New Channel 4 show Seven Year Switch will see rocky couples swap partners… potentially FOREVER

WIFE Swap was one of Channel 4’s most ground-breaking shows back in the early Noughties.

And now the station believes it has finally found a successor — a new dating series called Seven Year Switch.

The show follows hot on the heels of outrageous Naked Attraction and rebooted Blind Date.

It will have warring couples who are suffering from the classic “seven-year itch” swap ­places with another pair in the same situation for two weeks.

But unlike Wife Swap, which had ­couples discussing their experience at the end, this series will give them a chance to make the change PERMANENT and stay with their new partner.

In a potentially relationship-ending curveball, there are no rules for the couples — and they are free to share beds.

A source said: “Channel 4 sees this as a modern version of Wife Swap. The only rule here is that there are no rules.

“The show has been a success in Australia, where it has enjoyed two series, and bosses think it will work well here.

“It’s a bit like a combination of both Wife Swap and Married at First Sight, where couples are matched by experts and get hitched on their very first meeting.

"They have got couples who just aren’t getting on and are on the verge of splitting up, so figured they should try one last roll of the dice.

“The thinking behind it is that in separating the couples, it might just make them miss their other half enough to have another go.

“Either that, or it will drive them into bed with another person altogether.”

The show, which is expected to hit our screens in the next couple of months, follows ITV2’s Love Island, which has been a roaring success with audiences.

It has enjoyed its best ratings ever, pulling in more than 2.4million for Monday’s episode.

Sex definitely sells — or so Channel 4 hopes.

Back to business for Nic

NICOLE SCHERZINGER was back at work yesterday after what seemed like a never-ending holiday – and had to take the lead in the first day of London X Factor auditions as boss SIMON COWELL was ill.

Nicole had posted endless bikini selfies from Mykonos, Greece, as she celebrated her 39th birthday.

Back in the capital she dominated the panel in Simon’s absence. But he later joined her, SHARON OSBOURNE and LOUIS WALSH at Tobacco Dock after brushing off a spot of flu.

He must have had one of his trusty vitamin jabs.

A Dales white-wash?

EAGLE-EYED Emmerdale viewers spotted a spelling gaffe on ­Monday’s episode.

Bernice White, played by SAMANTHA GILES, excitedly showed off her diploma – which read “couples counsolling” not “counselling”.

Fans were unimpressed by the error – but bosses at the ITV soap insisted it was a deliberate part of the comedy of Bernice’s storyline.

A spokesman said: “It was ­intentional. She’s done a course on a random website so the qualification is supposed to look dubious.”

Blunder or not, at least it got people talking.

Book helped my blues

BLUE singer DUNCAN JAMES says penning the boyband’s autobiography has been “like therapy” in helping him recover from the loss of his best friend TARA PALMER-TOMKINSON.

The Hollyoaks actor was left heartbroken after socialite Tara died suddenly in February.

The book, Blue – All Rise: Our Story, due out in October, is a joint effort with bandmates ANTONY COSTA, SIMON WEBBE and LEE RYAN.

Duncan revealed: “Tara was such a big part of my life and losing her was hard to deal with as she was one of my closest and dearest friends. Writing the book was cathartic and like therapy for me.

“I’ve written about some of the funny times we shared and cute stories that I think are sweet and endearing.”

Speaking at the launch of Carphone Warehouse’s Blue Samsung Galaxy S8, Duncan added: “To be honest, I could write a whole book on Tara and the times we spent together.”

Scott's a soap dodger

NO wonder EastEnders’ ratings have collapsed – even the cast don’t watch it.

SCOTT MASLEN, who plays Jack Branning on the BBC1 soap, bans the show being played at home and branded his recent grief-stricken storyline “draining”.

It comes after reports that Scott clashed with former executive producer Sean O’Connor, who The Sun revealed had left the show abruptly last month.

And Scott, whose character has been struggling to cope with the shock death of on-screen wife Ronnie Mitchell – played by SAMANTHA WOMACK – admitted: “I act in EastEnders, but I don’t watch it at home.

“When I finish work I go fishing and I walk my dog. Once I’m off set, I switch off.

“I always question people that watch themselves on TV, I find it too indulgent.”

Explaining that the heavy six-month plot has gradually worn him down, he added: “This storyline has been very emotional. We’ve been filming up to a point where it has been draining – drawing on all these emotions.

“It’s almost as if it is real life and you’re someone that’s going through the whole grief process.
“I’ve done enough and I don’t want to cry no more.”

Hopefully the Albert Square scriptwriters will take note and cut Jack some slack.

Cilla musical gets star

A MUSICAL based on the late CILLA BLACK’s chart-topping Sixties music has finally got its star.

Newcomer KARA LILY ­HAYWORTH beat thousands of hopefuls to land the role in the Liverpool stage show called Cilla, which opens in ­September.

And the actor put her success down to a chance meeting with the former Blind Date host.

Kara said: “When I was 11 I bumped into Cilla and asked for an autograph. I told her I wanted to be an actress.

"She laughed and said, ‘It’s a tough ­industry, but if you really work hard, you’ll be just fine’.”

Being a psychic can be added to Cilla’s list of ­qualities.