First Dates sparked a huge debate among viewers last night as it posed the age old question – who should pay on a first date?
Headstrong Cecila, 23, a parliamentary researcher, insisted on paying for the meal she shared with Viv, 26, a business developer.
But Viv refused to let his date foot the bill, prompting an awkward stand-off at the table as waitress Laura Tott waited to be told who would cover the meal.
After some heated back and forth, Cecilia finally relented and let Viv settle the bill, but said she’d been ‘frustrated’ by his reaction to the prospect of her paying.
The argument divided fans of the show, with some praising Cecilia for standing her ground, while others questioned why they didn’t simply split it.
But the business developer had other ideas and refused to allow her to pay for the entire meal
The pair bickered with each other over who should pick up the tab with Viv saying she should let him ‘be a gentleman’
The split row sparked a debate on Twitter as viewers shared their own thoughts on who should pay for the bill on a first date, with one suggesting they should play rock, paper, scissors
Cecila had already said she wanted to find someone who didn’t make assumptions about her looks, and thought she’d met her match in cocky Viv.
But the date turned sour when it came to paying, as they both insisted on covering the cost of their evening, sparking a flurry of reaction on Twitter.
One viewer said of Cecilia’s behaviour: ‘Can’t believe this girl on first dates had a go at the guy for saying he’d pay for the bill… apparently chivalry is dead.’
‘Man offers to pay bill, lady gets offended. Man suggests split it, lady gets offended. Man let’s lady pay, lady gets offended. Man cannot win when it comes to bill etiquette!,’ said another.
Others praised her stance, including one who posted: ‘Well done for standing that split the bill ground Cecilia. No compromise on respect!’
But a fourth wasn’t so kind: ‘I consider myself to be feminist as, but Cecilia is quite insufferable. Paying the bill doesn’t have to be a gender equality debate. Calm down. Half it. All done.’
Waitress Laura Tott had to stand and wait with the card machine while the pair argued over who was paying
Viewers wondered why the pair didn’t just split the bill, whereas others said Cecilia was being ‘insufferable’
Cecilia wasn’t happy with Viv and at one point she tried to snatch his credit card out of his hand so he couldn’t pay
When Viv told her to ‘shut up’ she eventually conceded and let him take care of it, but it was clear she wasn’t happy
The pair bickered in the middle of the restaurant, and Cecila even tried to snatch Viv’s debit card out of his hand to stop him from paying.
She said: ‘Give me one rational reason why you should. There’s no rational reason why a woman shouldn’t pay.’
Viv asked her to let him ‘be a gentleman’ and foot the bill, but she continued to insist.
When he told her to ‘shut up’ she eventually conceded and let him take care of it.
However, it was clear she wasn’t happy at how he’d spoken to her when she spoke to producers after their date ended.
Cecila said: ‘It actually frustrated me a lot that he did that. I thought it was completely irrational. It was really unnecessary and quite uncalled for.’
Cecila had already said she wanted to find someone who didn’t make assumptions about her looks, and thought she’d met her match in cocky Viv
But Viv seemed to think she was just playing hard to get, and predicted they would see each other again.
He said: ‘I think she’s realised I’m just as stubborn as she is, and she’s frankly going to have to get used to that if this going to carry on.’
Cecila explained her reasons for being so independent, saying that a lot of men don’t take her seriously because of her looks and blonde hair.
She said: ‘I think guys underestimate me when they meet me. Most guys think the summation of me is the way I look. I’m in parliament pretty much twice a week and they’ll just be like “Parliament, you?”‘
The pair bonded on their shared assertiveness and their shared experience of difficult family lives.
Viv’s father walked out on him as a child, while Cecilia’s mother had schizophrenia and struggled to look after her.
They did arrange to go on a second date, but decided they’d be better off as friends.
First Dates returns next Wednesday on Channel 4 at 10pm