Help I Swiped Right - Help I Went on a Blind Date!

Episode Date: December 21, 2025

Hello Swipers!In this weeks ep I talk about my experience of going on a blind date organised by the Daily Mail! And I am joined by my date, George! We discuss the blind date experience and our thoughts on the article about our date. We also talk about dating icks, red flags and your dating dilemmas. You can follow George on Instagram @gpriestman1Remember to send me your dating questions and dilemmas to [e-mail] or DM me on Instagram @HelpISwipedRight

Hello and welcome to another episode of Health High Swiped Right. I'm your host, S-Jam, and this week I'm joined by a very special guest. Sorry for missing an episode last week, but hopefully this one more than makes up for it. This could be one of the best episodes of the podcast yet, I think. Probably something everyone's been waiting to hear for a long time. I talk a lot about my dating experiences on the podcast, but we've never heard, what is it like to date me? So this week we're going to find out. I'm joined by George, who we went on a blind date that was in the Daily Mail. So yeah, this week we're going to be talking all

about our blind date experience and sort of the truth behind the article as well. And we're going have a chat about dating, dating culture from the man's perspective as well. So welcome George, hello. No pressure on the best ever episode. I think it's going to be the best ever episode. Like you don't have to do anything. I just think the fact that I've got someone on who has been a date with me, like I'm excited for this. I want to ask you questions about like what it was actually like to date me. Yeah, that's definitely unique for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But thanks for agreeing to come on the podcast. I really appreciate it.

Of course. You showed me it and I took the business card and I listened to one episode and it was pretty cool. And like I say, I don't listen to alternative podcasts. So it was interesting. So maybe it's a end up a new avenue of listening for me. Yeah. I don't know where mine counts as alternative, but.

To me it is. Yeah. No, fair enough. Yeah, we spoke about you usually listening to sports one. sport yeah very boring yeah well it's fair enough for i listen's politics ones as well so that's that's fair enough but we're gonna get you a fan of help i swept right and i've just a special guest as well because you're the first ever male guest i've wanted i've been saying on several podcast episodes i need a man's perspective on some of these dating dilemmas so

I am excited for your help on that. Yeah, me too. Okay, right. So how did me and George meet? We met from a blind date. Do you want to kick off, George, about how you kind of got set up on the blind date and what happened for you?

Yeah, no, I guess it was just because I've been on a lot of different websites recently. like we do work and model work and things like that it just came up and it just looked really cool and I'm not going to say no to a nice date that with a meal it's paid for in some photos as well it sounded good so I just thought what's what's the harm it could be a bit of fun sure the person will be great I'm sure it will be fine I'm sure it'll be a good time and it was but I just yeah I mean I did eventually do two sort of pre-scribe sort of

interviews already because I was going to do this date twice obviously it fell through as you know so that was interesting but I'm sure it was going to be I was always in contact with there and I was like now you've got me like interested in this thing I want to do it like I don't really care who drops out last minute like I said the one time was just one dropped out on the day when I was on the train so it's this time I was just happy that you showed up and grace me with your presence but no it was fun it was fun yeah no literally you bless you for like doing it again like after two times of being stood up like to me i think that's crazy i'm not a flaky person at all like if i do something i'm doing something it didn't even

occur to me that my date just like might not show up you know for the thing but i think also in my head i just obviously assumed that the person would live in london i literally just assumed that So when the journalist, Sam, messaged me like, oh, he's running late on the train. I was a bit like, where is he traveling from? Like, I just thought you would have lived close by. Yeah. And so I was like, oh my gosh, you know, I'm based in London. You're based in Liverpool.

Like that's not what I was really expecting. Nobody ever expects it to be someone from the north. Anything you do is mostly just like everyone to be from London. It's not that. I more just thought like, why would we go on a date when we live in different cities? Like, I normally wouldn't go out of my way to date someone that lives, like, not where I live. But it was all good for it. And like you say, you're in London somewhat often.

We'll see. But, yeah, I was very impressed that you travel all that way for, like, a blind date as well. Of course. Yeah. So, yeah, how did I find out about the blind date? I am in a WhatsApp group called Dating IRL. And the idea of this WhatsApp group is people post, like, I don't know if you got this in the pool, but like, you know, like, dating events is kind of retaken off in London.

So, like, board of dating apps, all that kind of stuff. I've not actually gone to anything from that WhatsApp group, but I joined it being like, oh, like, maybe I will, but not done in the end. But people still that just post, oh, their dating experiences, whatever in this group. So someone put, oh, and call out, looking at it. for a girl in her late 20s to go on a date of a guy in his late 20s, you're going to get paid 150 pounds email this journalist if you want to do it. And I was like, oh, I'll send the email. Like, I didn't think I was going to get chosen for it because again, I thought

a lot of people would apply and I'm 30 as well. I said that to Zernerner. Like, by the way, hopefully that still counts that I'm 30 and not in my late 20s. But yeah, she got back like pretty quickly and was like, yeah, send me a photo of yourself and answer these questions. And then she was like, yeah, like, I think you're a match. When are you free? And it all started to get set up. Yeah, no, it was, I mean, it sounded like a bit of a dream scenario, to be honest to me. I mean, I love, I love free food. I love coming down to London. And I like to date. So all three sounded pretty cute. And I like, I like to take photos as well. So, I mean, It takes all the boxes.

Yeah. For me, I, why did I want to go on it? I think, obviously, good podcast content. First and foremost. No, but not just that. This year's been the year of me saying yes. I've done a lot of actually like crazy day experiences this year. Like early this year, I met someone in Amsterdam when I was on holiday.

and he came to London for like our second date. So I've just, it's just been the year of like mad dating law. So I thought, cherry on top, let's go on a blind date in the Daily Mail. Also, I didn't think I was going to get chosen for it. You know when you just say, oh, like send it off. So the fact that it all got arranged, I was like, oh, it's actually happening. So the fact that it actually happened was really surprising and fun. what else to be what happened in the dating experience so yeah prior to the day i just knew

that you were 27 said you said you were six foot one and a model and sports journalist that's the information that i had about who i was meeting what did you know anything about yeah it was good i was like how does that information sit there when you see that yeah i was like oh that's good Like, I was intrigued to meet you. I was intrigued to find out about this, like, model and sports journalism. 27, I was like, okay, like a little bit younger than me, but I knew that. And six well, and I was like, yeah, that's a good height as well. But that's all I had to go off.

I didn't know anything else about you. And I assumed that you lived in London as well, but I didn't know that. Yeah, what did you know about me? Yeah, the same stuff. Just, I can't really remember what he said now. It was such a, it was a while ago. It was obviously just age and height and, yeah, I can't remember. It did, maybe.

I really can't, too. I can't remember. Yeah. I did so once. I read like four of these things. I don't really remember who's, you know. Well, no, obviously, it, it doesn't, for me, it's just, I could have not seen, like, any information, you know, like, and still would have been fine. Yeah.

Yeah. You know, it was weird. Like, I was, well, leading up to it, I was, I was a, you know, nervous but then when i got the actual restaurant i got really nervous that's when i kind of started to panic a bit just about like who are you going to be you know people start to walk into the restaurant and you're like is that him i don't know yeah what was your experience like prior to the day yes i mean yeah it's the same yeah i mean up for me it was just there was a lot of delays and stuff getting there so i was happy just to get there and then i got all my stuff to settle down

and then i was like okay should i hear yeah i'll just go the top of me toilet and just like, you know, spruce off and just relax for a second and just, you know, take a breath and then it came out and then you're there. And I was like, oh, okay, only time to settle. Just straight in through it and there. I know, but you know, I did the exact same thing. I got there and I thought, right, he's not here. Let me go to the toilet and just like calmed out.

So similar. Wow. There's so much in common. Oh yeah. And I forgot to say as well, of course, going back to the whole day experience. So prior to we actually go on the date. What's happened is, obviously, we've both had a call with a journalist for like a pre-date interview. Then I had a call of a stylist from Daily Mail who told me about what are some good clothes to wear,

because we had to get a photo shoot at Daily Mail headquarters before the date. So I had this whole call and I was like, yeah, cool. I understand the brief of what to wear, like something like quite smart. And she said, yeah, like smart jeans are fine, just like not ripped jeans. I was like, cool. So I wore, yeah, brown top, blue smart jeans. I rock up to Daily Mail headquarters. And they're like, yeah, so where are your clothes?

I was like, this is it. This is my outfit. They're like, oh, no, you can't wear jeans. You need to get changed. We're going to find you some trousers. And that's why I'm wearing these red trousers in the article that they're a vibe. Let's just say that. they really stand out.

They actually look better in person. And the photos, I'm like, Jesus. Yeah. I think we both look better in person going off that photos. I'm not the most pleased of it because like I say, I only saw like a handful of photos on his camera. And like I saw like six. And at least three of them, I was like, okay, yeah, they're good, they're good.

Okay. And you got played the work group and then he picked one. And I'm just like, it just looks like some, I don't know, bloated version of me or something. I don't know. It just doesn't, I don't like it. I don't like my gene. I don't like the chinos they gave me.

Yeah. That's the thing that made you change your clothes as well. Yeah, I brought like three, because I was on the phone with them and it was very like weird. It was like because of the paper you need like, I don't have certain colors and stuff. Yeah.

So I don't really have many colors per se. I just have white, black and like beige type of colors. I don't really have anything too out there. So I just brought loads of things. And I was like, I'm hoping they let me wear this, but I had to wear what I wore, which for me isn't the most. I don't think it makes you look the best.

So I'm very, I'm very, very touchy about how I'm looking photos. So that one, that one I'm not too pleased with, I guess. Just because I know there's a lot better, that's all. I know. I was the same. Like, he showed me a couple of folks on the camera, and I was like, oh, that these look great. But I think I like the ones that are more close up rather than the full body ones because of these bloody red trousers

that I didn't really want to wear and the belt yeah just but for me the whole photo shoot thing was very stressful it was very rushed in the end it was like half an hour the hair makeup photos so I also

kind of like added to my sort of nerves before the date where I was like a bit frazzled just from the whole experience with being so rushed so the photo shoot was just another layer of the experience of the blind date was thinking oh my gosh getting these photos taken well that's different to like a real blind date because a real blind date wouldn't have a hair and makeable photos thing before it

so the whole thing is definitely much stranger than normal exactly exactly but yeah anyway we're at the restaurant now and according to the article i slid into the corner booth next to you and you guided me through the menu yeah so we both have thought thoughts about the article, let's just say that, in the sense of like, after the date, we both gave, like, separately, like, the journalist called us, we spoke to her, answer questions about the date. She then sent me a draft, and I was like, ooh, I didn't really say those things. She's completely ignored that and just published something. Yeah, I thought let's talk through the article. I'm starting with this. Yeah, so Vital Stap, the first thing. where it says, like, George Serena, vital statistics, current role, would like to meet.

That bit is pretty much true, would you say? What about on your side? Yeah, I think so. Yeah, apart from my age being 28, like that. Yeah, just to, like, emphasize how inaccurate this whole article is, they've got George's age wrong. So. I'm not ready to be 28 yet. Yeah.

Yeah, when's your birthday? February. You've got time. I don't know why. Like, this just highlights, I'm happy the age is wrong in the way because it kind of just shows like this is how made up this whole thing is. The date was real. We weren't on the date. But what's been written up about it is like, what's the point?

So even my like headline thing, I was stunned. He'd been stood up twice before. Els, you were mad. I didn't say that. I did say. You didn't say that? No. Wow.

I said I was like wow I can't believe he got stood up like as in like I was surprised that people cancelled on you and I was like that's you know that's really sad I wasn't like girls you're mad girls you're crazy yeah and your headline was we might go on a 24 hour trip to Europe for a crazy second day do you say that well I just said like we spoke about like random things like that yeah just kind of threw stuff out of because she just asking me and I was like oh god why I can't remember anything that happened so I just started saying things and then eventually that thing just came out like that and then she just was like okay I will stand up for the journalist being a journalist myself I will stand up a little bit for them sometimes when you get maybe we it's not the easiest topic to like talk about because like I said I forgot a lot of the things that kind of happen because you just talk you know you just it's just a date it's you don't remember every single thing that happens not usually you're not having to report it to someone

afterwards in terms of like to be written up so sometimes you do get objects or any of you ease who sometimes are talking you're like oh okay what you're saying isn't really very interesting or very helpful to me so I have to kind of find a way to spruce it up in a sense but you can't technically just write things that are really technically true but this is a very it's a lifestyle article in the women's magazine the women's part of the daily male yeah but is it called the women's magazine. It's called female. Yeah, there you go. So I had a quick, very quick browse through that and I was like, okay. Yeah. Interesting. Interesting pond. I don't know who it's aimed at because I don't know many people who are age who would read the Daily Mail. No, it's older people.

I can't wait to read the female magazine part of the Daily Mail. Yeah. I never missed that. Yeah, it's definitely older people. Do you know what I thought to myself, no one's going to really read this like who reads newspapers anymore. That's also why I signed up to it. I was like, oh, it's a bit of fun, like, no one's really going to see it. I found out afterwards that 600,000 people still buy the paper daily mail every day. I was just going to look that up there, 600,000. Yeah. I was like, oh, did not realize because they're all older people. They're not obviously people are rage. So we forget that there are millions of people in the UK in they're what 80s whatever still buying paper newspapers yeah no you're right you're right

yeah exactly they're not our age they're like all the grannies still buying they'll be it'll be nice then they'll be less um they'll be less harsh on your your trousers and uh and my i don't know what the i think a younger person with my friends saw that i don't know if anyone's going to see this because like around me because i haven't shared it anywhere really i've to see in the photo i told my friends i had to in the photo i was like uh i've told everyone i know george i just think it's really funny okay maybe i'll take a picture and put it in the group chat later you have to i did it immediately just like obviously the trousers okay and obviously what she's written but it's just funny yeah yeah it's true yeah but i hear what you're saying like i was thinking to myself our date wasn't

interesting from the spectacle of journalist like it was just a nice meal and we got on so what was there to really say about that so obviously it just had to spruce it up a little bit no it's true it's true i'm trying to think of something because i was like obviously obviously will want something interesting so i'm like oh god was that interesting and i'm like oh no maybe i wasn't Maybe I could make up something interesting for it, but I couldn't think of anything. It was just on the spot because you didn't say, I'm going to call you at 2 o'clock. It just kind of, you just called me and I was like, oh, okay, I just had to get on with it. So I could have maybe helped her out a bit with something, but no, I mean, I just, I was just honest.

And I think what was the bit we, we both were confused about the South London bit. Yeah, this is at the end of your one. He's right at the bottom, yeah. Yeah, would your friends and family like her? My family, yes, but my friends is a bit trickier. They're very northern and Serena is very South London. Yeah, I have no idea what South London means. I'm sure you could tell me what South London means.

Well, in your context of how it's written, I think that means I'm a bit posh, but I'm really happy to be described as very South London, because I am very South London, but like in the context of London, being from South London is like you're a bit common and if you're from North London, that's like that. Right. Yeah, I know very little about the different parts of London and what that means. I've seen like a couple of reels where people act differently and like from like a corner shop or something. So everyone, I can, I understand that's, that's as much as I know. And whatever, whatever Dave puts in his songs, that's about I know about. Yeah.

But did you say, oh, my family would like her, but my friends, like, they're a bit trickier. Oh, I just kind of said, like, I'm just trying to think of when my friends have met people. They're just very welcoming. Like, my friends are just couples. Yeah. Like, when I go, if I have brought a girl to a, through an event or something, a couples thing, right? Like all the, like I said, I told you, there's eight friends with eight, eight long-term relationships when I go to, when I go to parties with them. So it's a bit like, I'm the.

17th wheel. So I do bring someone, it's like, oh, oh, there's a change. There's someone new and they kind of, it's like a big topic because you just used to see in the same girlfriends and boyfriend. But it'd be nice. I mean, they're very nice people. I don't know. I don't really know why. On the 17th wheel thing, so that in the draft Sam sent me, I said that and that was in the draft. I was like, oh, because she asked you know, what did you guys talk about on the date? And I was, oh yeah, we did talk about how they were quite similar. in terms of like in our friendship groups we're the single ones and we joked about being 17th will that was in the draft version but then she deleted that bit oh that's a good thing i thought

that should be yeah that was a bit i actually agreed with in the draw one of the few things that i was like that was accurate yeah that's that's quite a unique thing so yeah that got cut and then yeah for the last question on me would your family and friends like him yes definitely he's kind sweet-natured that he's kind and sweet-natured that he'd been let down by two of a woman but still was open-hearted and positive enough to meet me for a date tells you a lot now yes definitely that was an exact quote that's how i answered the question which i was like yeah of course my friends and family would really get on with him like i think he's really kind and then the let down by civil woman thing she just made that bit up but yeah i'm reading that as like he's still like two dates he's

like, oh, I can't take another heart. I can't take another failure. I'll never date again. Yeah. It's not that dramatic, man. I know. When the first draft that she sent me, how I read it, I was like, oh my God, she's made me sound so desperate.

Like, this is awful. That's not how I said things. I was really, like, panicked about it. She's made me sound a little bit less bad in the real one, but, like, still not ideal. Yeah, I like all the capitalization as well. Yeah. A bit extra.

I am the least capital better person ever. So for me, that's quite funny to read. Yeah, it must be the daily male style. I guess so, or just the female part of the. Yeah. Is there any other ones that stand out to you? I mean, I actually haven't seen all your, I haven't seen any of your answers before. I know, same.

Yeah, we didn't talk about our answers prior to it. because i thought let's keep it accurate but then it's yeah now i'm looking at it let me just have a look i mean i like i'll take some of these compliments for sure handsome handsome is a good one always i did say that to her that's true nature is nice i like that's very it's very nice yeah i'm glad it came across like um yeah bled neck split in i know that but i was like what because she asked me so how did you sat down yeah she said how did you guys sit did you sit up at each other like what happened and i was like oh no george was it was like a corner booth thing you were sat down and i sat down in the corner booth as well like you you had a bag on the chair didn't you

yeah well that's the that's all you never really have a big heavy bag with you on a date yeah exactly so i sat there she did not have me very simple question like how did you guys sit she's then wrist it wrote in it yeah i slid in next to the corner booth and he guided me through the menu and was like so hey yeah and also i was like you didn't guide me through the Like we both just looked at the menu. We read a menu. We read a menu. Yeah.

And she wrote, oh yeah, because George dined alone previously. You didn't dine alone. You bought a friend review. Yeah. I want people to know I have friends. Yeah. Like when you got to sit there in the corner and, you know, poking around a stake on my own, looking long and lay out the window.

Yeah. And like, I don't know why she wrote that because she knew that you know you've been friends with you when you came last time. Exactly, yeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. What are the other bits? Oh yeah.

Discover we both love traveling and said maybe we're going a European day trip together. I'd love to fly somewhere for 24 hours and George is up for it. Like, it's true that we did talk about that. But TBC. TBD. TVD. embarrassing moments I spotted I had something stuck between my teeth and the loo that just looks like you're just like oh I don't know anything just put anything down

yeah but I did say that I did go to the loom and I was like oh my god I got something on my teeth that's so annoying yeah I mean I couldn't think anything yeah did sparks fly I said I don't know I'd say neither of us were flirting it was a date between strangers so hardly surprising they weren't any overt romantic, sexual romantic vibes. My generation is a slow burn. George and I got on brilliantly, though. Now, I can dissect you what's true in that quote. Please do.

Yeah. So I don't know that bit's true. That's how I answered the question. I didn't really know how to answer it. And she asked me, were you guys flirting? And I was like, oh, like, I can't think of, you know, something that was like really flirty. But I did, and I did a bit's true as well.

I said, obviously, we're strangers, we just met. and we're just put into this situation. So, like, you know, we're just getting to know each other. And then she asked me the direct question, were there any sexual or romantic vibes? And I replied and I said, no, because I didn't know how to answer it. So she then wrote there weren't any over sexual romantic vibes. My generation is a slow burn.

She just made that up. I didn't say that. I didn't know that. I was like, what? We're the same generation. Yeah. George and I got on brilliantly though, that bit's true. I didn't phrase it like that, but you know what I mean?

I said we got on really well and yeah, it was a nice date. Okay, I'm going to answer your one. Sparks fly. Yes, eventually. Council, yes. I mean, that's a bit much. It's easy. Serena was nervous, but then relaxed.

She even touched my arm once or twice, to EMPS has a point. The vibe was pretty cool between us. There was definitely a bit of flirting going on. Okay, let's talk about this. That last sentence, I don't know. Yeah. I did say, I was like, well, I need to give us something. Yeah.

Like, oh, well, yeah, we felt like, you know, there was, we were, we were getting on very well. I said it wasn't too direct, but it was, you know, maybe just bubbling under the surface or something kind of thing. Yeah. That's kind of where I went to that. I don't know. The last bit again, yeah. I had some journalistic play, well, so.

Yeah. Yeah. Because I can't remember that. we flirted not really that much i mean now think about i wish i had done a bit more just to just because it was i kind of thought of it like i'll get there and be like okay this is obviously very random but it's just like relaxed completely and just like don't worry like don't think it's like a real a normal day thing it's just something that's like yeah like i'll go for it a bit more just relax you know just it was more just like you said it's you don't

it's a complete stranger so you have to kind of feel your way in I agree just to be in someone's presence so you genuinely do not have never never would ever meet probably yeah yeah no for sure it's not really my personality to like be really flirty and to be like that straight away I never yeah I've got to say full stop actually I'm not really like flirty I think I'm quite bad at like picking up signals if someone flirts with me as well, I need to be like slapped on the head. Yeah, sometimes, yeah, I'm the same. A lot of boys get that early when they're younger, actually. Like teenagers and like around 18 and stuff like because you haven't, you don't really boys will famously not ever understand women and girls. So we have no idea what's going on for a long time, even probably all the time actually. Yeah. A lot of the times we'll just be like, We won't even be just like, oh, they're being nice and then blend your click like a good day after you're like, oh, no, I could have, they would have been, maybe they were being a bit nicer than I thought and stuff. So yeah, it's, I could be the same. Yeah, for sure. Okay, see him again. I hope so. I'd really like that. We were together for two hours and had a warm hug goodbye. There was no kiss though. Sorry. Still, George asked me for my number and we've been in touch since.

What I said here was, I was like, yeah, like, I'd like to see you again, but he lives in Liverpool and I live in London. That whole bit was completely neglected from the article, the fact that we don't live in the same place. And I was like, yeah, she asked me, how long do you spend together? I was like, it was about two hours. How did you say goodbye? I said, we hugged. And she's written a warm hug goodbye. And she asked, did you kiss? I said no. She's written, there was no kiss, though, sorry. Yeah, so you're going like, hey, well, what can you do? What can you do? Yeah, that was weird. Still, George asked my number. I said that we've been talking on Instagram, but again, I think older people that are reading this article wouldn't understand that, so she's written number. And we've been in touch since.

I'm going to read your one. See her again? I'd like to. Yes. Serena wants to do a 24-hour trip to European city, so maybe that option is our crazy second date. When we left we had a hug goodbye Maybe we could have kissed But I wasn't sure about making a move to do so

If it was a longer first day Then I would have I'll be in London again in the new year So watch this space Watch this space That sounds like a threat doesn't it Yeah Yeah I mean

I don't know about Again the second half of that maybe Yeah Like I said she's just put Like I mentioned the trick thing And she kind of perked up like Oh that's probably the most interesting thing I said about, you know, potentially doing something crazy like that.

So I was just on with the tagline as well, so I just got very excited about when I said that throwing it in. But no, I guess, I don't know, with first dates, I would feel a little, a little strange when it gets to sort of physical part. I mean, some people you can tell maybe a little bit more open to it. Obviously, there's like a lot of physical indicators and stuff and people like looking times and stuff like that. And we'll touch your arm and stuff like that a lot more. But that comes with more like, if you've, you'll have spoken to this person, you know, like on text and then you would have maybe called or FaceTime. So when you get to there, you know, you kind of all, you kind of like, oh, how is that? How's that thing the other day that you said you're going to do or whatever?

You already have like kind of a pre sort of set foundation. So there's like a bit, there's like, that's like taking you. And then when you meet you personally, it's like, you can split up to a little bit because you've already met, you've already kind of met them, you know, virtually. So that's why it was different. Yeah. I agree with what you've written. Well, you didn't write this, but I kind of agree with it. Yeah, if it lost, if we did have more time to get to know each other, like went to a pub, whatever afterwards, who knows?

Maybe we had more time. But, and I agree with it's also true. I did touch your arm. That is true. And we did hug goodbye. That's true. But I just thought for the first time meeting someone, it's nice. just to, I think, hug and just leave it there

and then just see what happens next? Yeah, I'm quite, I would never sort of force a move. I'd always kind of... So, like, you'd want me to force the move? No, no, I mean, I've been like, sometimes I've been like, like, I won't know what's happening, like, I'll probably do a bit late sometimes with that type of move.

Like, I probably do that times I've done it, and I'm like, I'm just kind of like, after and I'd be like, oh, I could have done that like off an hour going? It's like, yeah. I'm like, oh, okay, sorry. I'm quite, I don't want to make a mistake. You know what, though? I think that's better.

Yeah, I don't, I don't want to be the, the people, if you just jump in and it makes me feel awkward or it makes the whole thing awkward or or something. I'd rather stare on the side of caution. And yeah, and obviously I'd wait for like the greenness, the green lights. I wouldn't, I wouldn't look for half an opening. I'm very like standoff vision. But I think that's nice.

It's good to have a build up. Like, if then me as the girl here, like, I really want to kiss someone and I'm like, oh, I'm like, oh, I'm going to be kind of the longer it goes on for, the more exciting it is, in a way. I did have one case where after a second date, like, the first I was like, oh, it's okay. I shouldn't have seen them again, actually, just a second date and I think about it. On this date, he actually annoyed the hell out of me. We had dinner.

And then he tried to kiss me at the end. and I swerved it into a cheek kiss. I did not want to kiss him. Yeah. Oh. Yeah. That's the only occasion I can think of. This is to reassure you that actually most times you know there's a vibe and it's never

going to go wrong really. Like that's the only time where I was like, I don't know what vibe you've picked up on because I don't like you. You're annoying me. No, for sure. I'd hate to feel on that side of it. I'm sure that. I can't really think of a time.

I mean, it sounds very quite arrogant to say. I don't remember the last time I was rejected when I threw a kiss. That sounds very arrogant. No, but that's normal. That's more because I don't jump in. So that's why it's not happened. And most times I will just ask. I've asked at certain times because I still don't know.

I love that as well, actually. I love it. A couple of times as well, guys. can I kiss you? And I'm like, oh, I love this. I like being asked. Yeah, that's a good move, I think. God, it's so hard these days, man.

Yeah. I hate the word it and the it culture. You're scared to do anything these days. Everything can be like, oh, my God, you did this. And I'm like, oh, is that a bad thing? Or what did I? I thought I was very difficult. So it's like, oh, my God, he asked me.

And he asked me to kiss. I was like, no. I like that. When that's happened to me, I thought, That's really sweet and I've enjoyed it. But I think with the top ick thing, that's the thing you can't overthink it. You have just got to be yourself and the right person won't find it an ick. Yeah.

Oh, yeah, that's true. Okay. And at the end of the article, we both gave a nine out of ten. I was really relieved that we gave the same. Pretty good score. I mean, nine's good. Yeah, I was relieved. So I was like, if he gives me a lower score than what I've given him, I'm going to be

so embarrassed. You know what? I completely forgot she asked about a numerical sort of summary. I completely forgot. I just saw it and I was like, oh, I thought that, yeah. Like, yeah, no, it's good. It's a nice, I like the, I like the tagline at the top. I think they're funny.

And I like the vital statistic and I do like the box at the bottom. Those three I do like. Yeah. And that's true. I did say that I thought you were handsome. And I did say, I wish we took a selfie together. Oh, right, yeah. Yeah.

I completely forgot that. I was like, oh, we definitely should have taken a photo just because it's so funny. But we forgot, didn't do that. I did say coffee. Coffee or cab. Again, I didn't really know that meant, but I was like, actually did she ask me that question? I don't think she asked me. No, I don't think she asked me. She just wrote that.

Must just be a thing they put at the end. Yeah. I don't know what cab means. It's cab mean to go off together to where, to go home. I think oh I think it means like after the day are you going to stay for a coffee or are you going to go home right yeah and we'd be at a cup of tea didn't me yeah I guess so yeah so I guess that that's fair I'll allow that and yeah yeah I think it's pretty good overall I'm not gonna lie it's quite funny to see it I do wonder if anyone like I have a lot of friends in London. I don't know if anyone has bought the date email on that specific day and read to that

page. I highly doubt it. The chances of it are very, no one's messaged me. So I mean, in general public, no one's probably... Yeah, no one our age is buying the paper and seeing this. Yeah. I do buy the paper or get the paper when I go to London or long journeys. But that's it. Yeah. Like I say, it's a rare occurrence. Yeah. Now I've got it. I was like, oh, do you know what's actually quite enjoyable to read? Like the front page. Confessions of a cheating husband at Christmas. I have to read that. Toxic.

Love that stuff. That's a bit deeper than a blind date, though. I don't know where they get these things from. I know who's the cheating husband writing into the Daily Mail? Yeah. Do you know what? I cheat and I want everyone to know about it. So here's my story.

Yeah. There are a lot of toxic things in this paper. So I overall, I was like, oh, do you know what? It's just like a novelty kind of like. Yeah, no, for sure. I imagine that the mom's absolutely, they get a kick out of it. It's like OK magazine stuff and things like that. This is very much in that wild, isn't it?

Yeah, for sure. But yeah, the question everyone wants to know, are we doing a 24-hour trip to your? I mean, it sounds crazy. It does. Very doable, but I mean, it would have to be, I don't know how that works, like how that actually works. I'd fly from the north

and you probably fly from London so it did have to be like flights that are kind of similar tide it's not to figure out yeah it is logistic difficult but it sounds cool it does

yeah it is logistically difficult isn't it it does sound cool it might not be but you'd have to it would probably be because obviously there's like so many more flights from London

so for you it's great yeah for me it'd be more difficult but I guess you just have to pick like a relatively popular close destination and I'm sure it would be fine. Ones where there's plenty. There's always flights going out. It's not too far.

It's very much just like around the top of, you know, like France and Spain and things like that. Not too long on a flight. It is very doable. It'd be very cool. I've never done anything like that before. Yeah. And so I've not done that before in terms of this like day trip situation. It's called extreme day trips where you just like fly somewhere.

Yeah, I want to do that. I've done that before, but I have done like solo trips and travel quite a lot. Obviously, I'd say it's easier from London to travel quite a lot. But yeah, we did talk about on the date, how in general I was like, I want to do this day trip, but you just like fly to Ibiza or fly somewhere in Europe. Okay, TBC. Now, let, I wanted to talk to you as well in general about what's it like dating, where you live. Yeah, no, we discussed this in real.

Yeah. It's interesting. Like I said, being the 17th wheel and have been for like five years, it's been very interesting. So I'm used to kind of just dating on my own, in my own little world, because usually you would have friends involved in your dating, you know, you go out with friends or you, maybe would date together or you would,

someone would find you a date for a mutual friend or whatever like that. I don't really have that, never really had that. So I've kind of always been a very personal fan, all of my own kind of experience. And like I said, I live kind of in the sticks. It's just happy families and dogs and all that type of stuff and fields here. It's not completely out the way, but it's, you know, it's very much settled down country. So a single, I used to go out quite a lot, sort of early 20s around here. My friends still used to go out at that point as well.

I haven't really gone out around here for like years really. I mean, I kind of just date people from like Liverpool and Manchester, which is at least 30 minutes away and then longest probably be like an hour. So I do have to venture out quite far to meet people because obviously more single people are in the cities. So it is, it can be, it can be quite difficult. There are times when there's maybe like a, there have been times this year when there's been a bit of a lull, maybe where it's been like a month or two where there's not really anything happening. But if I haven't gone out in these two months, then I'm just been relying on like online stuff and yeah that's very hit and miss so i yeah at times it has

been it can be difficult but you just have to kind of commit to a bit travel and obviously it's them as well like people have people have come to where i live like they just still have driven here like an hour or something or to be fair i love i can be quite lazy i a lot of times i've kind of made them come to me mainly because i'm alone here rather where they've been like they live their family or something or they live with it's nice for them to come to a place they can just be like relaxed so in that sense yeah it's not like i make everyone drive to me i'm not some kind of fairly crazy arrogant person who's like you must come to me but we spoke about that and i forgot i didn't say this but if we i asked you oh what would you normally do for a first date then

and you said oh um i feel like sometimes i might invite someone to mine and cook I was like, oh, really? In my head, I was like, oh, it's a bit of a red flag. I wouldn't go to someone's house for a first date. What can I say? I'm a sweet bog. Yeah, you are, clearly. I was like, oh, wow, okay.

Yeah. No, I like that. I've done that for a bit of a while, but no, I enjoy it. It's very relaxing because where I live is really quiet. It's so quiet. It's just like in a state, but it's like a nice. nice to stay and it's really quiet so it's a it's a very if i could like show you that before you'd come like this is what it's like then you would probably be a lot more open to it it's very like low-key

and then i've had to i mean i have had people like i felt like you and i'm not like convincing but i'm just like okay this is what it'll be like it'll be very chill like don't worry like if you don't want to we can go and happily to go out anywhere and do whatever you want but this is a This is also a good option. You know, you'll be very nice and relaxed and the man of our words, so, you know. Yeah, I told you that was my like tiny red flag from the day. But say it tiny didn't affect me but I just thought, oh, like I wouldn't do that. Did I have any red flags?

Uh, not really, no. You're very, you're very, just, you just were very nice and very, very fun to be around. and I don't really know red flag. I mean, no. Yeah, having a podcast about dating. No, that's just cool, isn't it? I mean, it's interesting because no one has one. So, yeah, I should have positive of anything.

Yeah, thanks. And I say your only baby red flag was the, yeah, what you do for a first date, have someone around. I was like, oh, no. But like you say, it's different. I don't know what it's like where you live. in London that is obviously like a lot of cool things to do so you know yeah i just wouldn't go if someone wanted to do that so it's very easily solved right up okay yeah i don't know how many

people in london live on their own or make people vanish for an evening if they live with people like go away strange danger yeah that's the thing i do live alone but yeah i think it's probably somewhat common that people live in flat shares what are your red flags in general i mean i need someone is kind of very sweet generally so I don't really I don't know but it's probably Mootron Road Falk just come from like my last relationship really so it's no I don't want to be with anyone to I don't know I don't really know how to it's hard to describe it really I just like someone sweet and kind and if they're not that then we're probably not going to get on in the long term yeah someone not too stressy or like too kind of crazy like kind of

just overly like stressful in nature some people can be always worried about something or they talk like the sake of talking and stuff like that and I need someone who's a bit more just more composed a bit more relaxed and just someone who can and someone who's like very um who's like independent as well like how it has their own like can can do things on their own like can be okay like with life you need someone who's always like you need something because this I've had experiences where people like need you all the time or like and I'm just like can you like could you just sort this yourself like it's you'll be okay like you'll need to get you something back can you

just you can just do that like I don't need to come half an hour out of the way to take you to somewhere to 20 minutes to then drop you back off and then I've had to like put work on hold in the middle of the day sometimes without type of stuff I'm just like I can't like keep just saying like lying to a manager like oh I need to go and check on my grandma or something like 40 minutes like is it okay like after over after a certain amount of time it gets like you know you run out of excuses on us for that type of stuff but the thing is you did it so you didn't say no to her well no i'm like i told you whatever woman wants it you just say yes to so happy wife happy life yeah for sure that's a green flag there's limits to that though

eventually can't say yes to everything yeah no that's a green flag happy wife happy life Yeah, you were saying you kind of need someone to be like independent and you don't want them to be allowing you one of the time. We're talking afterwards, after I'm at the blind date, about sort of dating older ladies. Is that kind of partly why that kind of appeals? I guess so. I think about like when that has happened this year, Jesus, yeah, they were very much on that part of the scale. You know, solo travellers, yeah, has business side business or has something they're doing all the time outside of work or they've moved, we've lived in different places in the world or country or whatever and get shit done, you know, just get stuff done, you know, just all the time. That's kind of how it's been.

I guess when you get to a certain age, if you, if you're not like in your mid-30s and you've, you don't know how to do that, then I'd probably be a bit worried. um in general but no this that's what it that's what it has been in my experience but i just like the old i don't know why the older thing really attract it's it is attractive it's just that's what i was saying i was like oh i think i'm too young with you you need someone like i'm like older older no no every guy's fantasy seems to be like a 45 year old why why is that i don't know i think it's just very sexy if they've just, they've been like, you know, maybe they've had a marries, it was like, they've been with a man and maybe, you know, didn't, didn't, uh, didn't, like, you know,

was, there's an attentive to her and, uh, hasn't appreciated her. You know, they're, they're like, they're sort of lonely, uh, kind of drinking the red wine, one glass of night type of thing. And you're like, that's attractive. Yeah, you know, they need some, they need some, uh, attention and loving. So you can come and be what they need. and you know give them a lot of

you know compliments and things like that but I just think it's very sexy when like someone looks after themselves as they get older yeah like they look like they look so good at like 40 or 45 or 50

because they've like worked out a lot or they've you know they're committed to like the body and stuff and that's very important to be like health and fitness and things like that I'm not saying you have to be like a high rock champion or anything if anything higher rocks would be a nick

for some reason I don't know why it is it yeah people who do it. The people I know do it. It isn't it, for sure. Yeah. But no, I just mean like, they're yoga and things like that. It's very big now for everyone, which I'd love to start at some point.

Yeah. But yeah, it's, uh, yeah, it's very, it's very cool to look after stuff. That's the most important thing, you know. Yeah. I kind of want to be this really hot, 45-year-old couple in like 18 years time. Yeah, well, like, you'll be 45, she'll be 70. No, she'll be, she'll be 38 when I'm 45. 45 oh so you're going to swap around right so right now you want to wait have you been with

someone who's like 45 no no okay yeah but you're like you're like you're aiming for 45 like eventually um but then when you are 45 you're gonna swap no obviously when you look to settle down that's kind of um you kind of a lot of girls settle when i settle down a bit earlier i don't know if the trends change in a bit more now and you're kind of a bit more waiting waiting out for kind of that a lot of people want to do their own thing first and then find sort of to settle down afterwards yeah that's kind of where i'm at but a lot of people or girls are sort of get around 27 and kind of be like oh married and then you know a couple years later than kids and you're going to be kids around 30 and things like that so they kind of have a their plot goes a bit quicker

i guess than i think guys so you can't i imagine someone around 28 when i'm when i'm ready which will be sort of middle 30s that's kind of what i what i envisioned it makes me of a sense to me, but again, it's not a street thing and anything could happen. Yeah. Across the years, so. It could. It could. It's funny, I don't care about age at all.

It used to, so if you know on Hinge, obviously you set your age parameters. I don't have Hinge anymore, but are you in any dating apps at the moment? Well, we've been through this, didn't we? Yeah. Band on Hinge. Oh, yeah. Which is very hard when you don't live in the city. you don't live in the city so that was kind of a big obstacle to date and that was like

three four months ago yeah you've been blacklisted again that's a bit of red flag i guess so on paper if i but like i can say i plead the innocence i have to plead innocence i don't know what happened i just went on one day it was just like your band i was oh great okay thanks what for and they don't tell you what for you they just give you like a copy and page feel of like a i don't know where they get it yeah that's rogue okay when when you when you weren't banned from Hinge, what was your age settings? Probably like 21 or 22 to like 55 or something. 55?

Well, it was just, you know, aspirational. You never know. Aspirational. Yeah. I'm just curious. I just wanted to see what was out there. Oh my God. What was out there?

Nothing because I don't know. I don't remember seeing anyone over the age of it was 40 maybe. I don't really know. I can't even remember. Yeah. Not really. I don't remember to you many people. Yeah. And I'm not a hinge driver anymore, but not because I was banned. I chose to leave. But my age settings was 24 to 40, I think. And I'm 30. Before, I feel like I wanted, I put 27 as my like lower age. But then I ended up meeting someone like in real life organically who turned out to be 24. And I was like, oh,

We actually got on really well. And like, obviously I didn't know your age. He didn't know my age because we met organically. So that made me open my mind to be like, I don't think age matters at all. I think you just meet someone and if there's a vibe, there's a vibe. No, sure. I agree.

Yeah. Oh my gosh. Okay. Right. Do you want to answer a dating dilemma or two? I'd love to. Okay. Thank you.

We need the male perspective here. Right. Ghosting. This one's all about ghosting. Hey S. Jam, I need your help. This might be one of the worst ghosting stories ever. I've been ghosted after dating someone for six months, and I'm really struggling to understand it.

Things had reached a point where it was clear that I wanted the relationship to progress. The last time we saw it ever, it became apparent that we might not have been on the same page. What's confusing is that he was always the one pushing for. for us to meet. I'd stay at his place, we spoke every day, and the last time we saw each other, we were even talking about plans for the following weekend. Instead of talking it through like adults, he's just completely ghosted me. I'm feeling really confused and hurt. Ghosting after dating someone for six months is really disappointing. What do I do? Yeah, what are your thoughts? That is harsh, yeah. I mean, it's a long time. I mean, it's kind of

happened to me technically this about two months ago but it was it was very different that was very different to just we were talking about like not speaking anymore basically so it was kind of like the end was coming just didn't know when the end was going to be okay and we were both fine with that but the last like two weeks communication was very like not great and I think she just went all right I'm out like I'm I can't bother so and then she just can't I just got blocked and went WhatsApp Oh, okay. Fine.

I don't mind. Like, we did say we're going to stop anyway, so that's fine. But in this case, I mean, after six months and you're planning, she's planning for the, he's planning for the next weekend and he goes to that, that could be only, that could be like, guys are very fickle, they freak out sometimes about little things and sometimes we get a little bit. It could be like, it, sadly it could be somebody else, maybe that popped up and he was like, oh, well, maybe, maybe I didn't realize I could be with someone.

else and they could just jump shit because guys can be bad times like that. What to do about it though? I mean, I'd just come from them. If you can't get them to like reply to you, then I'll just leave it because he's going to ghost you with no reason. Then it's clearly not a very nice person. I never ghost anyone even when at, even with standard messages on Facebook or anything. Like I will never just air it.

I'd always have to leave a reaction. A little thumbs up. Yeah, just to let them know like, oh, okay. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, because when I picture, like, seen him red, I picture someone picking up the phone and going, dropping it and just like leaving it, like, almost disgusted that you've messaged them kind of thing. So I feel mean about it. So leave, leave the guy.

Don't worry about him. If you can't try one more time to call and or text or like organize a talk. You can't then just, just leave it. It clearly is clearly not, it's clearly not a person you're going to want to be with me. No. I think after six months, That's completely unacceptable and like really, really hurtful. So you obviously don't want to be with someone like that.

Like that's just wild behavior. The least he... Yeah. Yeah. Talk and, yeah, have calls and whatever else happens. Exactly. The least he could do is just explain, hey, really sorry. Like, you want things to go a bit further than I want to.

So I think we should stop seeing each other. That's all he needs to say. You know, it's nothing crazy. Well, yeah, that's harsh. the world, it's a cruel world out there in dating world. That's brutal. And I think that is one of the worst worst ghosting stories I've ever heard. So if you're out there listening, yeah, yeah.

Have you got a worst ghosting story than being ghosted after six months? Let me know people right in. DM me help I swipe dry on Instagram and let me know your worst ghosting stories. okay next dilemma and probably the last dilemma that we're going to do today okay what do you think about exchanging contact details after meeting on a dating app so I had a really great first date of this guy and we've got a second date coming up the thing is he's not asked me for my contact like my number in between these dates and we keep talking within the dating app what are your thoughts on this wow okay I guess you're looking you want

the dating up to get off the dating up onto another app like you kind of like you kind of establish a like they're not a weirdo and the nights and the normal and you attracted them already because you've swiped on them so you're looking to talk to them yeah the all the time that the apps aren't great for like notification things and you want to speak to them in a normal speedy manner so you'd get them on to like WhatsApp or something and yeah kind of where you like the official starts of like you know getting a getting a date set up or whatever that's kind of what i see as yeah i think it's odd that you've been on the first date and you didn't already exchange numbers before the first date like you say

usually you would but i have had that once actually i did go on a date with someone from hinge and And he didn't ask me for my number prior to the date, but I was, oh, okay, whatever, met him at the location, we had the date. And location, the restaurant. It was a brunch date as well, which is but unusual, but, you know, find me a nice brunch. Then, yeah, after the date, he didn't ask for my number or anything. He was like, we'd love to see you again. He's messaging me on Hinge, and he's still not asked for my number or anything. And I just didn't see him again. I kind of love to. just letting it fizzle out, because I just thought, this is odd. Oh, for sure. But also, if you don't have their details on there, then they can very quickly just leave you. Yeah. You know, they can just unmatch you and then you've got like no trace of them.

Yeah. I would say to this person, if you really like him and you're excited for a second date, just give you your number. Like, if you actually really want to see him again, just be like, hey, by the way, is it easier to talk on WhatsApp? Here's my number and just, yeah, like, go to it. Like in my case, I wasn't like super keen in the situation. So I was like, I'm fine just to leave it.

But in your instance, if you want to see him again, definitely just give him your number and stop messaging on Hinge. It's weird. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Okay. We're going to wrap up the episode. Thanks for helping with my dating dilemmas. Thanks for sharing your honesty about our blind date experience.

I'm coming on the podcast. Of course. Any time. Yeah, yeah, you're welcome back. I might get you on. We had a chat didn't be about other ideas, what we can talk about, other dating topics. Yeah, I had loads of random ideas. Like one just came to me in the shower, just like dating rapped a year. Like Spotify wrapped. Like Spotify wrapped. Yeah, I made a dating rap that I put it on TikTok, so we can compare dating raps if you want. God. Yeah, for sure. All right. Maybe. We'll see.

I would probably take a bit longer than yours. Yeah, all right. Really? All right. After this podcast, we'll chat about other episode of it is. But for now, thank you for coming on Help High Swiped, right? Thank you everyone for listening. I hope you enjoyed this episode.

Please share some love. Rate it at five stars. If you're enjoying it, share your friends. Check out the article on Daily Mail. Do you want a shout out? Do you want people to follow you on Instagram? If you want to Yeah

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Thank you for coming on Thank you for listening everyone And I'll see you next Sunday