The Honesty Box - Q&A with Richie

Richie

31
Sports business owner from Gloucestershire

Contains strong language.

How would you describe yourself?
Dependable, spontaneous, considerate.

How would friends describe you?
100% up for anything at any time. Kind, fun and honest.

How long have you been single?
I've been single for almost two years. My last relationship ended because she didn't want marriage and kids, and I'm looking to settle down. But I'd also like someone who's got a spicy side.

Have you ever cheated?
I have cheated in the past. It was my first ever relationship. I was on the other side of the world in Australia for a year. Before I left, we did sort of call it quits. But it all got a little bit… uh, messy. I did end up cheating while I was out there. Something that I regret for sure. I owned up to it. That’s honest.

Have you been cheated on?
One of my exes did cheat. She was super fun and super good looking. I thought I was punching above my weight massively. I just put her on this pedestal and doing that, you sort of accept things that you wouldn't necessarily do when you've defined your boundaries. Getting cheated on definitely made me realise how it can affect someone and how I wouldn't do it again.

What type of boyfriend are you?
In a relationship, I apparently give off golden retriever vibes. Very loving, caring and affectionate. Sometimes I can be very busy with my business and get tunnel vision. There are periods of the year where I work super hard. That can affect parts of the relationship.

I'm the sort of person who thinks you've got to sacrifice stuff in a relationship sometimes. Michelle Obama did an interview once talking about relationships and how a relationship is never 50/50. There are some times when you’ve got to just support your partner. You can wake up and think “Oh, I hate this person”, but you’ve still got to decide to love them. That's what love is. It’s deciding to love someone.

Has work got in the way of finding love?
I do feel like I need to get a better work life balance. My dad recently said that he feels I need someone who can take me away from the business. Someone who at the weekend can say, “Come on, let's have the day for us.”

Are you a romantic?
I'm definitely a romantic. One of the most romantic things I've done is with a past girlfriend for her 21st birthday. For 21 days beforehand, I'd leave a little post-it note in the morning before I went to work with something for her to do, like go buy a dress and or go get her nails done on my card. Then the final surprise was taking her to Paris.

What’s your worst trait in a relationship?
I'm very petty. My pettiness knows no bounds.

Have you ever ghosted?
I have ghosted on dating apps, but I wouldn't do it once I've met someone. I'd always give a reason if I'm not keen, because I generally know after the first half hour if I want to see this person again or not.

What are you hoping to get from The Honesty Box experience?
The main thing that I'd love to get out of this experience is try and find a missus.

What are you looking for in a long-term relationship?
My future looks a like nice country cottage, two dogs, some kids, a bit of land, maybe some animals. Just wholesome countryside vibes.

What type of match are you hoping to meet?
Someone that I can grow with. I'm looking for someone who is ambitious. I like someone who's hard working. I've definitely worked hard to get to where I've got to, and I would like someone doing the same. I’d like to meet someone who's a bit of a chameleon and can mix it with anyone.

What are your dating red flags?
The major one would be someone who doesn't want marriage and kids. I feel like rudeness is a red flag. Someone who's not polite to anyone and everyone. That's just a basic. That really grinds my gears.

What are your turn ons?
It's going to sound rogue, but I like the colour pink. I just feel it's a very womanly colour. I like pink lingerie, pink nails, pink dresses. Tanned skin against a pink lingerie set? Chef's kiss!

Do you think looks are more important than personality?
I definitely value personality more than looks. Looks aren't important. What someone has to offer you in terms of morals, what they want in life, how they make you feel about yourself and how you make them feel - all these things are more important. Even down to little unimportant things in life, like what side of the bed you sleep on, and do you put milk in first on your cereal? But love is not blind. You've still got to have someone who's your best mate and then get home and want to smash!

Do you catch feelings quickly?
I do get feelings quite quickly. I can either be full on, let's go, 100 miles an hour, or I can be, like… nah. I can be quite up and down with my energy. I have ADHD, and I need someone who can handle all the fun, quirky things that that can bring.

How important is honesty in a relationship?
I don't think you should tell your partner everything. There's stuff that your partner does not need to know. Whether that be about your past or what's happening on a day-to-day basis. If you're having a bad month at work, no one wants to hear you moaning about work for a month, do they?

Are you an honest person?
I'm definitely an honest person. I can't even control my face. My face tells you everything before I've even said it. I feel like people can just read me like a book.

Do you have a good gut instinct?
I feel like I have got good gut instinct, but I sometimes ignore it, and that has got me into some situations. Sometimes you've just got to say yes. My gut instinct has told me no before, but I'm like “Fuck it, I'll do it anyway!”

Meet all of the Truetopians in The Honesty Box Press Pack.
The Honesty Box starts Monday 28 April at 9pm on E4.

ENDS