It’s hard to stand out among the crowd in shows like Geordie Shore and Married At First Sight Australia, but Vicky Pattison and Lucinda Light managed to do just that.
Vicky, 37 – who tied the knot with Ercan Ramadan, 41, in not one, but two lavish ceremonies last year – rose to fame on Geordie Shore back in 2011. Meanwhile, Lucinda, 44, had her own ‘wedding’ on MAFS 2024 but failed to find a romantic spark with her TV husband Timothy Smith.
Now, Vicky and Lucinda have joined forces for a brand-new reality dating show called The Honesty Box, where there’s only one rule: tell the truth.
How do you feel about the dating world right now?
Vicky: I think dating is the trenches. I’m so grateful I met Erc, but before that, I got a taste of how the dating world was going, and it’s f**king grim. With apps and social media, and fewer people meeting organically, it’s really hard to meet someone and have an honest, authentic connection.
Are you on any apps, Lucinda?
Lucinda: No, but I’ve dipped in and out over the years. I get a bit lazy meeting [people]. I don’t like the insatiable appetite that there’s always something better. This swipe, swipe, swipe, is too much.
Have you ever caught a partner in a lie?
L: Oh yeah!
V: Have you seen my track record? Jesus Christ! But who can honestly say they’ve never told a lie? I remember I told a fella of mine – I’m so embarrassed – that I could drive. I was about 21 and wanted to impress him so much. And he was like, ‘What car do you drive?’ And I just went, ‘Mini Cooper.’ I’d never passed my driving test. We ended up going out for about three years. As far as I’m concerned, to this day, he still thinks I can drive.
Did he never ask you to pick him up?
V: Luckily, I was under my ‘drunk-brella’ a lot of the time. So, I got away with it by saying, ‘I’ve had a drink, mate.’ Obviously now, I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on because I’m boring.
What are your tips for a first date?
V: Oh God, I always cry. I’m like, ‘Tell me about your childhood!’ I’m terrible. All the basic ones, like, ‘Don’t get too drunk’ and, ‘Don’t neck on on the first night.’ I do all of that.
L: Be authentically you. Keep it light. Use your sense of humour. Have some fun, and be a bit flirty. You want to get to know them and see what they’ve got to offer. Being vulnerable is a great one. And don’t eat garlic, maybe.
Have you ever left a date early?
L: I have, politely.
You haven’t snuck out?
L: Oh no, I wouldn’t do that!
V: She’s too nice.
L: I have my moments. And Vicky wears her heart on her sleeve.
V: To be honest with you, a lot of my 20s is just a big blur of necking on with people I shouldn’t. But I do love love, I’m a hopeless romantic.
L: In my 20s and 30s, I fell in love easily. It’s not so easy in my 40s. I’m a little bit more selective, and also, they’re a little bit more selective.
How important is honesty in a relationship?
V: There are a lot of lies told within dating – some little white ones, some great, big, dark, horrible ones.
L: That’s the scary bit.
V: It is. It’s a shame, because, as we discover in our new show, if you want proper connection and to really get to know somebody, you do have to be honest, warts and all, and it’s hard.
L: It takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable, even when it’s difficult, but there’s a beauty in that.
Will The Honesty Box help daters become more truthful?
V: People already want to be more honest. They want a more genuine connection, and I think they want the dating space to just be more authentic in general.
L: The daters in the show are up for the growth. They want to lean in and tell the truth. It’s a roller-coaster.
V: I love it when reality TV shows give you the full spectrum. I want to cry, I want to laugh, I want to think, ‘Oh, God, that was so spicy!’ It has all the trappings of a really great reality TV show. Plus, you’ve got gorgeous bikini-clad babes and hunks.
L: Oh, they’re all babes.
V: Who doesn’t want to watch a bit of sun-drenched gorgeousness? Not to be dramatic, but I think we’re revolutionising the face of reality TV. There it is! That’s the tagline.
The Honesty Box starts airing on 28 April on Channel 4.