Blind date: ‘I ducked under the table to put my shoe back on and he thought I’d left’

Ashley on Eva

What were you hoping for?
Someone to go along with my hare-brained schemes, and open all the links I send.

First impressions?
Beautiful, intriguing and confident.

What did you talk about?
Her appearance on Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Her dad performing his own arm surgery. Guys who don’t ask questions on dates.

Most awkward moment?
The selfies we took were deliberately bad, for a joke that never came to fruition ...

Good table manners?
Elbows on the table.

Best thing about Eva?
She quickly made me feel at ease and comfortable.

Would you introduce Eva to your friends?
I think they’d have more in common than not.

Describe Eva in three words.
Funny, charming, girl boss.

What do you think Eva made of you?
She kept her cards close to her chest. So, I’ll assume she hates me.

Did you go on somewhere?
Nope.

And ... did you kiss?
I would never kiss on a first date.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
My passion for rollerblading didn’t go down too well.

Marks out of 10?
10.

Would you meet again?
She said she’d “think about it”.

Blind date is Saturday’s dating column: every week, two strangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, and then spill the beans to us, answering a set of questions. This runs, with a photograph we take of each dater before the date, in Saturday magazine (in the UK) and online at theguardian.com every Saturday. It’s been running since 2009 – you can read all about how we put it together here.

What questions will I be asked?
We ask about age, location, occupation, hobbies, interests and the type of person you are looking to meet. If you do not think these questions cover everything you would like to know, tell us what’s on your mind.

Can I choose who I match with?
No, it’s a blind date! But we do ask you a bit about your interests, preferences, etc – the more you tell us, the better the match is likely to be.

Can I pick the photograph?
No, but don't worry: we'll choose the nicest ones.

What personal details will appear?
Your first name, job and age.

How should I answer?
Honestly but respectfully. Be mindful of how it will read to your date, and that Blind date reaches a large audience, in print and online.

Will I see the other person’s answers?
No. We may edit yours and theirs for a range of reasons, including length, and we may ask you for more details.

Will you find me The One?
We’ll try! Marriage! Babies!

Can I do it in my home town?
Only if it’s in the UK. Many of our applicants live in London, but we would love to hear from people living elsewhere.

How to apply
Email blind.date@theguardian.com

Eva on Ashley

What were you hoping for?
An evening of fun chat in an air-conditioned room during a heatwave.

First impressions?
He seemed shy and a little nervous. I felt bad because I was slightly late.

What did you talk about?
Psychiatry. Conspiracy theories. His love of rollerblading (a big bombshell). Football (he’s Man United and I’m Arsenal, which was a huge issue).

Most awkward moment?
I ducked under the table to put my shoe back on and he thought I’d left.

Good table manners?
Yes, except he didn’t know what orange wine was. He was into pale rosé though – huge plus.

Best thing about Ashley?
He’s a doctor and seems smart.

Would you introduce Ashley to your friends?
Yes, if they ever need advice on rollerblading hotspots in London.

Describe Ashley in three words.
Honest, chatty, sarcastic.

What do you think Ashley made of you?
He said he enjoyed the date. He called me a “hardballer” who “takes no fools”.

Related: Blind date: ‘I felt flustered at times – in a good way’

Did you go on somewhere?
To the tube station.

And ... did you kiss?
We had a friendly hug and a wave.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
Another bottle of wine and some more tiramisu, but I had an early start.

Marks out of 10?
6.

Would you meet again?
I think as friends but I’m not sure the spark was there for me.

Ashley and Eva ate at Bar Jackie in Soho, London W1. Fancy a blind date? Email blind.date@theguardian.com