Fred Sirieix gives his verdict on Love Island – and explains why First Dates is different

"There are a couple of TVs in the house. There’s one right in front of me in the kitchen surrounded by a cabinet and shelves, cook books, bottles of wine – and weights. I have tennis elbow, so I’ve got to do some rehabilitation. Getting old – being 53, going on 54 – is the problem!"

How do you stay active?

"I still train. Yesterday, I did 40 minutes of shadowboxing and skipping and all sorts of boxing exercises. It’s such a good all-round workout. If I’m travelling, I can do it in a small bedroom. Two square metres is all I need!"

What have you enjoyed watching recently?

"I’m watching a lot of gardening programmes – Alan Titchmarsh and Monty Don. I love getting into the serenity and peace of gardening. It really does wonders for me. It’s a constant source of satisfaction and joy.

"One thing I don’t watch much of at the moment is the news, because it’s doom and gloom and gets me completely depressed. As long as I’ve watched it once a week, I know what’s going on."

First Dates is back for its 24th season. It’s been hugely successful in its 12 years, with loads of weddings – and babies. Do you get invited?

"No, I don’t get to go to the weddings! Our job is to put people together and then it’s up to them to live their lives. We have so many daters and so many weddings that I wouldn’t even have time to go to them all! I love weddings though, especially the speeches – and the vows are always really beautiful."

In February, you got married to Fruitcake [the name his wife goes by]. How is wedded life?

"It’s been very good! The wedding took so long to organise. It was so much work and there were so many arguments and tantrums, but it was amazing! We spent a week in Jamaica and had drinks for everybody on the beach two days before with Red Stripe and jerk chicken. Then the wedding happened, and then we had another party two days later. It was very small, lovely and intimate."

What’s the most romantic thing you've ever done?

"I can’t think of anything more romantic than our wedding, but last year, it was Fruitcake’s 50th, so I organised a surprise trip for her in the South of France, going around Nice, Cannes and Marseille. It was beautiful."

You met Fruitcake when you passed her on the street in Peckham, London. What did you do on your first date?

"We went to a local place in Peckham and had some bar food. There was lots of eye contact and smiling. It was really electric and supercharged, because we were so attracted to each other. We were on fire… and we did kiss on the first date!"

Did you worry that you wouldn't meet the right person?

"Of course! When you go through a break-up, you think the sky is falling on your head and you’re never going to find love. We all have back stories and baggage – things that didn’t go so well, things that are constantly nagging us at the back of our mind because we’ve been traumatised by this or that. All the people in the First Dates restaurant want another chance at love. We can all relate to it, because we’ve all been there. But… Fruitcake said yes!"

Do you watch other dating shows?

"I quite like Married at First Sight – and Love Island! It’s a different generation; a different kind of show. What I like about First Dates is that it’s the show of love. It’s real and has noble intentions. Nobody’s going on it saying, 'I want to just have a one-night stand!' First Dates is entertaining, but we’re very serious about it. We are not here to make fun of the daters – our one objective is to match these people with the right person. It’s a real responsibility, and people trust us."

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