Remember this? Warrington contestants star on Blind Date

After more than 13 years off air, national reports revealed the matchmaking show previously hosted by Cilla Black would be on Channel 5 later this year. 

For those too young to remember, the Saturday night show saw three individuals of the same sex being introduced to the audience.

They were then asked a number of questions by a contestant of the opposite sex who could not see them. The contestant would then pick one of the individuals for a date based on their responses.

During its run, three pairs of Blind Date contestants married with Cilla Black attending all of the couple's weddings.

We appealed for Warrington Guardian readers to get in touch with their stories on the show. 

And it seems there was a 'lorra lorra' of you who gave it a go....

'Fun but not romantic' 

Jeanette Stokes applied for her friend Karen Galloway, then aged 21 and from Lowton, in 1987.

The former work colleagues are still best friends despite the lack of romance on her date.

Jeanette added: "I went with her to the auditions and she was lucky to be chosen.

"She was one of the girls who picked from the three guys so was guaranteed a date.

"She was really good fun on the show and got up tap-dancing.

"She choose a guy called Bill who was a manager at Pizza Hut in Blackpool but there were no further dates or romance.

"We still laugh and talk about what started out as a bit of fun to get her on the telly." 

Karen admitted in an article after the show she wasn't that keen on her date as she had met her boyfriend a week before filming. 

She added: "Chris is not too pleased about it and gets fed up when people ask me how it went."

No thanks Mr Stringfellow

Helen Perkins, from Grappenhall, was 20 when she appeared on the show 21 years ago.

She added: "I was number 2 but didn't get picked but I did get offered a job from Peter Stringfellow."

The famous businessman offered her a role in his club. 

She added: "I didn't accept his offer.

"He was very lovely though and looked after me - a lovely man."

Warrington accent worked like a charm

Cilla was disappointed she wasn't buying a wedding hat when she matched Kiki Kendrick, from Padgate, with Jerry, an American GI soldier.

The pair appeared on the show in 1994 with Kiki, who moved to Walton aged seven, wearing a wedding dress and veil.

She added: "I didn't apply to go on Blind Date, a girl on reception at the ad agency I was working at, did but she bottled it at the last minute and asked me to go in her place.

"I kept getting through to the next round and the next.

"I didn't think I'd win though.

"One of the other girls was really flirting with Jerry on the show and everyone including the audience were convinced she'd be the one he chose, so when he picked me I nearly fell off my stool!

"Later he told me it was my Warrington accent that did it." 

Although they had to cut to adverts after Kiki was revealed as his date.

She added: "He actually ran off when the screen went back and there I was standing in a veil and wedding dress.

"Seriously he ran off stage. They had to cut to the adverts!

"Well I'm hoping it was the wedding dress and not me that scared him!"

After he got over the shock, their detail was revealed as a wine-tasting trip to France.

"It was wonderful. We picked grapes, saw how it was made, tasted it - it was perfect...but wasted on Jerry.

"He was teetotal so all he wanted at the end of the day was a cup of tea! 

"It was a very funny episode and Jerry and I did keep in touch."

Kiki went on to be an actress appearing as Jackie in The Office, Sandra in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and Shelly in Fat Friends among other roles but says people remember her on Blind Date more than anything else.

She said: "For years afterwards people stopped me in the street not to say 'I saw you in such and such' but wanting to know what Cilla was like."

And finally...

Perhaps the best known contestant from Warrington was Latchford lad Geoff Carter. 

The water feature designer, who has also appeared on Come Dine With Me, caused a stir appearing on the show with a Sooty puppet and telling Cilla his ideal woman would look the same as him but with long hair. 

Watch the clip below...if you're not too distracted by his date's outfit.