Nudity hits basic cable: 'Dating Naked' trailer released and 'Naked and Afraid' continues

Nudity has been a mainstay for HBO and Showtime, but now shows with nudity are turning into hits on basic cable, even if private parts are blurred.

Discovery’s Naked and Afraid is back and Vh1 is about to launch its Dating Naked series. Fox even began developing its own naked dating series, which would bring nudity to the broadcast networks.

The cast of Naked And Afraid appeared (with clothes) at the TV Critics Association press tour this week, where they insisted that their show is more about survival than nudity. In the series, two strangers meet in the nude and have to survive 21 days in the wild. According to The New York Daily News, the first season premiere earned 4 million viewers. New episodes air on Sundays.

“Clothing offers protection, like from bugs,” Dani Julien said. “The naked part just adds to the challenge.”

Meanwhile, Vh1 - which used to play music - is ready to premiere Dating Naked, which features people... um... dating naked. According to EW, the show will start on Thursday and a trailer has already been released.

It’s kind of NSFW, but all the private parts are blurred.

Meanwhile, TheWrap is reporting that Fox was developing a pilot for its own nude dating show, but that’s been put on hold. The network’s executive team will be changing soon, since Fox entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly, so the project is being held until a new chief comes in.

If Vh1’s Dating Naked turns out to be a success, maybe there’s a naked American Idol on the way. Now, that might get people to tune in to Idol.