Perfect Match: Host Nick Lachey opens up about "cringeworthy" season 2 challenges

As Perfect Match season 2 nears its end, with its finale set to release on June 21, host Nick Lachey recalled some of the most uncomfortable moments on the show. In an exclusive interview with People, published on June 19, 2024, he opened up about the "cringeworthy" compatibility challenges that the contestants participated in.

"It is cringeworthy at times, there's no doubt about it. Which is why it makes for good TV," Nick said.

Although difficult to watch, the Perfect Match compatibility challenges ended up being the most entertaining elements of the show for the viewers. The couples in the show competed in these challenges to prove their compatibility. Winners would go on a private date, followed by a chance to enter the boardroom, where they would be given the option to bring in new singles to stir established equations.

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Perfect Match season 2 had a variety of compatibility challenges

The compatibility challenges were often physical, while a few were emotionally charged. At the very start of the show, singles participated in a challenge where they played truth or dare. Some of the dares asked them to take body shots while some compelled them to reveal shocking truths.

Other popular tasks included kissing and exposing shocking secrets. The most "cringeworthy" challenge would be the kissing challenge in episode 2 of Perfect Match where all cast members were blindfolded and made to wear noise-canceling headphones. Participants kissed each other one by one and rated the experience afterward.

Although uncomfortable for the cast, Nick revealed it was the one that tested the couples' physical chemistry perfectly.

"But...it is telling, and I think there's some real value in it because physical chemistry is a big part of any relationship, and that's certainly reflected in the kissing challenge," Nick said.

In episode 4, Truth Bombs, Nick Lachey introduced a challenge called 'If You Know, You Know,' where couples had to decide which quirk belonged to which cast member. The quirks included in the challenge were surprisingly private and contained intimate details of the cast members' lives.

Nick Lachey revealed those secrets were difficult to read out as a host. He often hesitated before announcing the quirks, displaying his discomfort, interjecting "wow."

"But yeah, there are moments where it's like, 'Oh my gosh, do I have to really announce this right now?" Nick confessed.

Another "cringeworthy" challenge included 'Motion in the Ocean,' where contestants had to use their weight and the "combined body motion" to take their cage-like structures from the start to the finish line. To complete the challenge, Perfect Match cast members applied various "thrusting" movements to make the structure move.

In the exclusive with People, Lachey confessed that although the challenges truly tested the couples' connection in the house. He revealed one had to look past the outward appearance and focus on the purpose of these challenges.

"If we find genuine connections here, if somebody's able to create a lasting relationship out of this, then great," he added.

Apart from that, he said the "cringeworthy" element significantly added to the entertainment value. As a result, he applauded the cast members for participating in the challenges with their best foot forward.

"But I think the cornerstone of this show and what's really been the mainstay of this for two seasons now is just a lot of fun," Nick said.

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Nick Lachey will return with the finale of Perfect Match season 2 on June 21, 2024.