Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
You've heard of a situationship. Now meet its chaotic cousin: the ‘maybelatership'. It's when someone says they want a relationship... just not right now.
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So are more people putting commitment on hold? How do you know if you're in a ‘maybelatership’? And what does this latest dating trend tell us about modern dating?
Chelsea Coates from the What in the World team explains how ‘maybelaterships’ differ from situationships, why they can leave one person stuck in limbo, and whether they can ever become healthy, committed relationships. We also hear from a dating coach on how to communicate your expectations and avoid waiting around for someone might not want to commit.
00:00 Introduction
00:46 ‘Maybelatership’ vs ‘situationship’
02:24 Hannah might be in a ‘maybelatership’?
03:01 Timing, distance and uncertainty in dating
04:02 When waiting for someone becomes painful
05:05 Are ‘maybelaterships’ romantic or toxic?
06:38 Dating apps and the illusion of endless choice
07:38 Is this mainly a heterosexual dating trend?
08:18 A dating coach’s advice
Watch more episodes from What in the World here 👉🏽 youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4eMOlGZclzdcHmv7s8BFQE6
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: James Beardsworth & Ash Mohamed
Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde
----------------
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You've heard of a situationship. Now meet its chaotic cousin: the ‘maybelatership'. It's when someone says they want a relationship... just not right now.
Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 bbc.in/3VyyriM
So are more people putting commitment on hold? How do you know if you're in a ‘maybelatership’? And what does this latest dating trend tell us about modern dating?
Chelsea Coates from the What in the World team explains how ‘maybelaterships’ differ from situationships, why they can leave one person stuck in limbo, and whether they can ever become healthy, committed relationships. We also hear from a dating coach on how to communicate your expectations and avoid waiting around for someone might not want to commit.
00:00 Introduction
00:46 ‘Maybelatership’ vs ‘situationship’
02:24 Hannah might be in a ‘maybelatership’?
03:01 Timing, distance and uncertainty in dating
04:02 When waiting for someone becomes painful
05:05 Are ‘maybelaterships’ romantic or toxic?
06:38 Dating apps and the illusion of endless choice
07:38 Is this mainly a heterosexual dating trend?
08:18 A dating coach’s advice
Watch more episodes from What in the World here 👉🏽 youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4eMOlGZclzdcHmv7s8BFQE6
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: James Beardsworth & Ash Mohamed
Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde
----------------
This is the official BBC World Service YouTube channel.
If you like what we do, you can also find us here:
Instagram 👉🏽 instagram.com/bbcworldservice
Twitter 👉🏽 twitter.com/bbcworldservice
Facebook 👉🏽 facebook.com/bbcworldservice
BBC World Service website 👉🏽 bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
#BBCWorldService #WorldService
