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Miami native Akio Ross is set to appear on Back in the Groove to find love. On the show, he will be competing with 23 other men to steal the hearts of three single ladies, all in their 40s. The show, which will be hosted by actor Taye Diggs, will air on Monday, December 5, 2022, at 12.01 am ET on Hulu.
In the eight-episode series, three single women, Sparkle, 43; Steph, 41; and Brooke, 42; will descend on The Groove Hotel, a resort in the Dominican Republic, where 24 young men are waiting to date them, woo them, and assist them in getting their mojo back.
Back in the Groove contestant Akio Ross is a musician
Miami native Akio “The Fatha” Ross is a musician who believes in the power of Soca music. Many call him a historian on Soca and Caribbean culture. He released his first professional song in 2017, as per the interview on Shoutout Miami.
He is also a Doctor of Occupational Therapy. He completed his bachelor's degree, Organizational Communication, General and B.A. Communication and Media Studies from Florida International University.
He also earned his doctor's degree, Occupational Therapy/Therapist from University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2021, as per his LinkedIn profile.
While studying for his bachelor's degree, he worked as an assistant manager at Hi Teck Auto Body & Repair Ctr for more than three years from June 2012 to February 2016.
In the same year in December 2012, Akio founded his own company, Carib-Unity LLC. He is also the president and CEO of the company.
He is now participating in Back in the Groove with the hope that he will find his soulmate on the dating show.
One of the Back in the Groove contestants has mommy issues
Among the young and eager men waiting to woo the single ladies, one of the guys, Hunter, 26, from Tuscon, Arizona has “severe mommy issues.”
In one of the clips, Hunter is seen meeting Brooke, a 42-year-old personal trainer from Los Angeles, in a Cougars jersey, and while introducing himself, he says:
"I have severe mommy issues, which has always attracted me to an older women."
The revelation surprises Brooke, but Hunter believes he made a good first impression as he later tells the guys that his introduction to Brooke was “solid.”
As the guys are meeting the ladies and opening up about themselves, 22-year-old Steven is tense as he is hiding something major from everyone. In the confessional, he says:
"I came in here with a pretty big secret. It’s weird keeping a secret from the guys. They have no idea who I am."
He later reveals in the clip that one of the three single ladies on the show is his “mom.”
Back in the Groove is executive produced by showrunner Elan Gale, Bill Dixon, Sonya Wilkes, Evan Wilkes, Michael Krupat, John Luscombe, Shannon Stoeke, and Taye Diggs.
The show is produced by Walt Disney Television Alternative and Beyond Media Rights Ltd. This marks the first unscripted Hulu original under Walt Disney Television Alternative.
Tune in on Hulu on Monday to watch Back in the Groove. Two new episodes of the reality dating show will drop nightly until December 8.
The episodes will also be available to view on the Hulu app and online at hulu.com/series/back-in-the-groove.
