Sirdslietas episode two: 11 women call suitors and choose their dates

The second episode of the new season of Sirdslietas (Matters of the Heart), Latvian Television’s dating show for older people, was shown on LTV1 on 12 November and belonged to the women: viewers met 11 of them as they read the men’s personal ads and decided whether to accept invitations to a date. “I declare this Latvia’s most desirable line-up of women,” said the host, actress Indra Burkovska, introducing the episode.

As in the first season, the women could phone the men before a date to hear their voice. The end of the episode revealed who would go on speed dates.

Who the women are

The oldest participant is Lilita, 82, a retired beautician from Priedaine who is looking for a companion for cultural events. The cast also includes Daina, 77, an English teacher from Sigulda; Māra, 69, a traveller from Taurene; Ināra, 64, a fitness and Nordic walking coach from Riga; and Dzidra, 67, a musician making her first public appearance since her husband’s death. Several of the women say they decided to start a new chapter after a loss.

Filming the episode took at least 35 hours on set, about 12 hours of footage went into editing, and only 2–5% of everything shot made the final cut, the show’s makers said.

About the show

Sirdslietas aims to reduce loneliness among older people: about 130,000 seniors in Latvia feel lonely, according to LSM, the Latvian public broadcaster. The first season involved 250 seniors, and the second drew 195 applications. The show airs on Thursday evenings at 21:10 on LTV1 and REplay.lv.