FRIENDS of married couple Ricki and Sophie are in for a sexy surprise when they watch them on First Dates tonight.
The pair take part in the Channel 4 dating show’s first ever ‘throuple’ date.
Ricki and Sophie are set to appear in First Date’s very first throuple date[/caption]
Sophie wanted to open their marriage after realising she was bisexual[/caption]
Ricki and Sophie tried ‘lifestyle parties’ as their introduction to polyamory[/caption]
And while some of their close friends and family know about their polygamous lifestyle, for many it will be a complete surprise.
Mum-of-three Sophie, 30, told the Sun: “This show is a big surprise for quite a lot of people.”
The duo will watch the episode with friends at a watch party and confess they have “no idea” what the reaction will be.
Ricki, 36, added: “People who are close to us know and people who don’t know are going to find out in quite a fun way.”
The couple – who run a social media agency in Cheshire – have been sworn to secrecy by the show’s production team to keep their trio date under wraps.
Sophie said: “Obviously we’ve not been able to post on our socials about it. So it’s a big surprise to the people that follow us on social media, but it’s exciting.”
In the episode – which airs tonight – nervous Sophie meets sultry scouse massage therapist Emily at the First Dates restaurant.
They immediately hit it off – but the date takes a turn when Sophie admits she is married… and her husband is waiting at the bar to join them.
But polyamorous Emily does not seem phased, telling them: “Proper couple goals, you two.”
Ricki and Sophie met on dating app Tinder in 2015 and tied the knot three years later.
Two years into their relationship they began to explore going to lifestyle clubs – previously known as swingers’ parties.
The couple admit the first lifestyle party they went to almost didn’t happen, as they got cold feet.
Sophie recalled: “We sat in the car park for ages, like literally did not know whether to walk through that door or not.
“That was one of those big decisions.”
But when they finally plucked up the courage to go in they said they were greeted by a welcoming community which didn’t feel like a sex club.
Ricki said: “You’re still fully clothed. You can have a chat with people. Most of the time people who go there don’t actually engage with other people sexually, they just go because of the atmosphere.”
And the couple said there were no bowls with keys in them in sight, adding: “That’s very outdated.”
Sexual encounters
The couple met on Tinder in 2015 and tied the knot three years later[/caption]
The couple go on a date with massage therapist Emily on First Dates[/caption]
Thankfully Emily’s reaction to Sophie revealing she was married was positive[/caption]
After having sexual encounters with friends, Sophie realised she wanted more than just a night of passion.
Two years ago she confessed to Ricky she was bisexual and wanted to open their marriage to include a third person – and open-minded Ricki did not shy from the challenge.
He said: “You don’t know until you try.”
The couple insist being in a throuple is not just about sex – it’s about finding a connection, too.
Sophie said: “Being a bisexual woman, I’m able to stay within the sort of relationship with my husband.
It’s a lot easier to talk about, because obviously, you see it on TV, and you see the social media and stuff
Sophie
“Obviously that’s a romantic relationship, but also find a connection with a female as well.
“And that comes with so many different needs that can be met with that as well.”
Going mainstream
Sophie and Ricki say awareness of throuples in mainstream media has helped them feel more confident to be open about their desires.
Famously boxer David Haye and his model girlfriend Sian Osbourne opened up their relationship by forming a throuple with former Saturdays singer Una Healy in 2023.
Meanwhile E4 show Love Triangle became the world’s first throuple dating show in the same year.
Now First Dates is bringing polyamory into the mainstream with tonight’s episode – and Sophie hopes they help educate the public about throuples.
Sophie hopes to educate the public about throuples[/caption]
Sophie said: “It’s a lot easier to talk about because obviously, you see it on TV, and you see the social media and stuff.
“It’s a lot more spoken about now than it was. It’s made us a lot more comfortable to talk about it.”
But the couple say they still face a lot of misconceptions about polygamy.
She added: “People would suggest that by opening up your marriage, you might not be happy within your marriage.
“So it’s a way of opening up so that you can potentially get away with certain acts outside of a marriage. And it’s not like that at all.”
Ricki says frustratingly a lot of people assume he was the driving force behind opening up their marriage, because he is a man.
He said: “The biggest misconception is that it’s for my needs, it’s for my fulfilment, it’s me that’s pushing the narrative, when actually it’s not.
The biggest misconception is that it’s for my needs, it’s for my fulfilment, it’s me that’s pushing the narrative, when actually it’s not. It’s about a couple… who are just trying to find a connection with another person
Ricky
“It’s about a couple who do speak to each other, who are open, who do have boundaries, who are just trying to find a connection with another person.”
While the couple like to keep their private life to themselves, they have opened up to their families about finding a third person to join their relationship.
Ricki said: “I don’t actually remember how my mum found out.
“I’m the type of person to just blurt it out and just be like, ‘Oh, by the way, me and Sophie went out on a date with a lady the other night.’
“My mum’s open-minded as well, and she’s quite supportive.”
The all new series of First Dates airs on Channel 4 at 10pm weekly from Friday 4 July and will be available to watch at channel4.com.
Fred and the team will be welcoming them to the restaurant this Friday[/caption]
