The Best First Kisses In Reality TV History
Kisses are but one the many awkward moments that happen on reality shows. Whether it's a dating competition series or a docuseries, there's bound to be some uncomfortable moments, if not down-right cringe-worthy ones. After all, that's part of what makes these shows so entertaining to watch. Who would want to watch a show where people just live their ordinary lives, without any drama? Usually, when it comes to dating shows, it's a bit of a train wreck. But every so often, there is a heartwarming moment between two people who lock lips and set off fireworks on the television screens of viewers all over the world.
Yes, romantic first kisses in reality TV history do exist, believe it or not. And they're not all between the couples you'd expect. Of course, not every couple who gets together on a reality show will stay together, but they might still have a ton of chemistry. And when that first kiss is televised, that chemistry becomes pretty obvious to viewers at home. Here's a look at some of the very best first kisses in reality TV history.
James and Moira seemed meant to be from their first kiss on Love Island
Season 2 of the American version of Love Island saw more than a few couple swaps, drama, and tears. James and Moira, one of the show's original pairings, got hot and heavy pretty early on. In fact, they shared more than one lip lock in the premiere episode. During an interesting card game of Suck and Blow Truth or Dare (yes, that is a thing), James was dared to kiss Moira all over her face and things got very, uh, sensual. From that first ear and neck kiss to their first real-deal kiss later on, James and Moira's chemistry seemed pretty electric.
As fans of show know though, the two eventually went their separate ways after James' jealousy got the best of him. Still, there's no denying the fact that their first kiss was full of sparks.
Lauren and Cameron's first kiss on Love Is Blind
Netflix has been knocking it out of the park when it comes to original reality television. The company has developed quite a few reality series, which have totally captivated viewers. And their smash hit, Love Is Blind, really took fans by surprise. In the show, men and women are separated from each other and can only communicate with a potential love interest through a wall, without seeing them. During this time, they have deep conversations, develop inside jokes, and some even fall in love.
The fan-favorite couple from the series? Lauren and Cameron, who got engaged without even seeing their special someone. But all those anxieties melted away when they met for the first time and shared the sweetest kiss. From that moment on, it became clear that the two had a lot of in-person chemistry and might actually belong together.
CNN Entertainment caught up with the couple a year after the show's finale — and thus a year after their wedding — and asked them what it was like to see each other for the very first time. "Prince charming," Lauren gushed of her now-hubby. "Awestruck," Cameron added. No wonder their first kiss was so swoon-worthy!
Hannah and Wills certainly seemed like they enjoyed their first kiss
Things tend to heat up pretty quickly on Bachelor In Paradise. The spin-off of the original Bachelor Nation shows features cast members from previous seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette who didn't have much luck in the love department. But for some, being in paradise proves exactly what they need to find true love. Season 6's Hannah G. and Wills first kiss had some people wondering if they might just belong together. After all, when Wills went in for the smooch, she didn't hesitate to kiss him back — even though she was involved with someone else at the time.
"First kiss. I thought she was gonna hold back a little bit but she didn't hold back," Wills said in the episode after they kissed (via Bustle). While Wills and Hannah G. didn't end up together, their kiss was certainly something and proved that Wills was ready to find love.
Francesca and Hayley's first kiss on Too Hot to Handle was a steamy one
One of the arguably best parts about reality dating shows is how hot and steamy things can get — even with all those cameras rolling. Interestingly, Netflix introduced its reality series Too Hot to Handle in which the entire premise is that the couples have to keep their hands off each other in order to win a big pot of money at the end.
Obviously, couples broke the rules, and it usually wasn't that much of a shock as they'd been talking or even out on dates before they got intimate. However, Francesca and Hayley locked lips in a relatively secret manner, which means there was plenty of shock and awe following their smooch. And since Francesca orchestrated the kiss mainly to upset her fellow contestants, there was plenty of drama.
At that point, Francesca was seemingly smitten with Harry and actually hadn't shown a lot of interest in Hayley, or any women for that matter. So when they kissed — with such passion — fans and their fellow castmates were shocked. While the two never took things further, their first kiss was one of the best in reality television.
Chloe and Kori's first kiss brought all the feels
Even though kissing is technically against the rules on the Netflix original reality series Too Hot to Handle, the castmates still got pretty handsy with each other. Chloe and Kori's kiss in particular brought with it a lot of feels — in the best way.
After the two contestants chatted it up about cuddling (with those accents that had us all swooning from home), they locked lips for the first time. And, uh, it was intense. One second they were talking, the next they were making out for all the world to see. Seriously, this was no middle school-level first kiss; it had all the passion and face-holding of an E.L. James novel. Though the two didn't end up together — and even dealt with a lot of drama following the show — their first kiss was so full of passion, we could practically see the sparks flying.
David and Lydia shared a sweet and sexy kiss
Though many of the kisses and couples on Netflix's Too Hot to Handle were, well, too hot to handle, David and Lydia's first kiss was a bit different. David appeared on the show as a sweet guy, always smiling, and seemingly smitten with Lydia. The women on the show attended a yoni puja workshop, which ultimately led them to all to feel pretty empowered and confident. So when David and Lydia sat down on the beach together afterward, it became obvious what was going to go down.
After skirting around the topic for a while and even joking about how they shouldn't break the rules, David and Lydia totally broke the rules and locked lips. David took Lydia in his hands and planted a big one right on her. It was sweet, and also pretty steamy. It seems as though they have both moved on since their time on the show, though, and there even seems to be some evidence pointing to Lydia getting into a relationship with another former castmate, Bryce.
Colton's first kiss with Caelynn proved they had chemistry
As the entire plot of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette is one person dating dozens other people all at the same time, there's bound to be drama. When these relationships start to become more intimate, that drama picks up even more. On Colton Underwood's season of The Bachelor, the famous virgin had plenty of beautiful women to choose from, but it was his first kiss with Caelynn Miller-Keyes that got everyone talking.
From the get-go, Colton seemed super interested in Caelynn, and they bonded over heartbreak, travel, and Thailand, specifically. The two also agreed that as young as they both were (she was 23 and he was 26 at the time), they were both mature and ready for marriage. The two seemed to share a genuine connection so when Colton went in for his first kiss of the season, it wasn't a surprise that it was with Caelynn.
"He kisses very well for a virgin," she joked after the smooch. "I was shocked at how he just took the initiative and drew me in." Unfortunately for fans of the couple, their time together ultimately came to an end.
Emily and Kyra's first kiss had everyone talking
When the U.S. launched its own version of the hit British reality show Love Island, you may have been doubtful that it would bring the same amount of drama as the original. But in the first season, when one Island game brought the heat, you probably put aside your assumptions. When newcomer Emily kissed Eric and Kyra in one seemingly smooth move, fans and their fellow Islanders were totally caught off guard.
During a football-themed game, Emily landed a smooch on Eric before turning her attention to Kyra and really getting into it. As everyone cheered and yelled and giggled, the two shared a pretty intimate kiss. "I really actually enjoyed my kiss with Kyra," Emily told the camera with a laugh. "That was great," Kyra told Emily. The two didn't become an official couple, but there's no denying the fact that their lip lock really brought the passion.
Zac and Elizabeth's first kiss took them to the end of Love Island
Season 1 of Love Island in the United States brought many pairings that just didn't seem likely from the start. While they were entertaining to watch, there was one couple who hit it off in the first episode — one who fans were rooting for the entire time. Zac and Elizabeth shared a strong bond, and their first kiss was seriously romantic.
After some casual chit-chat about roller coasters and how hilarious Elizabeth was, Zac decided to just go for it and leaned in for a kiss. Elizabeth was totally on the same page and leaned forward as well, and soon they were locking lips like their lives depended on it. The kiss lasted a while and the sparks were immediately flying. The couple seemed like the perfect match. In fact, they actually won the season of Love Island. Sadly, they eventually broke up after heading back to the real world. Still, that first kiss really brought the heat and proved that they had a true connection.
Damian and Gigi's first kiss had so much passion
Netflix's Love Is Blind attempted to answer an age-old question: Is love really blind? And as several couples proved, looks don't matter all that much. So, when Season 1's Damian Powers and Giannina "Gigi" Gibelli met in person for the first time — after already getting engaged — tensions were high. But as it turns out, their first kiss couldn't have been more perfect.
Upon seeing each other for the first time, Gigi immediately giggled, twirled, and then ran into Damian's arms like something out of a Nicholas Sparks movie. The two then shared a passionate kiss; their chemistry was seriously off the charts. Of course, that doesn't mean the two didn't go on to experience drama. Their passion eventually gave way to some issues, and they did not tie the knot at the end of the season. Nevertheless, as of this writing, they are still together, proving that their first kiss and all the sparks that it caused weren't wrong.
Lauren kissing Carrington caused a ton of drama
Season 2 of the American version of Love Island featured plenty of couples and a whole lot of drama. There were arguments, tears, and a lot of matches that just didn't seem very compatible. Still, when new girl Lauren arrived at the villa, the other ladies immediately felt threatened — especially Kierstan who was already coupled up with Carrington by the time Lauren got to the villa.
When a game led to Lauren choosing to passionately kiss Carrington, well, the drama escalated to a whole new level. Kierstan was visibly upset and all the other islanders were totally shocked. Still, the kiss was pretty electric. Viewers were probably not too shocked when Carrington and Kierstan later ended things, and Carrington thought about potentially pursuing Lauren. While that didn't work out, the first kiss shared by Lauren and Carrington was still one of the best kisses on Love Island — and reality TV as a whole.
Tre's first kiss with Kaitlynn was intense
Some contestants on Love Island aren't afraid to get down and dirty. Take Tre and Kaitlynn for example. The pair had a pretty intense make-out session early on in the second season.
Tre and Kaitlynn started to bond over where their home states and their zodiac signs. This chat led to a fist bump, and then Tre dabbed at some sweat on Kaitlynn's upper lip, before moving in for a kiss. At first, Kaitlynn seemed surprised. She let out a quick "Oh?" before melting into the kiss, too. It was pretty intense for a first smooch, and the two definitely seemed to be into it. Afterwards, Kaitlynn told Tre, "You have nice lips," and Tre returned the compliment. Things seemed to be on track for the two of them, but it wasn't meant to be; both Tre and Kaitlynn were ultimately sent home.
Connor and Mackenzie's first kiss sealed the deal for her
Pretty much every season of reality television features someone who comes across as a villain. Whether they are manipulative, rude, or just plain mean kind of depends on the person, but on Season 2 of Love Island, the villain emerged relatively quickly as Mackenzie. The petite blonde caused a lot of emotional distress for her partner, Connor. Their relationship got its start when Mackenzie and Connor shared a kiss during a game.
"The group must choose the hottest boy and girl and they must kiss," Carrington read a dare card. Without even letting the group decide, as Justine suggested, Mackenzie stated, "I mean my answer is obvious." Within a moment, Connor and Mackenzie were locking lips. As far as first kisses go, it seemed to be a great one. But whether Mackenzie enjoyed it because it was with Connor or because she had assumed her position as the hottest girl in the group, the world may never know.
Evan and Morgan's kiss on Temptation Island was next level
As the entire premise of Temptation Island is for couples to be tempted to cheat on each other, it's not shocking that things get pretty steamy. In fact, on Season 1 of the show, Evan (who arrived with his longtime girlfriend) and single Morgan really hit things off. And when they shared their first kiss, many fans were convinced they would end up together.
In fact, in the fourth episode of the season, Evan and Morgan engaged in some sweet talk, and he even assured her ahead of their first kiss, saying, "I only have eyes for you, girl." In the following episode, the two went on a date, and Morgan even told the cameras, "It definitely feels like Evan is my boyfriend" (via Bustle). She added, "Everything's like, great right now. I can't even think of another word but great."
The two ended up getting engaged in the finale and remained together for a time after the season ended, but ultimately called of their engagement, Us Weekly reported. Still, their very first kiss showed that they certainly had quite a bit of passion.