Mr Wade, 48, said the episode – which will air on June 18 – said the experience was interesting and fun. 

“I just saw an ad to audition for it over a year ago now. I had to go to Melbourne a couple times, do a few screen tests and then they picked the people they wanted to use,” he said. 

Mr Wade said travelling to Sydney for an all-expenses-paid-for, two-day trip wasn’t something to complain about. 

“The crew on the set were really good to work with and they looked after you. Then I met a person I had never met before,” he said. 

First Dates is a blind date reality television show where producers pair up two participants according to similar personalities, interests or attractions. 

The participants sit at a restaurant and continue on a date. At the end of the show they say whether they would like to continue seeing one another. 

Mr Wade said his date with Kelly wasn’t the best he had been on. 

“She didn’t talk much. I think I was a little too over the top for her which is what I was trying to achieve. I just wanted to have fun, I thought I’d play the bubbly bloke,” he said. 

Mr Wade said he would recommend anyone to give reality shows like First Dates a go but he did not think he would do it again. 

Mr Wade, who studied at a Melbourne drama school for three years, has also featured in Blue Heelers, CrashBurn and Janus.

“I was just hanging out, being myself. It was nice to get back to television, I feel most comfortable in front of cameras,” he said. 

The Caffe De Kerb employee said working as a barista was similar to being in front of the screen. 

“You almost get to put on a show for the people,” he said.