Channel 4's First Dates: The Tom Hardy lookalike who had the whole restaurant talking

Smash-hit Channel 4 dating series First Dates is back and in full swing, with matches being made left, right and centre on the latest instalment of the show.

However, nothing has got viewers talking - both in the restaurant and behind television screens - like daters Madeline and Ewan.

Seasoned dater and postgraduate student Madeline, 21, who revealed she'd be single for six months, laughed: "I don't think the guys I go for have that much substance to them.

Read more: Channel 4's First Dates: Bartender Merlin Griffiths' partner of 10 years, London pub and bowel cancer diagnosis

"I need someone to keep me challenged. I want to be stimulated and I want to have conversations that aren't necessarily like, 'Oh yeah, what's on TV then?'"

She tells bustling bartender Merlin on the episode on Tuesday, January 27: "I hope I find someone nice. I love a rugby boy, but they're just not the nicest! There must be the husband-types out there, I've just not met any of them."

It was then that the Reading University student was asked who her celebrity crush, to which she instantly replied, "Tom Hardy, in Legend, killed me. He's just got this swagger, like buff, manly, love it!"

And much to viewers' excitement, the First Dates gods pulled through as 21-year-old London-born English student and apparent Tom Hardy doppelganger Ewan strutted in, donning an open-collared white shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

After performing an uncanny impression of the Peaky Blinders actor, the Bristol student explained: "Back in First Year, one comment that always used to come up was, 'Oh, you know who you look like, Tom Hardy', and you know, I'm not going to complain!

"Apart from the fact that he's a millionaire, already smashed the whole family-side of it and he is absolutely well famous, I'd say we're on a pretty even keel to be honest, there's not much he's got that I haven't."

He told viewers: "I'm looking for someone who is athletic, naturally pretty. I'm just waiting for something that feels exciting, feels positive, something that makes me go, 'I need this in my life'."

It seemed to be love at first sight as the pair embraced in the Manchester restaurant, with Madeline clearly quite smitten with her lookalike, who then told her that he ACTUALLY DOES work as a Tom Hardy impersonator, even having been invited to open a library once.

After hitting it off, the love-hungry students enjoyed a laughter-filled and relaxing date, discussing all things rugby, exes, hobbies and uni life.

Madeline disclosed to Tom - I mean, Ewan! - that her last relationship, which lasted 10 months, came to an end when she discovered he'd downloaded Tinder and had matched with her friend's sister, even having cropped her out of a photograph for his profile.

Meanwhile, much to Madeline's concern Ewan revealed that after around a year of being in a relationship with someone, he panics about long-term plans and tends to flee, fearing the idea of falling in love.

Despite this, the sparks were undoubtedly flying between the two as they took their conversation to a cosy-looking couch in the bar area, sharing desert, hammering a couple of shots and then enjoying a late-night smooch.

After both saying, 'YES!' to the idea of seeing each other again, Ewan excitedly described his date as "amazing".

He added, "Strictly speaking, girlfriend material."

Madeline then disclosed to viewers, "The only thing that I was a bit taken aback by was him saying that after a year he gets bored, but it's very early days, who knows what's going to happen in the future?"

However, it looked as though long-term love wasn't on the cards for Madeline and Ewan, as during the 'catch-up' segment at the end of the show it was revealed that the two had decided not to see each other again after their date.

"Unfortunately, things didn't work out as we're too far away from each other during term-time," Madeline explained. "But we've stayed really good friends and I really cherish the friendship and the experience that we had together.

"And no, I have not found my nice rugby boy just yet."

First Dates continues on Thursday, February 3 at 9pm on Channel 4.

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