Blind date ANT
It’s evolved into a really wonderful thing Friends say I’m no longer a grumpy old man
Usually, we send a couple of strangers out for dinner and report back on their blind date.
But, this week, we decided to give you an update on a previous Blind Date couple who are still seeing each other two months after they met.
anthony Hollingsworth-Ellary, 59, is a commercial drone pilot working for the film industry, and also consults part-time for a charity in IT. He has never married and has no children.
Fiona Wager is also 59 and has been single for several years. she is a Pa and loves to sail. she lives in Northampton.
ANTHONY, 59, SAYS:
I caN honestly say that going on that Blind Date has changed my life. seeing Fi again for lunch, it’s hard to believe how much has happened. We have seen each other every week since the first date.
We just clicked. We were in touch the week after the date and, obviously, when it appeared in the paper.
I think ours was such a positive write-up that some people who read it were empowered by it. There was nothing but positive comments.
That night, we had exchanged numbers and, three days later, I was driving down the motorway and just decided to call her on my hands-free.
I was really nervous, but as soon as we got chatting, it felt as right as it had on the date. We had a great conversation and then arranged to go for a drink.
since then, we’ve just kept meeting up and doing stuff together — mostly visiting pubs, it has to be said!
I brought her to a party of a friend of mine and, of course, they really liked her, too. Fiona’s very articulate and engaging, and she can turn her hand to talking about most things.
she is very easy to get along with, and I can’t imagine anyone not liking her. I’ve met some of her friends, too.
actually, we bumped into them in a country pub and, when they asked Fi where we met, she pulled out the Daily Mail article to show them, which really made me laugh. I thought it was so lovely.
We are taking it very slowly. at our age, I’m just appreciative of the chance to spend time with someone so wonderful. and we laugh constantly.
It has changed me — my colleagues say I’m no longer a grumpy old man and now walk around with a smile on my face. What I love is that I have someone to be a couple with: we’ve been invited to a wedding, and other things I doubt I’d be invited to alone.
last week, I even took Fi out to meet my sister — as it was the 15th anniversary since I donated my kidney to her — and they got along great.
she lives so close by that I’ve walked to her house a few times and done mundane things such as helping her sort out her new phone and computer, as well as little road trips to see various country pubs.
Despite both of us being stupidly busy, we always seem to find the time to meet up.
Going on our ‘not-soblind’ date this time, I realised she is still as much of a laugh as she was on the first date.
We went to The Four Pears restaurant in little Houghton, Northampton, which is great and the staff are really lovely.
We both had the goat’s cheese and red onion tart to start then, as usual, Fi went for fish, while I had the sausage and mash. I really love my cheese boards, so we had that after, and this was a particularly good one.
It makes me smile that Fi keeps trying to feed me! If I go round to hers, she’s always offering me a piece of cake or a biscuit. I like it.
I don’t know if this will progress to a full-blown romance, but I tell you what — it’s lovely to have this company. I haven’t been so happy in a long time.
We’ve both been single for a while and have very busy lives, and now we are slowly opening up to each other, so we’re taking it slowly.
I’ve been on my own for so long, and set in my ways, and Fi has been clear that she wants time to decide. Perhaps if we had rushed into things, they might already have fallen apart.
We always, always laugh, and this lunch was no different. We just loved it, to be honest. We have a real rapport going and she is such a lovely lady.
We click, and everything we do is just right.
so, for now, it is a close friendship — but I would like to think that there is a romance there, so we’ll see.
I know Fi’s not as sure as I am, but I’m oK with that. If I’ve only gained a really good friend to form a couple with, I’ve won big time. If it becomes a romance, I’ll have hit the jackpot.
What guy would not want to be with such a beautiful lady?
FIONA, 59, SAYS:
MEETINg anthony has been such a pleasure. Honestly, we just laugh and tease each other mercilessly. I went out with an old ex recently for lunch and I didn’t have half as good a time. ant is so down-to- earth and great company.
We’re very good mates at the moment, and I care about him a lot. We just haven’t taken it a stage further yet. sometimes, at our age, it takes a bit longer.
He’s got such a wonderful character and is so witty — and I think the quality of the company is far more important than anything else.
We had such a fun time on the first blind date that, when ant rang me afterwards, I was really happy to hear from him.
We went for a drink, and we just get on so well that it has evolved into this really wonderful thing.
We’ve gone to country pubs, got the bus into town to see live bands and had some great evenings out. The thing is, we just laugh all the time. one night, we bumped into old friends of mine and I introduced ant and told them we met on a blind date.
I happened to have the article in my bag, as I had been showing another pal at lunch a couple of days before. I’m sure ant thought it was mad! We’ve done things outside the box, and we’re both so busy that it’s great to be able to just come up with an idea and go with it.
I am always busy, out and about sailing or socialising, and am looking for new work at the moment, which takes up a lot of time. In fact, it’s been nice to enjoy this weather and potter in my garden. after 40 years of working, this has been such a lovely respite. That said, I need to get a new job!
has helped me out with IT stuff and nipped in to sort something out on my laptop, so he’s been very good like that. It is nice to have a man around a little bit.
I met his sister recently, and that was fun. It was no mean feat giving up his kidney, and anthony will be on daily medication for the rest of his life, but she is like him and we laughed a lot.
going back on an update date was just great. I had a fantastic time. It was such a sunny day, so we went for a walk first.
at the restaurant, the food was fabulous, and we could take our time to relax and enjoy it.
ant is a good man and funny, and that is worth a lot more than some control freak with pots of money and no sense of humour. He asks me if I’m oK, and I do the same: we look after one another.
It’s made such a difference having someone who has the spontaneity that ant has and to go and do things together.
I really care for him and, right now, that is as a friend. I’ve told him I’m not sure at the moment and he accepts that.
He’s a lovely guy and we have hugs and kisses on the cheeks. I know everyone wants a happy ever after, and we have seen each other every week. We aren’t in a full-blown relationship, as I’m not sure that’s how I feel, but I genuinely enjoy his company.
Perhaps some relationships take more time, with friendship first and foremost. Who knows how it might develop?