First Dates couples who found love including mum-to-be who was pregnant during show and pensioners united after tragedy

A LOT of TV reality shows claim to help contestants find long-lasting love, but one that definitely has a winning formula is First Dates.

Channel 4’s longest-running dating show kicked off nine years ago in June 2013 and boasts at least 15 romances – including five weddings and three babies.

Channel 4Zoe Welch and Mike Sumner met on First Dates two years ago[/caption]

BBCThe couple are now engaged – with Mike proposing recently[/caption]

The latest couple to get engaged are Mike Sumner, 38, and Zoe Welch, 31, who met on the show two years ago.

Mike – who suffers from Motor Neurone Disease – proposed to Zoe after he was given just five years to live, and said she’s part of the reason he keeps going.

But Mike and Zoe are by no means the only couple to have found love with the help of Fred Siriex, as this lot prove…

Greig and Shaun

smiffy78/TwitterIt was second-time-lucky for Greig when he met Shaun on First Dates[/caption]

smiffy78/TwitterThe couple announced their engagement at the end of 2017 and married a year later[/caption]

It was second-time-lucky for Greig, who was rejected by his date John the first time he appeared on First Dates.

He went on to be matched with Shaun in Series 8, with the episode showing their first meeting airing on June 20, 2017.

Greig announced their engagement in December 2017 and they married a year later.

Sharing the news they were married, Shaun tweeted Fred and other members of the First Dates team: “Can’t believe it was two years ago today you introduced me to my date who’s now my amazing husband. Cant thank you enough. Love you guys!”

Doreen and James

Channel 4James and Doreen fell in love immediately when they met in 2017[/caption]

TwitterThe duo are still going strong[/caption]

Viewers fell in love with Doreen and James, 87, when they appeared on the show in September 2017.

He emotionally opened up to his date about the loss of his beloved wife and his passion for writing poetry.

She then told him that her husband had run off with a younger woman after 46 years of marriage.

The couple are now still happily together after James invited Doreen to visit his rose garden.

Adam and Dan

adamanddan/InstagramAdam and Dan met on First Dates in 2014[/caption]

adamanddan/InstagramThe pair got engaged in 2016 and are saving up for their dream South African wedding[/caption]

The couple were paired up on the show back in 2014 – and it was a case of love at first sight.

The bearded pair returned for the show’s Christmas special to talk about how loved-up they were.

They then got engaged in 2016 and are saving up for their dream wedding in South Africa.

Hema and Ajai

aj_kalia/InstagramHema loved everything about Ajai when she met him – apart from his moustache[/caption]

aj_kalia/InstagramHe’s since got rid of the tash – and they got married in 2019[/caption]

This cute duo met on First Dates in 2016, and it wasn’t exactly love at first sight – mainly due to his handlebar moustache.

But after Hema’s initial trepidation, the pair got on well and agreed to another date.

Ajai has since ditched the tash, and after getting down on one knee, the couple married in a romantic ceremony in Mallorca in 2019.

Will and Fran

Channel 4Will and Fran melted viewers’ hearts when their date aired back in 2017[/caption]

frangarrettlevy/InstagramThe couple got married in June 2021 at Iscoyd Park[/caption]

This pair warmed viewers’ hearts when their date aired in April 2017, and both admitted they had been single for pretty much their entire lives.

After chatting about their love of tweed, they agreed to another date – and have been together ever since.

Three years after their first date, the couple announced their engagement.

They enjoyed a romantic post-lockdown wedding on June 19th last year at Iscoyd Park.

Steve and Lyn

Channel 4Lyn and Steve met on First Dates in 2018[/caption]

Channel 4Steve was there when she gave birth to her donor baby[/caption]

Former Royal Engineer Steve and army medic Lyn were very open with each other from the start when they went on First Dates in 2018.

Steve spoke about his ongoing mental health issues, while Lyn revealed she was six months pregnant with a donor baby.

Steve was extremely understanding, telling her: “Whatever’s going to be here then I’ll embrace it all.”

And he did, as he was by Lyn’s side when she gave birth to her little boy Jaxon-James.

The pair both keep a relatively low profile, so it’s unknown if they’re still an item.

Elan and Cindy

Channel 4Cindy and Elan met on First Dates in 2017, opening up about their families[/caption]

elancohen/InstagramThey got married in September 2021 – after two cancelled wedding dates[/caption]

Elan and Cindy were introduced in 2017 and opened up to each other about their families.

Elan explained how his mum had depression, while Cindy told him about her mum having an inoperable brain tumour.

Their date went well, and not only are they still together, but they are married, having tied the knot in September 2021 after two cancelled wedding dates due to Covid.

Ibiba and Aarron

CHANNEL 4It was pretty much love at first sight for Aarron and Ibiba on First Dates[/caption]

RexThe First Dates couple were the first to welcome a baby together[/caption]

Smitten pair Ibiba and Aarron met on the show in 2016 and immediately fell in love.

Less than a year after meeting on First Dates, they returned to the restaurant and announced they were having a baby.

The pair welcomed a little girl called Aziza on April 22, 2017.

Dan and Lauren

Channel 4Dan and Lauren dated different people on the show before finding each other[/caption]

laurenxleonardx/TwitterThey ended up together after meeting in a bar[/caption]

Dan and Lauren didn’t technically meet on First Dates – but they’ve both appeared on the show.

Lauren was on Series 2 and Dan appeared in 2017.

Luckily neither of them liked who they were paired with, and they ended up going out with each other – after meeting in a bar.

They’re now engaged and have two children together, a little girl and a little boy. 

Dave and Sara

sarablonstein/InstagramDave and Sara immediately hit it off in the First Dates Hotel[/caption]

sarablonstein/InstagramThey now live together[/caption]

When Dave entered the First Dates Hotel in the second series, he warmed everyone’s hearts.

He admitted he was scared as he hadn’t dated anyone since 1991 – as he’d been with his wife for 22 years before she died of lung cancer.

Luckily, he was paired with Sara – who was perfect for him.

And they’re now living together.

Sarah and Phillip

Copy MediaSarah and Phillip met in series six of First Dates[/caption]

Sarahdransfield/InstagramThe couple now have a dog and are traveling the world in a camper van[/caption]

Sarah and Phillip met in series six of First Dates – and are still together now.

Sarah was 21 when she appeared on the show, and moved viewers when she shared that she had suffered from bone cancer aged 16, and lost her leg due to it.

At the moment, they’re traveling the world in a camper van they bought, having recently been in Dubai.

They’ve even got a dog called Paddy, named after the First Dates producer who set them up.

Vanessa and Julien

Channel 4Julien and Vanessa met at the First Dates Hotel[/caption]

Vanessa and Julien met on the second series of First Dates Hotel.

And, very romantically, they returned to the show for series three, so that Julien could propose to her.

After having to rearrange their wedding due to Covid, the couple got married in August last year.

Charlie and Laura

Channel 4Laura and Charlie met on series six of First Dates[/caption]

FacebookThe couple are now engaged[/caption]

Actor Charlie and Laura met on series six of First Dates – during which Charlie pulled out a guitar and serenaded Laura.

The couple are still together, and embarked on a year and a half of travelling after their TV appearance.

They’re now saving up for their wedding, having got engaged in 2019.