Gavin Henson to be C5's Bachelor

As first predicted by Broadcast, Shed Media is set to tap into parent company Warner Bros’ catalogue for the first time, with its Brighton-based indie Ricochet set to make the series.

The show will feature 25 glamorous women who compete for affections of the Welsh international sports star, who split from singer Charlotte Church last year.

Henson has previously featured in the line-up for Strictly Come Dancing and on ITV1 adventure series 71 Degrees North.

Among those taking part in The Bachelor are a number of models, a web developer and twins who switched from athletics to property development.

Contestants will be whittled down through a variety of group dates and one-to-one meetings as Henson chooses the ideal partner.

The hopefuls will all be living together in a villa in Southern Europe with Henson living nearby in a bachelor pad.

Channel 5 said viewers should “expect flirting, bitching and heartfelt emotion as the contestants do whatever it takes to impress Gavin”.

C5 director of programmes Jeff Ford said: “Gavin Henson is the perfect bachelor and is hoping to find his ideal partner. I’m sure the viewers will enjoy this high-energy and exciting journey as we follow Gavin in his quest to find true love.”

The Bachelor has run for 15 series on ABC and has been widely exploited internationally, with licensing deals in nine territories due this year. BBC Bristol produced two series for BBC3 between 2003 and 2005.