Paul Howard from Parr Hall to appear on Five Guys A Week

Unlucky in love Paul Howard will be in episode three of Channel 4’s Five Guys A Week on Tuesday at 9.15pm.

The show throws out the dating rulebook by bringing together five men who are welcomed into the home of a single woman.

Throughout the course of a week, the suitors must compete for her affection and go everywhere with her as she eliminates them day-by-day until there is a last man standing.

Paul, marketing manager for Parr Hall, said: “It’s a once in a lifetime experience – that’s how I saw it. It was just really bizarre to start with but super exciting at the same time.

“At first you’re really aware of everything but you soon settle in and you become yourself after that. There was romance, there was bromance – there was all sorts of stuff going on in there.”

Paul’s relationship came to an end in January 2019. He had been single for about six months when he saw an appeal for contestants for the dating show on Instagram.

He was persuaded by colleagues to go for it and after the application and various interviews he got the call to say he had been chosen by Hope, a 30-year-old project coordinator.

Paul said: “I was one of her ‘five guys’ and I’ve never looked back from there. It’s kind of like a virtual Tinder – we saw pictures of her, she saw pictures of us. There had to be that mutual attraction before you got to that point. It wasn’t just a case of throwing five guys in someone’s house and hoping that it works out.”

But as well as living with four other blokes, the snag was that Paul would also be sharing with Hope’s mum and stepdad.

He added: “The most bizarre moment was literally taking a deep breath and stepping through the door knowing from that moment everything you do and say would be documented.

“You’re there with a potential love interest, four ‘rivals’ and then her mum and stepdad. It was as crazy as it could have been.”

Luckily Paul was not eyed with suspicion by Hope’s mum.

The 34-year-old said: “I think the mum is integral to any relationship but she was lovely to us all to be fair. I think she’ll be the star of the show.

“Obviously going to live with a load of strangers is an experience in itself but then having the cameras all over the place and having a microphone 24/7 brought it to another level.

“It was every man for himself in

trying to find somewhere to sleep and the queue for the bathroom.

“We were in a two-up, two-down home plus the cameras so it was a squeeze which probably makes it more entertaining. It’s strange how quick you adapt and accept something as a new norm.”

Paul’s experience was filmed over a week but is condensed for viewers into one episode.

At the end of each day, Hope – who has a thing for red heads – had to ‘break up’ with one of the potential suitors.

Paul, who remains tight-lipped on how he did in the show, added: “It is a brutal process – it is kind of like Big Brother – someone was going each day. Each day it got to that point where we’d sit down and we knew Hope would be telling us one of us was going.

“It was a horrible 10 or 15 minutes full of butterflies and anxiety.

“But I really enjoyed the experience. There has been a lot of talk about how people are treated on reality TV but I was really well looked after. They always checked how I was doing throughout the process.

“I always saw myself doing Big Brother but didn’t have the guts to apply but with this I jumped in. I thought it would be a bit of fun.

“You come out of there and you learn a lot about yourself. I’d be a lot more confident about dating in the ‘real world’ – once you’ve lived with a girl and four other guys I don’t think any other dating experience is going to phase you.

“It was filmed a good few months ago so I’m excited that it’s finally going to be out there. I’ve been sat on this secret for a while now.”

Paul features in episode three of Five Guys A Week on Tuesday at 9.15pm on Channel 4