelt Stories and Surprising Moments
Following Mathieu’s introduction, Océane captivated viewers with the tale of her last relationship, which she described as toxic, noting that her ex never publicly acknowledged their connection. Meanwhile, Denis, a beef cattle and goat farmer from Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, proudly expressed his strong family ties, alongside his unwavering adoration for Johnny Hallyday! His portrait sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), where the name Antoine became a trending topic. Antoine, hailing from the Grand-Est region, experienced an unexpected technical glitch during filming, much to the amusement of viewers who quickly shared their thoughts online.
This season is designed to unfold over an entire year. Viewers can look forward to the unveiling of five more farmer portraits on Monday, January 20, followed by the last five on January 27. After these introductions, production will gather all the letters sent to the farmers, allowing them to review and select their suitors. Each farmer will have the opportunity to meet multiple candidates during speed-dating events in the Paris area. This essential stage will help them decide which suitors to invite to their farms for a chance to connect.
However, fans will need to be patient until August to see these interactions, as filming can stretch over several weeks or even months, coupled with necessary editing time. The period between receiving letters and the speed-dating events provides ample opportunity for interested individuals to write in, while the production team meticulously filters through submissions to identify suitable matches for each farmer. According to producer Gabriella Mather, eight dedicated staff members sift through the numerous letters, aiming to weed out problematic profiles, fake applications, and individuals seeking shelter.
Gabriella elaborated on the selection process, explaining that each team member typically manages two farmers. The initial screening phase eliminates candidates who live far away and might experience significant cultural adjustments when arriving at the farm, as well as those whose ages do not align with the farmers’ preferences. However, she emphasizes that beyond these criteria, ‘nothing is disqualifying’. Even letters missing contact information can be considered since ‘social media can work wonders’, she notes. The team will then reach out to letter writers to verify their seriousness, as Mather humorously points out, “it’s hard to believe, but we receive a lot of jokes.” In some cases, they discover that the ‘perfect candidate’ was merely the subject of a prank by friends, resulting in the elimination of up to 90% of submissions for certain farmers. The entire process spans nearly two months, ensuring the right matches are made.
In 2024, viewers were able to express their interest in the farmers until the end of February, with speed-dating filming taking place in March. Therefore, there’s a two-month gap between the airing of the portraits and the initial meetings. Following this, the production team captures the arrival of suitors at the farms and their genuine first reactions during spring. The season concludes with its broadcast at the end of August, while the review is traditionally filmed in September for an autumn airing.