JENNI Falconer has graced our screens and airwaves for over two decades now – but it was an appearance on Blind Date that set her career alight.
The TV and radio star appeared on the beloved dating show in 1995 as a fresh-faced 18-year-old in the hope of finding the one.
On the show, then Glasgow-born bombshell matched with Donda Michaelas – a 20-stone fish fryer – and the pair sailed off to Brittany in France.
However, they both failed to hit it off – yet for Jenni, that TV appearance with Cilla Black led to enormous success.
Jenni put her Spanish, Italian and Management Studies degree course at Leeds University on hold to concentrate on her TV career after the show.
She then joined ITV as a reporter on the current affairs show 3D before presenting the consumer programme We Can Work It Out.
But it was landing a job on GMTV’s Entertainment Today in 2000 that proved to be her breakthrough.
Now 45, she is a regular presenter on This Morning where she is the resident travel reporter.
Now a parent to Ella with husband James Midgley, Jenni is also a presenter on Smooth Radio.
For Jenni, though, appearing on Blind Date was a life-changing decision – and she even revealed that Cilla inspired her to become a TV presenter.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Jenni said: “In 1994, I was on Blind Date with Cilla. What a lovely lady.
“She inspired me to get into television.”
Jenni also spoke briefly about her time on the show, when she matched with fellow contestant Donda.
When asked by GMB co-host Ben Shephard whether she is still with Donda, Jenni chuckled and said: “He’s lovely, he’s married with two kids.”
