“I actually applied as a joke… but we’ve been together ever since!” Nicole’s First Dates story

I actually applied for First Dates as a joke. It was back in June 2023. I found myself single and a friend of mine said I should apply to go on some shows. I said the only show I’d ever do would be First Dates because it’s just one episode. You have a nice meal and then you’re done – it’s not like committing 12 weeks of your life to go and do some silly TV show.

Over a year later, I got the call. By that point, I’d completely forgotten I’d even done the application, so it really took me by surprise! To be honest, the timing was actually perfect. 

They said they hardest part was actually matching people. They had lots of great applicants, but they had to find someone suitable. I tried to keep the whole thing fun and not take it too seriously. 

It was all very last minute in the end. On the Monday before, they rang and said, “We’ve got you a date – can you get to Bath this weekend?” So I had about four or five days to plan what to wear and get myself organised.

Honestly, I have to give so much credit to the producers, runners and crew. Everyone was incredibly attentive, really friendly, and communication was excellent. The whole day felt really smooth and it was all handled very professionally. 

When they walked me over to the restaurant, that was the moment it really hit me. They were like, “Ok, Nicole, are you ready? Cameras rolling, 3, 2, 1, off you go” – and suddenly I was walking down what felt like the longest corridor I’d ever experienced. Fred was there at the end, took my coat, and led me to the bar.

Fred immediately made me feel at ease. Merlin chatted with me as well and asked the classic question: “So, what are you looking for?” I think they do that partly to help settle your nerves.

People always ask whether it really was a blind date, and it absolutely was. I didn’t know his name, what he looked like, or anything about him beforehand. It really is exactly how it looks on TV – you meet for the first time in the restaurant.

From the moment Matthew and I met, the conversation just flowed. We had so much to talk about. The first thing we bonded over was Thailand because he’d recently been and so had I. From there we talked about travel, our jobs, family, music – it was just constant conversation. There wasn’t a single awkward moment. We completely forgot we were being filmed.

The food actually went cold because we were chatting so much. At one point I even went to the bathroom and quickly FaceTimed one of my friends just to say, “I’m having the best time.” Then we ended up moving to another seating area for dessert and kept talking there. I think the date lasted over two hours.

I made sure to talk about CF when applying. After Kaftrio, my health improved so much that I suddenly had this whole new outlook on life. I wanted more travel, more freedom, and to grow my business. So when it came to dating, I really wanted someone whose vision for the future aligned with this new chapter of my life.

I also really wanted CF to be part of the show. I wanted the conversation around CF on the show to be positive. And I wanted to show that people’s understanding of CF may be outdated and that the future is much brighter now. So when the producers asked whether I’d be happy to talk about it on the date, I said absolutely. 

I think the younger me would have loved to see someone with CF on telly speaking about it openly and honestly. It would have made me feel less alone and more understood. I hope for parents of children who have been newly diagnosed that it offers a sense of reassurance. Those early years can feel filled with fear and uncertainty, but there is also so much hope. That’s why it felt so important for me to share this – to show that with new modulators and ongoing advancements in CF care, the path is changing. The future for those living with CF is becoming brighter, fuller, and full of possibility.

I had a few different plans of how to bring CF up on the date. At first, I thought I’d mention it when I took my Creon before eating. I said, “I hope you don’t mind, I’m just going to take some tablets before we eat.” But he was so polite that he just said, “Oh yes, that’s absolutely fine,” and didn’t ask any questions. So that option disappeared. Eventually, I linked it to my business and said: “One of the reasons my business is called Breathe With Ease is because I have a life-limiting condition that affects my lungs. I have cystic fibrosis.” That felt like the most natural and gentle way to bring it up.

I have a sentence I always use to explain CF: “I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it or know much about it, but I was born with cystic fibrosis. I take daily medication to help maintain my health. It doesn’t just affect my lungs – it also affects my pancreas and digestive system.” Once I’d said that, I could see him understand and feel more comfortable asking questions. 

The lovely thing is that, since then, he’s really made an effort to understand it. Just last week he actually came with me to a hospital appointment and learnt a lot more about CF there.

It’s been really lovely. We actually updated the First Dates team in August to let them know we’re still together, and they were so pleased. Hopefully they’ll include one of those little updates at the end of the episode. It’s all been really exciting, and we’ve got lots of lovely things planned for the future as well.

First Dates airs on Channel 4 at 10pm on Friday 10 April.