Laura on ITV's Dinner Date series 2 - the run-up

25/04/11
-couldn't post on the above date :(

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Well... it's been a few weeks since my house became a TV set, but it still crosses my mind a few times a day! 'I'M GONNA BE ON TV!!' that thought drives me crazy sometimes, I actually cringe when I think about watching myself when it comes on! I don't regret it though...yet!! : )

The process..


Applying:
I applied in November 2010, I saw it on ITV's website after applying for 'Take me out' (that was unsuccessful!). At the time, I had only seen Dinner Date once, so thought that the girl was always the one visiting guy's houses for dates - I later learnt otherwise!!

The call:
I received a call from Hat Trick (production company for Dinner Date) ON MY 25th BIRTHDAY - 24th Jan 2011. The guy I spoke to said that my application was one of the best he had seen and we had a phone interview. I talked his ear off and joked around so knew it went well! I found out I may be a 'host' on the show which would mean I would have to cook for a guy (aaaah!) I was apprehensive but thought, lets just keep going and see what happens!!

On camera interview: 
OMG! I had gotten to the next stage and they wanted to come to my house, with a CAMERA!! Apparently this was to show the producers when picking the applicants. I was sooo scared!! It was all becoming real! They came over on the 2nd February in the evening and it lasted about an hour.

the little camera he brought

The guy asked me loads of questions about relationships, food etc. and afterwards said I did great! So then I waited...

So did I make it?
OF COURSE I DID!!
I received a call a couple of weeks later saying I had been successful and that I was going to be a host (gonna have to cook!), and that they would be filming w/c 7th March! I was actually pissed off coz that gave me TWO WEEKS NOTICE! I had sooooo much to do! I straight away booked 3 days off work, and planned how I was going to get ready to cook a 3 course meal for a stranger in TWO WEEKS TIME!!!

Preparation
So.. to name a few, I had to practise cooking (my lucky house-mates got to be critics),

here's me practising my chicken on the weekend before filming

decide on outfits, buy a date outfit (this took a while!)..
Here are a FEW (and I mean just a few) of the contenders:

I really liked this one, but I wasn't meant to wear all black

this I liked also, but I already wanted to wear a pair of black shoes; they
wouldn't have went obviously

Really liked this one, but it wouldn't fit me properly!

The final decision, I was REALLY happy with!!

the final choice in my kitchen :)

I also had to buy kitchen equipment, a DINING TABLE, alcohol, food (twice!), clean the house etc.etc.
My dining room had to be TRANSFORMED!
This is my mum helping me clean the night before!

that table wasn't even there before - had to buy it!
LOVE MY MUMMY!

Grenada flags represented and the front-room looked good in the end!

crazy transformation!

So..it was a STRESSFUL couple of weeks (to say the least!), I spent LOADS of money and only got £50 in return!! oh well! I had fun! That night, I was so excited, I didn't think I would be able to sleep - I slept soundly! That's tiredness for you!! : )