After all that’s happened in the world over the past 7 days can First Dates cheer us up? It was certainly an emotional rollercoaster tonight.
"Find someone who laughs at the same thing, and the battle is half won" ♥ #firstdates @fredsirieix1 pic.twitter.com/Dt3ZMWqQHU
— Jono Read (@jonoread) November 14, 2016
Sophie and Adam
25-year-old Sophie has been advised by her dad that she has until she’s 30 to sort her life out, or she’s missed the boat. So she’s decided to give First Dates a chance to help her. “I’ve either got to sort it out, or find a sugar daddy”. She’s probably speaking for many females there.
Sophie seems to have had a privileged and cultured upbringing having lived in Oman and Dubai before moving to the UK. She defines herself as an “ex-pat brat”, but seemed surprisingly lovely. Her date is somewhat similar in the form of 22-year-old financial recruitment consultant Adam. He was born in Paris, went to a boarding school, and his daddy worked in the city.
Sophie was recruited to work for a film company as an office manager, but it later transpired the job was mostly about looking after the bees the company owns. Not that it sounded like she needed the money. She is quite the laugher, and it only gets worse the more nervous she is around men. The white wine will hopefully make things easier.
Like many of the posh privilege boys we’ve witnessed on First Dates recently, Adam was keen to share his story about his sexual conquests. He lost his virginity in a chalet working up a snowy mountain as part of a skiing job. Being posh, the circles he works in seems to mean he’s slept with girls his male friends have also slept with. Although he follows this up by pointing out he’s not a fan of one night stands.
Why do all the posh boys ruin it by talking about their sexual conquests at the dinner table? #sophie #adam #firstdates
— Jono Read (@jonoread) November 14, 2016
Sophie thinks there’s something wrong with her. She’s never had a date, and tonight her dating virginity is being broken. She wants to get into the bubble of love, but doesn’t know how to. Fred certainly thought the pair suited each other.
Just as it appeared to be going very well for the two, and the post-date interview was going in the right direction, Adam through in the caveat of meeting “as friends” at the last minute. Adam claims he felt Sophie was still trying to work out who she was looking for, and that this was off putting.
Kevin and Meguel
68-year-old Kevin from Essex is in the drainage business, but he’s yet to find someone who makes his heart overflow. He’s nearing the front of the “queue of life” as he nears seventy (his words, not mine). Kevin’s hoping that his date is going to be something like Charlize Theron, certainly 53-year-old receptionist Meguel from Surrey was giving a run for her money. She’s been described as a “MILF” by her children’s friends, something she assumed meant “Mummy I’d Love Forever”.
Meguel wants someone confident, funny, and charming. She’s refusing to drop her standards. Reasons to drop someone in the past have been wearing brown shoes, or having a broken zip. How will she get on with knowing Kevin works in drainage? Her initial impression was unimpressed. Meguel’s high standards seems to stem from her past relationships, and a husband who appeared to lose interest in her.
When a lady who admits she is high maintenance finds out her blind date works in drainage #firstdates pic.twitter.com/qf56yJqN7l
— Jono Read (@jonoread) November 14, 2016
Kevin and Meguel bonded over living in the East of London, their family, and Kevin’s decision not to drink alcohol. Meguel wasn’t so impressed that Kevin wasn’t spontaneous in life, she suggested she likes to drop everything to take a holiday. Kevin, with a business, finds it a bit more difficult.
The two talked about wealth, and how much disposable income they had. Kevin disappointed Meguel by saying he was both frugal, and not very rich. He, however, explained that when his mum passed away at an early age his dad’s new partner was strict and his upbringing was tough. He can’t even remember ever getting a cuddle off his parents as a child.
Kevin claimed Meguel was “up for her laugh and not up her own arse” and even paid for the full bill. But after texting each other the second never met up for a second date.
Annie and Barry
37-year-old Annie from Surrey hasn’t been in a relationship or gone on a date since the Spice Girls were last in the charts. She was feeling the nerves tonight, and getting a bit of a reality check as she sat at the bar drinking from Merlin’s bar. Annie considers herself a bit of a teenager still, having turned up in bright gold trainers for her date.
Annie’s type are builders that have an intelligent streak. She assures us “most of them probably are”, which was news to me. Manning up for the challenge was 40-year-old construction worker Barry from Bristol. Barry likes a “young at heart” woman, who isn’t high maintenance. It sounded like the perfect recipe to me.
Things kicked off well when Barry was relieved to see Annie hadn’t turned up in an over-the-top outfit. He didn’t want to stand out as having dressed down in the restaurant, but it seems both him and his date had turned up in informal wear.
Barry and Annie bonded over motorbikes and speeding tickets, their family, and the big motorbike crash that left Barry talking with an American accent for the first week after waking up from a coma. Annie’s story, however, brought a tear to the eye as she revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33. By 2015 it had developed to her bones. Annie isn’t sure whether she wanted to know this prognosis, but it does bother her that while she has loving friends and family around her, she has no partner to share the remainder of her life with.
Annie was deliberating over when to mention this to her date, as she considers an incurable illness, “a dealbreaker”. Annie tried to throw it in the conversation off the back of a discussion about smoking, but her date wasn’t catching her drift, until she had to spell it out in huge letters that she was dying. She explained how she doesn’t know how long she has left of feeling fit and healthy, but for now the drugs are helping, but tend to last only two or three years. It was heartbreaking to watch. Unsurprisingly her date was cut up about this.
When you put on First Dates to help you forget the bad in the world and Annie tells her story 😭 #firstdates pic.twitter.com/HVB953YTJE
— Jono Read (@jonoread) November 14, 2016
After going through an emotional rollercoaster like that, it transpired that Annie didn’t fancy Barry, despite the fact they seemed perfect for each other. Barry was a little bit gutted not to get to see Annie again, as he was up for a second date. However he has given Annie the confidence to go on to date other men. Barry and Annie will meet up as friends at a motorbike festival sometime soon.
Maisie and James
Twenty-three-year-old model booker Maisie, fresh from her awful date with polygamist Justin. Estate agent James, 29 and from Putney, is her date for the evening. James finds that most people dislike estate agents, just behind traffic wardens. Fortunately, Maisie’s father works as an estate agent, so there wasn’t as much distrust in this instance.
It wasn’t long before Maisie was having to explain to James her previous date in the restaurant. In a role-reversal this time, it was Maisie encouraging James to take all his clothes off at the dinner table, when he was removing his tie. James wasn’t so keen though, he was very honest about his love handles, and any faults that others might pick out.
James and Maisie unconventionally paid for the bill 70/30, and the pair left the restaurant hand in hand, as they went off for more drinks after their date. By the end of filming the pair had gone on two further dates.
Matthew and Jess
Jewellery expert Matthew, 26 from London, is far from an alpha-male. He isn’t in to football and considers himself flamboyant, and is always asked by girls if he’s gay. Matthew’s would be princess is Jess, also from London, and 25-year-old. After a few seconds of awkwardness, the two soon found discussing degrees, psychology, and university.
When someone thinks they're being analysed by a Psychology student on #firstdates pic.twitter.com/rYUIRjfEQF
— Jono Read (@jonoread) November 14, 2016
It transpired Matthew used to work for Disney as a character and parade performer. Perhaps Matthew needs to get with James on the other table, who classes Aladdin as his favourite film, because he used to dress up as Jafar from the film. Nonetheless Jess was still impressed.
Talking about why he was single, Matthew talked about his teenage years, where he actually came out as gay. After grappling with his sexuality though, he realised he was actually bisexual.
Jess seemed a little taken aback by Matthew’s confession, and it didn’t seem to help them find a spark throughout the date. Still, they were happy to meet again as friends, if nothing else.
Next time on First Dates
First Dates is back on Monday 21 November at 10.00pm. Meanwhile watch more First Dates on catch-up on All4, and read more reviews of this series of First Dates on my blog.
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