A WOMAN who spent three years working as a waitress on First Dates has given an honest insight into what it’s really like to work in television.
Daniella Kalita has revealed that, while many people assume media jobs come with great pay, the reality is quite different.
Daniella (left) worked on Channel 4’s First Date show alongside Fred Sirieix[/caption]
Speaking to her 52,300 TikTok followers, Daniella posted a video captioned: “Anyone hiring hehe.”
She explained: “So I used to work in telly on a programme called First Dates, and everyone seems to think when you work in TV you earn a lot of money.”
Daniella often hears people say: “Oh my gosh, she’s loaded.”
But she quickly shuts that down: “No, okay, no. So I was on that programme for, I would say, about three years?
“Three, four years, yeah. People seem to think that you make a flipping fortune from that.”
In reality, she says her job situation didn’t change much: “Anyway, so before the show, I was a full-time waitress, and then after the show, I was a full-time waitress.
“And I’m still a full-time waitress because getting into other TV jobs is really difficult and no one wants me.”
She added: “Yeah, it’s been really hard to try and get into another bit of TV. So yeah, I’m waitressing.
“I love waitressing, I do it full-time, I actually love my job.”
But that doesn’t stop people from recognising her at work: “Sometimes I’ll get recognised in my work, and they’ll be like, ‘Oh my God, you’re the girl from First Dates.’
“And then they ask, ‘What are you doing here?’”
Her response? “What am I doing here? I’m serving you jerk chicken, okay? I’m serving you the soup of the day.
“I’m standing here serving you sourdough toast with butter and jam on the side as you specified, Karen.”
Daniella also clarified just how little time she actually spent filming: “So yeah, we don’t make a flipping fortune.
“Filming is like a few days of the year. It’s not full-time.
“It’s not 365 days a year or two months here and three months there.
“No. It’s like days in a year.”
She wrapped up the video with a final message: “So I just wanted to clear that up – that I’m not loaded, I’m still a waitress, but I’m still looking for more TV work. I don’t want to see anyone on TV.”
First Dates cast
Fred Sirieix
Fred is the charismatic French maître d’hôtel who hosts First Dates. He has a rich background in the hospitality industry, with over 30 years of experience. Fred has been part of the reality show since 2015 and his charming personality helps to put punters going on the dates at ease.
Merlin Griffiths
Merlin is the bartender on First Dates. His friendly presence and expert mixology skills contribute to the show’s warm atmosphere. Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Merlin was in the bar industry for over two decades before offering his services to the Channel 4 series. Outside of First Dates, Merlin also owns and operates his own bar.
Cici Coleman
Cici is the show’s outgoing waitress. She trained as an actress before joining the cast of First Dates, which lends theatrical flair to her role. Her ability to make guests feel at ease, coupled with her genuine interest in their stories, has endeared her to viewers. Outside of her work on First Dates, Cici continues to pursue her passion for acting and fitness, often sharing insights into her life and career on social media.
