The Honesty Box - Q&A with Jovan

Jovan
27
Barber from Leicester

Have you prepared for The Honesty Box tests?
I’m honest! I don’t lie… I can’t prepare if I just be honest all the time.

How do you spot a liar?
I would just keep asking questions. Very detailed questions. If you can’t give the details, you’re probably lying. I am quite good at remembering stuff, so repeating themselves and changing what they’ve said is a sign.

How are you going to play the game?
I’m not really planning on playing a game. I’m just being who I am. If I try and play and be someone I’m not, I might end up with attention in the villa that I don’t want. If I be myself whether or not people like me, then I don’t really have anything to lose.

Would you describe yourself as an honest person?
I am very honest. I wouldn’t say I lie that much. If you ask my opinion and you don’t like it, you can’t get mad at me, because you asked! Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to. If my honesty would hurt someone, I wouldn’t give it.

Are you a trusting person?
I am trusting. If you tell me something, I wouldn’t go and tell anyone.

What do you do for work?
I’ve been a barber for a couple of years. I started in my kitchen and then got working in a barber shop in Leicester. I’ve been modelling for a couple of years now.

What’s your type?
I don’t have a specific type physically. I am into fitness, so that is a big deal for me. I like if she is from a country I’ve never been to, or she is in touch with her culture. I am half Caribbean. If she’s from a different culture it would be amazing if she could teach me about her.

And what kind of traits do you look for in a partner?
I like ambition, if she was ambitious, that would be cool. I’d love her to be a free thinker – someone who has their own mind and is intelligent enough to make their own decisions on things. That is attractive. In terms of physical things, I don’t really have a type. I like a girl who is feminine and grabs your attention when she walks in the room.

What type of relationship are you looking for?
A serious one. I’ve had many situationships. I am more settled now and I know what I want from life. I am more confident than what I was a year ago. I was always bothered about commitment. I was shy.

How did you get past shyness?
I was shy until up until a couple of years ago. I was a late bloomer. I was 19 and everyone was ahead of me. It isn’t a sob story, but I didn’t rate myself that much. I do things to make myself more confident. I’ve been on solo trips. I did a Muay Thai camp in Thailand for a couple of months. Martial arts are good for confidence. I do things that scare me to help my confidence and build my character.

Have you ever been in love?
I don’t think I’ve been in love. It’s always been a one-way thing. Either I’ve liked them or they’ve liked me. Never mutual.

What do you think is your best trait?
I don’t go out of my way to hurt anybody. I have values and morals I live by. I think I am good at making people feel comfortable around me. You learn it through work being a barber.

What would you say are your worst traits?
I’m too hard on myself. I put a lot of pressure on myself, which means I over-analyse a lot which normally leads to me procrastinate

What makes you a good potential partner?
I’m emotionally intelligent – I know when to talk and when to listen. I take advice really well. I don’t get offended by stuff. I’m constantly improving myself.

How would you normally meet a date?
I’m happy to approach someone if I like them. I need to feel the feeling if they like me first. Maybe at the gym? I’ve tried dating apps before but I prefer to meet someone face to face.

What’s the best experience you’ve blagged your way into?
A lot of people think I look like a couple of footballers and I’ve just not said it wasn’t me. I’ve just run with it. They’ve been saying “You look like Trent Alexander Arnold” and I’ll just say “Oh, he’s my brother” or something like that. But I would never use it to get in somewhere. That’s weird!

Where would you take a date in your hometown?
I like to do day dates, like coffee dates in the city, so even if you don’t like me, you can just get off! If we went somewhere like Bradgate Park, we’ve got to drive there, park up, we’ve got a walk. But if you do a coffee, if you don’t like me, you can just say “oh sorry, I’ve gotta go…”, and likewise. 

Are you a believer in love at first sight?
Physical attraction can be milliseconds. It might take longer because I like to see how people think about things. I believe everyone I speak to knows something I don’t. When someone is passionate about something, I get to learn about something I don’t know. I like to know what drives people as well.

Do you think true love is more important than money?
Love has to be more important than money. A lot of things men do with money is to attract a love anyway. Like, guys buy a car to impress a girl. It all comes down to love.

Meet all of the Truetopians in The Honesty Box Press Pack.
Watch The Honesty Box Mondays to Wednesday at 9pm on E4 or stream on Channel 4.

ENDS