In sickness and IN HEALTH

When Zoe Sumner Welch applied to be on a television show, a bit of fun soon turned into so much more...

- ASHLEIGH PAGE

I really never expected to find love when I filled in an online application for a reality TV show. I just thought it would be a bit of fun, and at the very least, a memorable experience. It was December 2019 and after sharing a few bottles of wine with some work colleagues after my job staff training at a bank, they jokingly suggested I apply for C4’s First Dates. At 29, I’d never been in a relationship before and had never even been on a date. But a few months later, I found myself in a restaurant in Manchester, sat opposite a man I’d never met, with cameras all around us. As far as first dates went, I knew mine, whatever the outcome, would definitely be a memorable one.

Mike Sumner, then 36, like me, had applied for the show on a whim, as a bit of fun. He had the brightest blue eyes, a friendly smile and was very smartly dressed. He was easy to talk to, I almost forgot about the cameras filming us and I knew straight away that I wanted to get to know him more. It wasn’t love at first sight, but there was definitely a connection between us. And when I showed him my party trick – downing a whole pint of beer in seconds – he was so impressed he swore loudly. And I liked him even more.