I set out not wanting to like a recent programme on Channel 4 ‘Marriage at First Sight’ but have nevertheless found it riveting – although sometimes uncomfortable – viewing.

If you have not seen it, the programme involved putting together couples based on their compatibility, and ending up with some – hopefully – perfect and long-lasting marriages. Endless interviews and tests were carried out by so-called ‘experts’ in the field, with the idea that the couples would be perfectly well-suited.

Out of the two couples who eventually ended up walking down the aisle it seemed that Jason and Kate would last the distance. They looked so good together, and when Jason launched himself in for a double kiss at the first sight of Kate it did seem that, at least physically, there was a very strong attraction there.

By contrast, the other couple James and Emma, seemed not to have that physical attraction between them, but perhaps the makings of a great friendship as they were very laughey and jokey together.

It came as quite a surprise then, when Jason and Kate’s relationship broke down after Kate found that Jason had put his profile on Tinder (and subsequently admitted that he did not feel attracted to Kate, which I’m sure came as a surprise to many, the girl was stunning after all!)  James and Emma, meanwhile seem to be making it work and are still married. I have to secretly admit that I found James utterly lovely and charming, Emma is a lucky girl as he seemed to want to do everything to please her, but not in a drippy way. The man is a diamond, keep hold of him Emma.

I wish all of them well but I don’t really believe that a relationship can be successfully ‘engineered’ in this way. Just because a couple have similar personalities, likes and dislikes, IQ levels etc. does not mean that they are going to hit it off. It is so much more random than that and that’s the fun of it – meeting someone by chance and then letting the attraction develop. Although I do realise that a lot of couples get together through dating websites now and, to be quite honest, if I were single, I would probably go down that route.

If Mr Chalk and I were to have applied to be on this programme there is no way on earth that we would have been matched together. Mr C likes to tell people that we are ‘compatibly incompatible’ as there is a so much more that we don’t have in common than we do. We are so very different in all sorts of ways, yet in about a month’s time we will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in Italy, so something must be working fairly well.

Wishing you all love and happiness in your relationships.

Wendy x

ps. By the way James, if by any chance Emma lets you down and I don’t quite make it to my 25th, then call me. I hope you don’t mind a bit of an age gap.