The model-turned-entrepreneur on LICK Events, her ideal woman and life after First Dates.
DIVA: First of all, tell me about your events company, LICK.
TEDDY: It’s lesbian nights in Muse in Soho. I currently do two. Tuesday’s called C U Next Tuesday and Friday’s called Thank F*ck It’s Friday. I’m going to take it to different cities in the next few months.
How have the nights been going?
So good. Every night you can’t fit more people in. It’s all very good looking, young girls – I don’t know how I’ve managed to pull that off! Tuesdays is hip-hop, grime, R&B, and Fridays is house and garage. I wanted to do it because gay bars only play cheesy music. I wanted to do something with actually good music.
What’s your idea of a perfect night out?
Good looking girls, good music, reasonably priced drinks. We do cheap drinks deals as well – £3 Jaeger bombs, £2.50 beers. I’ve just done what I would want to go to. What’s different about my night is the girls that come, they don’t go to any other bars. And they dance – oh my god, they’re crazy. They start lap-dancing each other – you see all sorts in there.
Does it get quite steamy then? Do lots of couples meet at LICK?
Yes and yes.
Sounds great! Now I have to ask you about being on First Dates. I’m a huge fan of the show. What was it like actually being on it?
I really didn’t fancy the girl. She was nice but afterwards I received all these messages and missed calls.
So what happened immediately after your date?
What they do is if you say you’re going to see the person again they make you get into a fake taxi as though you’re going somewhere.
Really?!
Has that upset you? Everything else is real though.
I'll get over it! So you didn’t go for a drink after?
We went for one and that was it. And the attention I got after it came out… I get sent letters to my work saying they saw me on First Dates and they really want to meet me. I’ve had bottles of perfume brought into my work. Someone sent me flowers but I absolutely hate flowers.
Oh dear.
I didn’t want to touch them. I have a bit of a phobia.
How do you deal with all the attention?
I used to be really bad and just go along with it. Now that I’ve got a girlfriend I don’t even reply to them.
How did you meet your girlfriend?
I met her at G-A-Y on a night out. I’ve only had one girlfriend before and that was three or four years ago. I just don’t bother unless I think I’m going to be with them forever. Rosie’s great.
So she’s more your type?
Definitely. I just like people I get on with. I like confident, quite natural, funny, clever.
Did you play the field much when you were single?
I was really bad. Just meeting people, thinking I really liked them and then a couple of days later thinking, no I don’t. That just went on for years.
Are you happier now you’re in a relationship?
Yeah. That’s what I always wanted.
One more First Dates question. What was Fred like?
He’s handsome, isn’t he? If I was straight, I’d definitely go for Fred. I told him that. He was like, “Ooh thank you very much.”
Have you always been so open about being gay?
Yeah always. I never told my parents that I was gay. My parents are so open I didn’t need to. I asked my mum how she knew and she said when I was about eight, I cut all the pictures out of my brother’s FHM magazine and stuck them on my bedroom walls. She said it made it a little bit obvious.
Haha, and look at you now! You’ve even been nominated for the OutNews Global Pride Power List. Congratulations!
I don’t know how the hell I’m on the list. People like Ian McKellan, Sue Perkins, Stephen Fry… and me. My mum’s very proud.
If you fancy partying with Teddy, check out LICK events at facebook.com/LICKeventsUK.
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