Anna Richardson has shared her top online dating tips for singletons looking for love.
The Naked Attraction presenter, 52, explains how first impressions are key when it comes to trying to strike up a romance online and via text messages, and discusses the surprising research that reveals what puts daters off when getting to know someone before a first date.
As she works alongside dating app Badoo in a bid to help the nation's singletons avoid some major mistakes when it comes to trying to meet 'The One', Anna also confirms she is dating once again and currently has a new partner - following her surprise split from comedian Sue Perkins last year.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, the Channel 4 star shares her top tips to help daters make the perfect first impression with potential new lovers, the major mistakes to avoid when online dating and opens up about her own love life - as she discusses her and her new partner's different 'love languages'.
"Interestingly, Badoo have done some really fascinating research about what puts people off when it comes to dating but I’ll give you the three top tips first when it comes to how to get a date," Anna begins when sharing her dating wisdom with us last week.
"Firstly, first impressions count. So you’re not gonna turn up a job interview in your job gear, [implying] that you’re squeezing them in before a work out, so first impressions still count. It’s quite an old fashioned concept but it still rings true," the Naked Attraction host reveals.
She continues: "So technically, if you’re going to texting someone, take care. Proof read what you’re writing - get someone else to proof read too if you're concerned about either your spelling or how it’s coming across.
"In their research - and I thought this was a joke when I first heard it - Badoo have found 69% of daters are put off by lazy messaging! 69!
"So the key message, first impressions count so take the time and effort - don’t rush. Take care with who you’re communicating with."
According to new research by dating app Badoo, over a third (40%) of daters think if someone can’t be bothered to put effort into their messages, it’s unlikely they’ll put effort into a relationship. What’s more, 44% even admit they have - or would - break off a relationship because of poorly written or hard-to-understand messages.
"The other tip is to use real words," Anna continues when offering her tips for striking it lucky when online dating.
"Take the time to construct a message with the correct grammar and don’t keep replacing them with emojis. I’m guilty of doing that - we all are - but in this day and age, with comedy emojis, but actually it looks a little bit sloppy and it goes back to that first impression thing of making sure you’re communicating well," she adds.
"46% people these days think ‘text speak’ think that’s now irrelevant in 2022 and inappropriate. There’s something very sexy about feeling like the person on the other end of the phone has made an effort with you. They’ve actually taken the time to construct a proper sentence and thought about what to say to you," Anna muses.
"We want to feel that we’re special. We want to feel valued and that we deserve someone’s time and thought and effort - and that is not rushing a text. First impressions."
Throughout our chat on Thursday [September 29], Anna praises dating apps with helping create many successful relationships across the world - revealing many of her friends have found love thanks to their phone - but reveals she actually met her new boyfriend thanks to mutual friends.
"I have been introduced to apps [while dating], but actually I ended up meeting somebody through friends of friends," Anna explained to us as she discusses her current relationship.
"Yeah, so again, I just got really, really lucky that someone was compatible in my friendship circle.
"So many girlfriends of mine have met through apps and I know they're brilliant."
Anna and former Great British Bake Off presenter Sue, 53, shocked fans last year when they announced their split after seven years together. Before her romance with the comedian, Anna was in a relationship with drama director Charles Martin for 18 years.
As talk turns to how to keep the spark alive when romances develop into official relationships, Anna gives a little insight into her new romance.
"It's all about communication and rapport, and understanding the other person enough that it is that they need for you," Anna explains as we discuss the five different types of 'love languages'.
"For example, this morning - I'm dating, I've got a boyfriend - and already my boyfriend has said to me 'I haven't spent enough time with you', so his love language is time - he needs my time to feel loved," she continued.
"Whereas actually, I quite like to receive texts saying [something like] 'I'm thinking about you and I love you'. So people need to be aware of how their partner does their love language."
*Anna Richardson has teamed up with dating app Badoo to guide singletons on the most common messaging mishaps, encouraging them to put in more time and effort to land more dates. Watch here.
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