Two Blind Date contestants may not have found love on the programme - but have found the perfect match together.

Warren Root and Antonia Galbraith appeared on different occasions on the hit show - but Cilla didn't manage to find them love. However, Cupid struck when the cameras weren't rolling.

The couple filmed separate shows in July last year, when Antonia, 21, from Chalkwell, picked her date, and 27-year-old Warren from Rochford, was picked for his.

But neither date came up to scratch, and when the pair met in a Southend nightclub, they realised they were meant for each other.

Warren said they had already met briefly before Blind Date, but love arrived after the show.

He said: "The first time we met we had an argument because Antonia's friend was arguing with mine, but then we bumped into each other a few weeks after the filming, and we talked about the show.

"We started seeing each other properly at the end of November when Antonia's best friend Alice exchanged our phone numbers when we were in Adlib in Southend."

Hairdresser Antonia's Blind Date episode was screened in December, when viewers watched her unsuccessful trip to the Seychelles.

She said: "My date was a nice bloke and really sweet, but not the man for me. He was a bit of a drip, I've had more excitement watching paint dry."

Warren, who works for Central Fire Protection, will reveal details of his date in Russia on Saturday, although he said they made a pact not to be nasty to each other in front of the cameras.

He said: "She was very abrupt - she wore fake hair and was very full of herself. We got on all right, but I ended up getting on better with the film crew because all they wanted to do was drink vodka."

Neither are strangers to TV shows - Warren appeared on Denise Van Outen's Something For The Weekend as White Van Man.

Antonia appeared on Don't Do This At Home when she walked across a lagoon full of crocodiles.

The couple have also reached the giddy heights of local fame. They claim they regularly get stopped when they are out on the town.

The pair claim corny questions and bickering on Blind Date are trumped up and stage managed.

Warren said "They play you off against each other when they get you back and say the other person has said things about you."

Antonia added: "It is all set up, all stage managed."

LWT spokesman Julia Engleman said the claims were completely untrue.

Perfect match - Warren and Antonia

Picture: STEPHEN LLOYD

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