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Love Is Blind UK is officially here. That's right, the iconic golden goblets and claustrophobic love pods have made there way across the pond and a new batch of singles are hoping to meet their future spouse “sight unseen.”
The show, hosted by Emma and Matt Willis, sees single strangers meeting and chatting in pods. If they fall in love and get engaged, the new couples are allowed to meet each other face-to-face before jetting off on a honeymoon in Greece, living together in the UK and, ultimately, walking down the aisle and tying the knot. Yes, it is an unhinged premise for a dating show — and yes, the American version was such a big hit, it spawned spin-offs in Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Sweden, Argentina, Habibi, Germany and now, of course, our very own UK.
In the first four episodes, which landed on Netflix earlier this week, we met our first Love Is Blind UK couples: Sabrina and Stephen, Bobby and Jasmine, Catherine and Freddy, Ollie and Demi, Tom and Maria, and Sam and Nicole. Naturally, people already have their favourites — and their least favourites.
On that note, we need to talk about Sam. Warning, spoilers for the first four episodes ahead!
Who survived the pods, the honeymoon, the wedding and one year of marriage?
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What happened with Sam on Love Is Blind UK?
If you've already gobbled up the first four episodes of Love Is Blind UK, you'll know all about Sam, who proposed to Nicole. Spoiler alert, but Sam and Nicole didn't even make it to Greece. Let's have a quick refresh on what happened.
From his first moments on the show Sam is — well — just a little more focused on appearances than most other contestants on the show. "I never liked what I saw in the mirror, and I have done things to improve my appearance," he said in his first interview in the show. "I did have a nose job. I've always been conscious of certain things. Since I found out about this experiment, I came off the dating apps. I trained very hard in the gym. Great new skin care routine. The whole lot."
Sam initially had a spark with Jasmine, but, after she chose to focus on Bobby, he turned his focus to Nicole. After Benaiah, Nicole's other connection, seemed reluctant to commit to marriage, she also put her focus on Sam. Despite Benaiah's claims that Sam was only in the experiment for fame, Nicole ultimately chose to become engaged to Sam.
However, at the end of the fourth episode, while the other couples vacationed in Greece, it was revealed that Nicole decided to call off their engagement. “My connection with Nicole in the pods was unbelievably strong,” said Sam in an interview. "Like, it was deep-rooted like nothing I've ever experienced in the outside world." But, he added, “I started to realise that something was off. Something wasn't right.” At the end of the episode, we see Nicole preparing to meet her other connection, Benaiah.
Who is Love Is Blind UK's Sam Klein?
Sam is a 31-year-old project design manager living in London — he's “Sam from London,” after all. “Don't forget it!”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Sam currently works for Radically Digital.
“For me, the most fulfilling aspect of my work is the massive impact we can have on people's lives,” reads his bio. “I am a visionary who enjoys leading global projects in rapidly evolving environments. I believe in a world of boundless possibilities.”
He goes on, “Alongside my passion for creativity and impact, I am deeply committed to discovering and nurturing talent. I strongly believe in supporting individual development goals and fostering an environment that promotes growth and excellence.”
The presenters talked dating icks, as well as their best and worst relationship habits, for GLAMOUR's Bestie Test.
He got his B.A. at Leeds Beckett University and went to school at Leadenhall, a private school in Hertfordshire.
Sam's Instagram offers a peek inside his London life: his feed is an array of shots of Sam partying at fancy events, relaxing on fancy holidays, and eating at fancy restaurants.
So, why did Sam go on Love Is Blind UK? Well, according to Benaiah, for fame! But according to Sam it was because his career has meant he has sacrificed his love life. “For years, Sam’s mom has been on his back about settling down and finding a wife, but he’s entering the experiment for his own reasons," reads his Netflix bio. "With two heartbreaks in his past, Sam wants to make his third shot at love the one that lasts a lifetime. He’s excited to lead with his personality in the pods, as women in London tend to focus on Sam’s height (for the record, he’s 6’4) instead of his heart. But he hasn’t made any real attempts at dating lately, as his ‘extraordinary’ career growth has been on the forefront of his mind, while his love life has fallen by the wayside.”
