A HAIRDRESSER has not ruled out going on blind dates in the future despite failing to find love on a TV dating show.

Spencer Lynch, 22, of Clayhill Road, Basildon, owns and runs Dolls and Dudes salon, in Felmores End, Pitsea.

He applied for the popular Channel 4 show First Dates earlier this year and said he was very shocked when he got the call to say he had been selected to appear.

First Dates is a British reality television show that has aired on Channel 4 since June 2013.

The show is narrated by Brian Protheroe and filmed at a London restaurant, with the restaurant’s maitre d’ Fred Sirieix offering pieces to camera on the nature of love, romance and dating.

The hairstylist said he applied for the show as the idea of a blind date really appealed to him.

He added: “I applied earlier this year as I was sick of being single. I had been single for about three-and-a-half years.

“I am no longer single but I am not in a relationship with the guy I met on the TV show.

“I applied online for the show and then I had to send in a video of myself and the show got in touch.”

Spencer met Joe, a 23-year-old hairdresser from Bristol at the Paternoster Chop House restaurant in central London, where the programme was filmed earlier this year.

Spencer said: “The date went really well, Joe was funny and he made me feel quite relaxed during the date.

“There was nothing wrong with him at all but after the date it just sort of fizzled out really.

“We live such a long way apart and I am very busy with work as I only recently took over the salon.

“We text each other now and again.”

Spencer said he has never been on a blind date before but he would consider it again.

He added: “I really like the idea of not knowing anything about the person that you are going to meet.

“There are and were no preconceptions when I went on First Dates and you can meet someone that is from out of the area and it’s not the same old people again.

“I have been online dating for some time and it’s just the same people.”

The salon owner said he didn’t feel as if he was being filmed during the date.

He added: “We just sort of got on with the date really. Family and friends all watched it and said they enjoyed watching it.

“I did watch it but I didn’t like watching myself on TV. I found it all a bit strange and weird to be honest.”