If you’re anything like us, First Dates is one of your absolute guilty pleasures.
There’s nothing that can quite beat watching two strangers on their first date, exchanging flirty glances and awkward conversation as the pair get to know one another.
And as the Channel 4 show will soon air a celebrity special – including Gogglebox’s Scarlett Moffatt and TOWIE’s Jess Wright – we were excited to hear Kellie Maloney would be amongst the singletons.
However, we will not get to see the former boxing promoter’s blind date because her dinner date felt “uncomfortable about appearing on the celebrity episode”.
A source told the The Sun: “He [the date] had no idea when he signed up that he would be matched with someone transgender and so well known.
[She [Kellie]’s really disappointed about what has happened and she’s deeply upset that he was so shocked about her being transgender.”
However a First Dates spokesperson has now released a statement after reports suggested that Kellie’s segment was dropped because the man was uncomfortable with the fact she’s transgender.
“Kellie’s date told the production team he was open to being paired with a transgender person, however after the date ended he felt uncomfortable about appearing on the celebrity episode,” they told The Mirror.
"Duty of care to all contributors is of paramount importance to the First Dates team and after due consideration of the concerns he had raised, the decision was made not to include this date.”
The 63 year old underwent sex reassignment surgery last year, following her public announcement in 2014 that she is now known as Kellie.
The Celebrity Big Brother star opened up on Loose Women in April about how she has started dating again after years of being single.
However, Kellie is still unsure as to whether or not she will have sexual relationship with a man.
Speaking to Andrea McLean, she said: “I’m not sure if I want that [sex]. I’m going through chapters in my life, the first was accepting, the second is going out as Kellie and the third is do I want someone in my life?
“I think it’s very hard for a trans person. I think, ‘I don’t want to embarrass you and I don’t want to embarrass myself’ so I stop.”
The Celebrity Special of First Dates will air on Channel 4 later this year.
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