First Dates sparks equality row

FIRST Dates ended up as cursed dates last night after one diner refused to split the bill because she is a woman.

Marilyn Monroe lookalike Elle, 30, seemed to enjoy her meal with 38-year-old fireman and dad of three Marc.

But when it came to paying the bill, she promptly handed it over declaring: “Oh we need to pay the bill, can you just pay the bill?”

Stunned, Marc asked her if she was giving it to him, to which Elle replied: “Of course I’m giving it to you, I never pay on dates, why would I?”

On their date

She continued: “Come on, I’ve been hot and fun.”

Elle then offered Marc a contribution of £30 towards the £136.69 bill.

She said: “I understand your situation, you have to feed babies, of course, I’m gonna go halves – well not halves,” before asking: “Do we get more tequilas?”

Bemused Marc then asked if Elle felt she didn’t need to pay because she is a woman, asking: “What, we’re not equal? We’re equal when you want us to be!”

Sulky Elle then downed her wine before getting up to leave.

First daters

Elle’s attitude on the Channel 4 show sparked a frenzy on Twitter, with Katie Louise Watson writing: “As if she told him to order more drinks and desserts and then just handed him the bill straight away #firstdates.”

Jenny Thompson tweeted: “Always split the bill. It ensures that neither party feels obligated to do anything they are not comfortable with as repayment”, while Fern Berry wrote: “That lady on First Dates that was mortified the guy wanted to split the bill, I’m embarrassed for you.”

Charlotte and Geo

Meanwhile joker Geo, 19, returned to the First Dates restaurant hoping to find love with Charlotte – an 18-year-old “glamour puss” from Blackburn with “the finest set of eyebrows north of the M65”.

The pair hit it off and Charlotte, who revealed she is about to begin a university degree in forensic psychology and criminal justice, didn’t seem deterred when Geo admitted he is “not the brightest spark”.

‘Not the brightest spark’

But the evening took a dramatic turn when Geo revealed he once had a promising football career before he was nearly killed after being knocked over.

He said: “I died a few times in the ambulance, then I was in a coma for a time.

“And the doctors told my parents to get the family ready that I was gonna die. Then I came back to life and I was chilling. And I’m alright now, nothing wrong with me.”

Thankfully his revelation didn’t dampen the mood, with Geo later declaring Charlotte was “very fit” and “a bit of a treacle”.