Gethin Jones might be one of the most eligible bachelors in showbiz, but his celebrity status did him no favours with the ladies after he signed up to a popular dating app.
The BBC presenter, whose former partners include opera singer Katherine Jenkins, opted to join Hinge – but got more than he bargained for after setting up his profile.
Instead of the expected flurry of interest, instantly recognisable Gethin, 46, was reported for catfishing by hundreds of skeptical women who refused to believe it was really him.
Recalling the incident during an appearance on the Restless Natives podcast, he said: ‘A couple of weeks ago I was kicked off Hinge twice in eight hours for violating the Code of Conduct. Three hundred women had reported me for catfishing.
‘It was that moment when you have to write to Hinge, on a Thursday night, all alone, “Dear Hinge, it’s Gethin here, 46, I just want to get my money back because it’s not really working for me”, eating some cereal because there’s nothing in the fridge.
‘That’s when I’m like, “What am I doing with my life?”‘
Gethin Jones might be one of the most eligible bachelors in showbiz, but his celebrity status did him no favours with the ladies after he signed up to a popular dating app
Gethin was involved in a four relationship with Katherine Jenkins from 2007, two years after their initial meeting.
Gethin was involved in a four relationship with Katherine Jenkins from 2007, two years after their initial meeting.
The couple announced their engagement in February 2011, but ten months later confirmed they had separated.
Jenkins has since married American artist and film director Andrew Levitas, with whom she raises two children.
Speaking to MailOnline three years after the split, Gethin admitted: ‘All I want to do now is meet someone, get married, have a big family, be a good father.
‘I have never made any secret of that but the problem is finding someone. I started going to yoga classes as I thought that would be a good place to meet girls, but it is hard to chat to someone when you are balancing upside down.
‘I had thought I’d be married by now – I was engaged, so obviously I thought that’s where it was heading – but I can’t force the issue. If it’s not meant to be, it won’t happen.’
His subsequent romantic interests have included former The Only Way Is EsSєx star Lucy Mecklenburgh, TV presenter Amanda Byram and German underwear model Katja Zwara.
However Lucy later clarified she had never been in a relationship with the presenter.
He was also romantically linked with fellow TV presenter Amanda Byram (pictured together)
She told New! magazine: ‘We’re not dating. We went out a few times a while ago but it was bad timing for both of us.’
Speaking in 2023, Gethin insisted he had never voluntarily used an online app in his search for a girlfriend.
‘I’ve never done an online app, it’s such a shame’, he told the Express. ‘I’ve got the perfect pH๏τos for an online profile but I’ve never done it.
I went on [celebrity dating app] Raya for a week. What a joke that was. I don’t even know how I ended up on there.
‘I think my mate put me on it during lockdown because he said I needed to get out more.’