South Shields girl to appear on TV's Take Me Out '“ and doesn't expect to be lucky in love

The 28-year-old is one of Paddy McGuinness’ ‘flirty 30’ bidding to bag a date on the popular ITV show.

Shelley Beckett, an on-board customer service assistant for Virgin East Coast, spent two weeks in Kent last year filming the show, which sees a single man fight to keep the girls interested while revealing details about himself.

If he makes it to the final round with girls still keen for a date, he gets to choose one to whisk away on a romantic holiday.

Shelley, a former Springfield Comprehensive pupil originally from Jarrow, said: “I’ve never been lucky in love. I was supposed to be getting married in 2012 and it all went wrong.

“Since then I’ve been single and I’ve been on dates but nothing has come of it.

“I’d applied for the show twice before and never even got an email back, but after the last series when the applications opened again, I figured I might as well put one in.

“This time I got an email asking if I wanted to go for an audition. I started worrying about what people would say about me, but then I just got to a point where I thought I don’t care what anyone thinks.

“I’m young, I’m free, I’m single, and I don’t care what people think.”

Shelley, who lives in Whiteleas, added: “When I went for the audition, I thought there was no way I was going to get on the show. All the girls were gorgeous and with fake boobs, and I thought I’m just little ginger Shelley nobody, and I couldn’t believe it when they picked me.

“I’m so glad I did it, it was the best experience and I’ve made some amazing friends from it.

“I was worried at first that being with all those girls, it would be a bit bitchy, but it wasn’t like that at all.

“It was so much fun and that’s why I wanted to do it.

“I don’t think I’m going to find Mr Right – they even tell you before you start filming not to get your hopes up too much and that you’re probably not going to meet your dream man. I just did it for fun and it was such a laugh.

“Paddy was amazing too – he really puts you at ease and it’s a lot of fun, but I did say a few daft things. He just comes up to you and when you’re on the spot you don’t know what to say. I told one lad he looked like Prince Harry but he looked nothing like him, I just meant because he was quite posh.”

•Tune in to see Shelley on Take Me Out every Saturday at 8pm on ITV, and spin-off Take Me Out: The Gossip at 9pm on ITV2.