What Cilla Taught Us About Dating

The late great Cilla Black was celebrated as a real life cupid and was also known for her devotion to her husband Bobby. Here are some of the things that we’ve learnt from Cilla and her work.

Your opening line is crucial

If Blind Date taught us anything, it’s that your opening line can make or break your chances of getting to know someone. On an online dating site, you don’t need to boldly introduce yourself to a live studio audience, but the process is just as important. With thousands of profiles to chose from, people often make a decision from just one line about whether they should bother to read on.

Your opening line should summarise who you are and shouldn’t be just a generic ‘I don’t know what to write’, or ‘I’m new to all this’.

Looks aren’t everything

On Blind Date the potential dates were chosen by what they said rather than what they looked like. For online dating, it is advisable to add a photograph, so that people know who they are talking to, but it is not essential. If you think that only super gorgeous model types succeed on online dating dates, then you’re wrong. There really is someone out there for everyone, so don’t be afraid to add a photograph to your profile, even if you’re not confident about your looks.

Start small

When you go on a first date, try for something casual and brief, like going for a coffee or a drink at the pub. Blind Date sent the contestants off for weekends together, while it’s modern successor Take Me Out sends couples off to a sunny island for a holiday. Both situations tend to be too extreme and too much, too soon.

True love exists

If you’re wondering if all this dating malarky is worth it, then Cilla’s own relationship shows that true love does exist and is worth working for. Cilla found her perfect match in Bobby and they were said to be inseparable until his untimely death.