A Ukrainian refugee recounted the terrifying moment she woke up to find Russia had invaded her home country on Naked Attraction. In scenes that aired on Channel 4 today (April 26), sex therapist Mariia was on the hunt for romance as she dated in reverse with the help of presenter Anna Richardson.
Mariia, 22, who is pansexual and polyamorous, was looking for someone "non average" as she admitted to being "different" herself. She had previously been married at the age of 18, but admitted that the dating scene in the UK was much different to finding love back home.
As Mariia entered the studio, Anna complimented her voice. "You've got a beautiful accent," the presenter said. "Where are you from?"
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"I'm from Ukraine," Mariia replied. "I needed to escape from war, unfortunately. First of all, I saw a tank pointing in my window and I was like, 'Okay, hurry up, we've got to pack our things'."
Mariia then detailed how she and her family fled to the UK via West Ukraine and continental Europe, and shared the war made her "very angry" and fearful. "So it's been a hell of a journey for you," Anna observed. "Welcome to the UK, at least we can give you some fun and, hopefully, find you a little bit of love from somebody."
In the six coloured pods that stood in front Mariia, six strangers - identifying as male, female and non-binary - patiently awaited a potential date with her. "What's the difference between dating in the UK and dating in Ukraine?" Anna asked her.
Mariia replied: "In Ukraine, everyone is so passionate about sex and I can get a date easily. Over here, it feels for me that people are just too tired for sex."
One of the potential partners Mariia turned down was 23-year-old Maria, a bartender from Bristol with some very intimate piercings, with Mariia opting not to take her on a date due to her face and body metal. Ultimately, a contestant called Six was the one for Mariia, with the pair going on a romantic date in Manchester before spending a night together in a hotel.
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