CELEBS Go Dating expert Anna Williamson has revealed her pet hate when it comes to a certain criticism of the E4 reality show.
For five years professional psychotherapist and life coach Anna, 43, has worked with celebrities to improve their dating game and how they handle themselves in romantic situations – often after they’ve experienced some form of heartache.
The outcome of each series has rarely resulted in lasting love, but that is not its purpose, Anna insists.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun ahead of this week’s finale, she says nurturing a serious relationship is merely a bonus when it comes to the programme’s objectives.
She says: “Well, let’s just say that this is probably one of our most successful series.
“Now, one thing that always annoys me when people say this, they go, ‘why don’t people ever get together or stay married?’ And I’m like, ‘dude, there’s a clue in the title, Celebs Go Dating. It is not Celebs Go Married’.
“Married at First Sight is our sister show. There’s a show that does that, does the marriage stuff.
“Ours is all about celebrity dating, learning to date better, learning to learn about themselves, what they’ve done wrong in the past, where they want to head in the future.”
With that said, the emergence of a new loved-up couple is never a bad thing and Anna teases that at least one will be revealed come Thursday night.
She continues: “Always the icing on top of the cake is if we manage to do all of that inner work to get them to a point where they have found someone that they truly like and that truly likes them back.
“At the end of this series, I think they’ve got the cherry. I’d say everyone loves a happy ending, and we’ve got a happy ending.”
Anna then hinted Ella Morgan, the show’s first ever transgender star, will leave the agency with a partner.
Married At First Sight star Ella has been linked to actor and model Bobby Brazier in recent months after flirty displays at major events like the National Television Awards, but Anna quashed rumours by saying: “I think Ella’s got other focuses that she’s focusing on right now. And I think that will become quite clear.”
Mum-of-two Anna is never anything but approachable and fair, however there are times in each series when she needs to have difficult conversations with the celebrities for their own good and development.
With 15 years experience as a trained therapist, more than two decades in the TV business as a presenter and six years as the co-host of the hugely successful LuAnna podcast with Luisa Zissman, she has all the tools she needs to communicate effectively.
“No one ever wants to upset anybody, says Anna. “But at the same time, I think my comfort with doing that has come with age.
“I turned 43 recently. I’ve been practicing in the world of talking therapy since 2009. I have so many different clients and different experiences under my belt that I’ve learned my own style in what results I have seen work in the past.
“I’m not here to make friends, but I am here to gain a trusting, empathic rapport with my clients. And that is something I work very hard on, that I gain their trust.
“To make it very clear, I’m not here to fluff around and people please them, they can find other people in their lives to do that for them. I’m here to reflect back what I see and what I hear, as I see and hear it, and offer a bit of counsel, should they be open to hearing it.”
Because of this direct approach there are times when some consoling needs to be done once the cameras stop rolling.
And she’s always there for a follow up call should the celebs need it.
Anna says: “As soon as we finish that scene, I say scene it is real life, we call it a scene, I always go outside and check in, ‘how are you? Are you okay? You left with anything?’
“And then we will always do a follow up message later in that day to remind them that I’m on their side always. And I really am always on their side.”
Celebs Go Dating, Monday to Thursday each week at 9pm on E4.
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