The weekly half-hour "Love Airways" show, featuring the city-state's self-proclaimed love guru and a blonde Swedish co-host, will air on Mandarin-language Channel U from September 21 at 11:30 pm. Singapore is 76 percent ethnic Chinese.

The show aims to discuss "sex and intimacy-related topics" like dating, anatomy, wellness and diseases in a fun, non-clinical style, said a statement from government-linked MediaCorp.

Its host is Dr Wei Siang Yu, a local celebrity who has branded himself "Dr Love" and has his own business offering advice to Singaporean and foreign couples finding it difficult to have babies.

He will have as one of his co-hosts "Sister Love" Cecilia Larson, 29, a Swedish marketing specialist clad in a red mini-dress and white platform boots.

Wei told a news conference the show was not linked to the government's campaign to encourage couples to have more babies in order to reverse its alarming decline in fertility rates.

But a spokeswoman for the show indicated they would not be surprised if it led to more babies being born in Singapore.

Wei said "Love Airways" will be a "multimedia" platform linked to other activities like singles parties.

Singapore is trying hard to dispel its conservative and strict social image and is positioning itself as an Asian arts, entertainment and media hub.

It is also desperate to boost its population.

Only 37,300 babies were born last year, way below the 50,000 needed to replenish the population of 3.2 million citizens and permanent residents.

The baby shortage is partly augmented by immigration but the government is urging couples, particularly well-educated professionals, to have more babies.

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