A CASTLE Bromwich teenager found romance after she appeared on the popular Channel 4 dating show, ‘The Undateables’.
Megan Dudley, 19, and Rory McKinnell, 23, from Coventry, have been seeing each other ever since they were paired together this summer.
Megan, who works as an office administrator for The National Grid in Solihull, has autism and Asperger’s Syndrome – a condition which means forming relationships has always been difficult.
But having left school this summer, and started her new job, she was keen to conquer her inhibitions and find herself a boyfriend.
So she applied to appear on the TV programme which follows people with a range of conditions as they seek romance.
And after going through the selection process, Megan was thrilled to learn she had been chosen to go on a date.
Relationship experts declared Megan and Rory – a costume designer who also has Asperger’s – a perfect match.
The couple immediately had chemistry when they met for their date at a cafe-bar In Acocks Green, Birmingham – followed by a game of tenpin bowling.
Megan said: “I was so nervous before meeting Rory. Going on a date was nerve-wracking in itself, but doing it with TV cameras filming your every move made it far worse, but the production team are extremely sensitive and helpful, with experts on hand to help if we became overcome by the occasion.”
The condition can cause uncomfortable reactions in social situations, triggering meltdowns or a breakdown in communication.
“Rory and I clicked immediately,” she said. “We have a lot in common, he is such a nice guy, and once we’d got over the initial nerves, the date went really well.”
It went so well that they met up again shortly after the filming was complete, and have now become an item.
Megan’s mum Gemma said: “I am just so happy for Megan, she really deserves this. She is a truly lovely young lady in so many ways, but who has had to deal with the issues that come with having been diagnosed with autism and Asperger’s at a young age.
“Developing relationships has always been a struggle for Megan, and having watched ‘The Undatables’ over the past few years, I thought this opportunity would be perfect for her, and it has been lovely to see how she and Rory are developing their partnership.
“He is a lovely young man, and his family have made Megan so welcome,” Gemma continued.
“It’s early days, but they’re getting on really well, and this is a lovely success story from the TV show, and Channel 4 has been very supportive and excited by it all.”
The meeting between Megan and Rory will be aired on Channel 4 on Monday, September 17, at 9pm.
