First Dates: Shropshire's Leah tells how programme helped her in search for love

But despite getting on with her date and agreeing to see him again, they never actually ended up meeting up.

However, the 34-year-old HR adviser, from Market Drayton, said she enjoyed the experience and it had helped boost her confidence. So much so, Leah has been dating someone else for seven months after they met online.

First Dates sees selected singletons looking for love head to a London restaurant to have dinner with a blind date.

At the end, the couples are then interviewed together and asked whether they would like to see each other again.

Leah, who dated 37-year-old Andy from Middlesbrough, said: “I genuinely went on the show looking for love. I believe Mr Right is out there for everyone.

“The date went really well and we hit it off. We have been through similar things in the past – we are both one of four, have gone through bouts of depression and have a similar sense of humour. We are both quite traditional and laughed through the whole thing.

"At the end of the date when they interview you it is a bit awkward but we both said we would like to see each other again.

“On the train journey home he texted me thanking me for a lovely date and said we had to keep in touch. We texted each other for a few days but then we didn’t keep in touch.”

Leah said she later met someone else online and has admitted she is very happy with how things have been going.

“He is 35 and from Telford and we have been dating for about seven months. The rest is history,” she said.

“I don’t like to jinx things but it has been so far so good and I would like to think we have a future together.”

Leah applied to go on the show at the beginning of the year and appeared in the episode shown on October 23.

“I would definitely recommend it. It was a good laugh and I wish Andy all the best. After a lot of bad dates and relationships taking part in the show has been good for my confidence,” she added.