Finding love is a shot in the dark. At least it certainly was for
Gareth Miles, a Young Turk from AMV BBDO, who decided to moonlight on a
spot for Richard & Judy's new show, appropriately named Blind Date.
Unlucky-in-love Miles bravely volunteered to be a guinea pig for the
feature and was whisked off in a sleek Mercedes-Benz to glamorous Stoke
Newington to meet the lucky lady, Janie Morgan.
However, a "wacky" TV show lateral thinker at Channel 4 decided to take
Blind Date literally and our intrepid Cupid and Morgan spent a few happy
hours at a restaurant getting to know each other - in complete
darkness.
"It was pitch black - but as a planner it's my job to grope around in
the dark", Miles says brightly. Er, quite.
Although even a starving dog might have turned its nose up at the
cuisine - cold Chinese food from the local takeaway served by a waiter
wearing night goggles - such mundanities didn't dampen the star-crossed
lovers' evening.
And upon returning to the studio, our young suitor was correctly
identified in a line-up by his date. Since then, sparks have flown, with
the two even having gone on a private date. Aaah.
More success for Richard & Judy than our Cilla, then. But is this man
normally lucky in love? "Obviously, I 'm not that lucky if I have to go
on TV and sit in a dark room," Miles retorts.