Blind date: ‘She tells a great story. One of them is ripe for an eight-part Netflix series’
Hywel on Leah
What were you hoping for?
To feature in one of the follow-up Blind Date articles about couples who get married and live happily ever after.
First impressions?
Really fun. Leah was five minutes late, but told me she’d actually arrived half an hour early – so went to the bathroom to listen to a podcast!
What did you talk about?
Palliative nurse TikTok. Nightmare housemates. The respective skills we could offer in a post-apocalyptic world. Deconstructed cocktails. Our dream meals.
Most awkward moment?
Leah found a few bones in the fish, so I had to avert my eyes while she dealt with them.
Good table manners?
Impeccable. She was up for sharing, which is always a big plus, and very adventurous in trying scallops and snails for the first time.
Best thing about Leah?
She tells a great story. One of her sagas is ripe for an eight-part Netflix series.
Would you introduce Leah to your friends?
100%. Hopefully they’d succeed where I failed – in getting her to breach her non-disclosure agreement for the TV show she’s currently working on.
Describe Leah in three words
Confident, curious, creative.
What do you think Leah made of you?
She seemed shocked I wasn’t on TikTok. Aside from that, hopefully that I was a pleasant enough person to spend an evening with, and that I knew my way around a wine list.
Blind date is Saturday’s dating column: every week, two strangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, and then spill the beans to us, answering a set of questions. This runs, with a photograph we take of each dater before the date, in Saturday magazine (in the UK) and online at theguardian.com every Saturday. It’s been running since 2009 – you can read all about how we put it together here.
What questions will I be asked?
We ask about age, location, occupation, hobbies, interests and the type of person you are looking to meet. If you do not think these questions cover everything you would like to know, tell us what’s on your mind.
Can I choose who I match with?
No, it’s a blind date! But we do ask you a bit about your interests, preferences, etc – the more you tell us, the better the match is likely to be.
Can I pick the photograph?
No, but don't worry: we'll choose the nicest ones.
What personal details will appear?
Your first name, job and age.
How should I answer?
Honestly but respectfully. Be mindful of how it will read to your date, and that Blind date reaches a large audience, in print and online.
Will I see the other person’s answers?
No. We may edit yours and theirs for a range of reasons, including length, and we may ask you for more details.
Will you find me The One?
We’ll try! Marriage! Babies!
Can I do it in my home town?
Only if it’s in the UK. Many of our applicants live in London, but we would love to hear from people living elsewhere.
How to apply
Email blind.date@theguardian.com
Did you go on somewhere?
We stayed in the restaurant till they practically mopped us out of the door, and then I had to dash for the last tram back to south Manchester.
And … did you kiss?
Just a quick hug at the tram stop.
If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be?
We would’ve had more of the gougères – delicious baked savoury choux buns.
Marks out of 10?
A very solid 8.5.
Would you meet again?
We didn’t exchange numbers, but it turns out we go to the same yoga studio, so perhaps our paths will cross again during a vinyasa flow.
Leah on Hywel
What were you hoping for?
Friends kept teasing me, saying they hoped I’d meet my future husband. I tried to ignore them but ended up hoping for Mr Right.
First impressions?
Sweet and polite. He seemed a slightly fancy, typical English boy. Not Welsh, which I’d assumed from his name.
What did you talk about?
Anything and everything! We covered what we each do for work. Where we’re from. Societal collapse and the skills we’d need to survive it. Death and regrets – he works for a bereavement charity.
Most awkward moment?
When I had to discreetly spit fish bones into a napkin.
Good table manners?
Yes.
Best thing about Hywel?
He seems warm. Not enough people appreciate how much a warm, kind energy can bring.
Would you introduce Hywel to your friends?
Yeah. There weren’t any red flags.
Describe Hywel in three words.
Warm. Jumper. Glasses.
What do you think Hywel made of you?
Hopefully he was charmed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he thought I was nosy or odd.
Did you go on somewhere?
We stayed until the restaurant closed and just walked back into town, then dropped him off at the tram stop.
And … did you kiss?
No, just a hug.
If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
Maybe my expectations. I let a lot of people get into my head and built up a picture of who this man could be.
Marks out of 10?
7.
Would you meet again?
We talked for hours, so maybe as a friend.
Leah and Hywel ate at Climat in Manchester. Fancy a blind date? Email blind.date@theguardian.com
