Geordie Shore's Vicky Pattison tackles a parmo with Billingham man on Dinner Date

Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison wasn't quite won over by a parmo cooked up by Teesside oil rig worker during TV's Dinner Date.

But while Mike Thornton, of Billingham, failed to tickle the Geordie Shore star’s tastebuds, she nevertheless chose him from three Celebrity Dinner Date contestants for a follow-up date on the ITVBe show.

The show - “where people hope to find true love through their love of good food” - saw Vicky visit the homes of three single lads who each cooked her a three course meal.

Based on their food and company, she then had to choose only one for a follow-up date.

And it was offshore engineer Mike, 25, who Vicky plumped for, his take on Teesside’s signature dish having been beamed to the nation.

During the show, Vicky was tempted by Mike’s menu: offshore fish cakes with spicy salsa, Teesside chicken parmesan with cheeky monkey chunky chips and raspberry meringue bomb.

Vicky, 27, said: “It’s pretty straightfoward. It’s a chicken parmo, a North-east delicacy.”

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Viewers then saw Mike preparing his parmo - which included plenty of bechamel sauce - before serving it up to her.

But Mike, who admitted to being single for 16 months - largely because he spends so much time working away - reckoned Vicky was certainly to his taste.

“I definitely fancy her - dating a celebrity is right up my street!" he says in the show.

After the three-course meal, Mike and Vicky even enjoyed a snuggle on the sofa before their date night ended.

And the Billingham lad looked like the cat who’d got the cream when Vicky knocked on his door, having chosen him for a follow-up lunch date at Norton’s Cafe Lilli.

Explaining why she selected Mike, Vicky said: “It wasn’t the best food - at all - but I don’t think that’s what was important.

"There was enough banter for the parmo not to matter. I think there was a bit of chemistry between me and Mike.”

And Mike gave Vicky a three out of three “star” rating, saying: “She’s massively up my street.”

But one month later, Vicky and Mike had yet to have a third date - and Mike was back on the rigs.

Read more about Teesside fave the Parmo