Before The Spotlight: When Maurice and Robin Gibb Battled It Out On The Dating Game — A Hilarious Lost Chapter In Bee Gees History
Long Before The Bee Gees Became Disco Legends And Global Icons, Two Young Brothers Found Themselves In An Unexpected Showdown—Not On Stage, But On A 1960s American Dating Show.
In 1968, 18-Year-Old Twins Maurice And Robin Gibb Appeared As Celebrity Contestants On The Dating Game, The Popular Blind-Date-Themed Television Program That Paired Bachelors And Bachelorettes Through Mystery And Playful Questioning. The Twist? The Brothers Were Not Only Competing Against Each Other, But Also Against Don Schollander, The Olympic Gold Medalist And World-Record-Holding Swimmer.
The show’s format was simple: A bachelorette, hidden from view, would ask questions to three mystery bachelors. After hearing their answers, she would pick one to go on a fully paid date. On this memorable episode, the two Bee Gees stars—then still unknown beyond select music circles—captured hearts not with their music, but with their youthful charm and unmistakable British accents.
Despite the occasional confusion caused by their strong Manchester accents, Maurice and Robin impressed Debbie, the young theatre student who was the bachelorette, with their quick wit and candid answers. The competition was tight, with the Olympic champion Don also making a strong impression. But when the moment of truth came, Debbie chose Maurice Gibb as her date, admitting with a laugh, “I wanted them all!”
Maurice’s prize? An all-expenses-paid trip to South Africa for a date. While the romance didn’t last—Maurice’s whirlwind love story was just beginning, as he married pop star Lulu the following year—the playful rivalry between the brothers on national TV remains a treasured glimpse into their early lives.
What makes this episode so poignant is how it captures a rare, unfiltered moment before the Bee Gees rose to unprecedented fame. These were not yet icons of the disco era or legends of pop; they were simply two brothers, laughing and competing, navigating youth with the kind of sibling camaraderie that millions can relate to.
Ironically, the following year brought turbulence for the group. Robin temporarily left the band amid personal and professional struggles, and their ambitious plans for a feature film fell apart. But the brothers reunited in 1970, launching a new chapter that would lead to iconic albums like 2 Years On and Trafalgar, eventually culminating in the global phenomenon that was Saturday Night Fever.
Looking back, the Dating Game appearance stands out as a lighthearted snapshot of the Gibb brothers’ early bond—showing their personalities and playful spirit well before the weight of superstardom settled on their shoulders.
For fans and historians alike, it’s a reminder that behind the soaring falsettos and chart-topping hits were young men who once nervously faced a mysterious bachelorette, hoping to win a date—while competing side by side as brothers and best friends.
In the end, Maurice may have won the date, but all who watch the clips win a rare, joyful moment of Bee Gees history—when music legends were just two charming young brothers chasing love on a TV game show.
Watch the unforgettable footage and rediscover the Bee Gees as you’ve never seen them before—just Maurice and Robin, the brothers, competing, laughing, and capturing hearts.
