Telling Tinder Tales - dating and romance stories from around the world

In this outrageous new episode of Telling Tinder Tales, host Chris O’Neill is joined by guest co-host Alice Frick, stepping in for Thomasin, and things quickly spiral into one of the wildest dating stories the podcast has ever heard.

Calling in from Liverpool, performer, poet, and cabaret artist Joan Cooper Snark (aka another Alice) shares a jaw-dropping tale of modern dating, group chats, unexpected fantasies, and how one perfectly ordinary Tinder date can snowball into something completely wild. From feminist group chats and consent conversations, strange requests, and nights that take turns no one could possibly predict, this episode is packed with tantalising twists and big laughs.

Along the way, the gang chats about dating apps, sexual confidence, comedy, performance art, and the sheer chaos of trying to connect with people online. It’s a hilarious, candid, and very funny exploration of dating culture, boundaries, and the bizarre situations people find themselves in when swiping turns into real life.

Expect:

• A truly unforgettable Tinder dating story
• Sharp comedy and chaotic energy
• Honest conversations about consent and communication
• Plenty of laughs and “you won’t believe this” moments

If you love dating podcasts, comedy podcasts, or stories about Tinder dates gone completely wrong, this episode is not to be missed.

Follow @tellingtindertales on Instagram and TikTok for clips, live dates, and more dating disasters, and if you’ve got a story of your own, check the show notes to get in touch.

Swipe less! Laugh more!

Hosts: Chris O'Neill and Alice Frick @alice.frick

Guest: Joan Cooper Snark @joancoopersnark

Producer/Editor: Lucie Regan

Edit Assistant: Leo Dunlop

In this episode of Telling Tinder Tales, host Chris O’Neill is joined by guest co-host Alice Frick for another hilariously uncomfortable deep dive into modern dating gone wrong. When dating apps promise romance but deliver chaos, this podcast is here to laugh through the pain.

This week’s caller, Paul from Kent, shares his first-ever experience of online dating after two marriages and a long break from the dating world. What starts as a spontaneous Tinder match quickly escalates into a two-hour drive, an overnight stay, and a date that goes from hopeful to unsettling in under 24 hours. From intense oversharing and performative public displays of affection to alarming assumptions about meeting his children, Paul’s story is a masterclass in dating app red flags.

As the conversation unfolds, the episode explores bigger themes around online dating safety, first-date boundaries, and the realities of re-entering the dating scene later in life. Paul also offers practical insights into building a “normal” dating profile, navigating video calls, and why verifying profiles matters more than ever.

The chat takes an eye-opening turn as Paul reveals an experiment that exposed the darker side of social media and dating apps, highlighting the challenges women face online and sparking a broader conversation about consent, anonymity, and accountability on the internet.

🎙️ Topics covered in this episode:

• Tinder dating horror stories
• Online dating after divorce
• First date red flags
• Dating app safety tips
• Awkward Tinder dates
• The reality of modern dating apps
• Comedy stories about dating gone wrong

🎟️ Plus, hear about upcoming live Telling Tinder Tales shows in Leicester and Glasgow.

Follow Telling Tinder Tales on Instagram and TikTok for more dating disasters, behind-the-scenes clips, and live show updates. If you’ve got a story of your own, check the show notes to get involved.

It’s a festive special on Telling Tinder Tales, the dating podcast where modern romance goes hilariously wrong. Hosts Chris O’Neil and Thomasin Lockwood unwrap a Christmas-themed episode packed with awkward dating stories, seasonal romance, and laugh-out-loud relationship mishaps.

In this holiday episode, the duo explore Dates of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, sharing everything from disastrous festive moments to modern dating trends like cuffing season and Dating Sunday—the busiest day of the year for dating apps. Expect sharp wit, honest observations, and plenty of chaos as they dive into how love, loneliness, and logistics collide during the holidays.

🎁 In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• A legendary Christmas Day proposal gone wrong (involving terrible timing and an unforgettable interruption)
• Why proposing at Christmas can be romantic… or a massive red flag
• The truth about cuffing season and using relationships to survive winter
• Holiday dating pressure, gift expectations, and festive exploitation
• Christmas music debates, questionable song covers, and romantic playlists
• Dating app culture and why the first Sunday of January changes everything

Whether you’re single, cuffed, dating, or happily avoiding romance altogether, this episode delivers relatable stories, cultural insights, and plenty of festive laughs. Perfect listening for anyone navigating modern dating, Tinder tales, or the emotional chaos of the Christmas season.

🎧 Listen now to Telling Tinder Tales—because if dating is going to go wrong, it might as well be funny.

📩 Got a dating disaster to share? Email the show at [email protected] and be part of a future episode.

In this hilarious new episode of Telling Tinder Tales, hosts Chris O’Neill and Thomasin Lockwood welcome Sam from London, who brings two jaw-dropping dating disasters that perfectly capture why modern romance is so chaotic, confusing, and endlessly funny.

First, Sam recounts a blind date gone catastrophically wrong, courtesy of his so-called friends. What starts as an innocent setup at a university bar quickly spirals into a nightmare involving cat ears, and purring. Sam’s story is a masterclass in social awkwardness, secondhand embarrassment, and why you should never trust your mates with your love life.

Sam also shares the moment that finally killed dating apps for him. What follows is one of the most surreal first dates you’ll ever hear, complete with language barriers, accidental lies, and the realisation that speaking to people in real life might be the best way to go.

Along the way, the conversation dives into:

• AI and dating, including the rise of ChatGPT-written pickup lines
• Whether technology helps or harms genuine human connection
• Old-school flirting vs dating apps
• How to approach strangers without being creepy
• Why authenticity still beats algorithms

With sharp wit, brutal honesty, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, this episode is perfect for anyone who loves bad date stories, Tinder fails, dating app horror stories, awkward blind dates, and modern dating comedy.

🎧 Listen now to Telling Tinder Tales — where dating goes wrong so you don’t have to.

📩 Got a wild dating story? Email us at [email protected] 📍 Live shows coming up in Leicester (February) and Glasgow (March) 📱 Follow us on social media @tellingtindertales

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, subscribe, and share — your support helps keep the terrible dates coming.

In this wildly entertaining episode of Telling Tinder Tales, hosts Chris O’Neill and Thomasin Lockwood welcome Jess — a marketing professional at London’s iconic Southwark Playhouse — who shares a chaotic, hilarious, and surprisingly heart-warming dating story that starts on Bumble and ends in a long-term relationship.

From socially distanced COVID dates, lakeside walks, and awkward air-hugs to a third-date original love song, a broken-down car in a pitch-black car park, and a boyfriend who accidentally makes the worst joke imaginable… this episode has everything you’d want in a modern dating rom-com gone wrong.

Jess talks:

💛 How she chose to date one person at a time on Bumble 😂 Why a tiny robin became a symbol of their relationship 🎤 The original love song she performed on the THIRD date 💍 And how — against all odds — they’re now celebrating 5 years together!

Plus, you’ll hear behind-the-scenes tales of dating during lockdown, navigating chemistry without physical contact, the horrors of woodland bathroom breaks, and what happens when your date has an identical twin who judges all your mistakes.

If you love dating disasters, wholesome chaos, and unexpected happy endings, this episode is for you.

Check out Southwark Playhouse’s Christmas + January shows including Litmus Christmas, Ballad Lines, and The Olive Boy •

Follow us: @TellingTinderTales • Leave a review • And get in touch if you have a story to tell [email protected]

Live shows coming up: Leicester (Feb), Glasgow (March)

Hosts/Producers: Chris O'Neill & Thomasin Lockwood

Producer/Editor: Lucie Regan

In this week’s episode of Telling Tinder Tales, hosts Chris O’Neil and Thomasin Lockwood welcome Sian from West London—stand-up comedian, true-crime enthusiast, and collector of some rather odd dating stories.

At 58, fresh out of a divorce, Sian jumped into the chaotic world of online dating and comedy gigs… sometimes on the same night. Today she joins us to share a hilariously disastrous Plenty of Fish date that went from mildly awkward to full-blown cringe.

Sian also reveals:

• The truth behind her unusual divorce (yes… there was a catfishing moment).
• What dating was like in her 20s vs. dating in your late 50s.
• Why she once kept a stack of 1980s Lonely Hearts photos.
• Her unexpectedly heart-warming first date with her current partner—who broke every rule she thought she had.
• And her best safety and sanity-saving advice for anyone navigating modern dating apps.

This episode has everything: dating disasters, comedy-gig chaos, true-crime energy, and a reminder that sometimes the best relationships appear when you least expect them—if you keep an open mind.

Support the Podcast

If you enjoyed the episode, please: ⭐ Leave us a 5-star review 💬 Share the show with a friend 📲 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @tellingtindertales 🎟️ See us live in Leicester (February) and Glasgow (March)

Have your own dating story? Check the show notes and get in touch—we might feature you next! Or email us on [email protected]

Hosts/Producers: Thomasin Lockwood and Chris O'Neill

Producer/Editor: Lucie Regan

Edit Assistant: Leo Dunlop

In this episode of Telling Tinder Tales, Chris O’Neill and Thomasin Lockwood chat with Berlin-based comedian Jazz, whose unexpected love story proves that sometimes the best romances start off the apps ❤️. What begins with a random flyer on the streets of Berlin turns into a sliding-doors moment, a natural conversation, and a 48-hour first date that eventually leads to moving in together.

Along the way, the trio dive into everything from the baffling persistence of unsolicited pics 📵 to the wild etiquette of Berlin’s techno scene 🎧, the science of attraction and scent, and why meeting someone in person often beats swiping through endless profiles. Jazz also shares what dating was like in New York, how comedy gigs became his unlikely route to romance, and why real connection is so much more than a curated profile photo.

Funny, honest, and full of international dating chaos, this episode is perfect for anyone who’s ever wondered whether love can still be found in the wild.

👉 If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review—your five stars help us keep the stories (and disasters) coming!

@tellingtindertales

If you have a story to tell, get in touch! [email protected]

This week on Telling Tinder Tales, hosts Chris O’Neill and Thomasin Lockwood welcome a very special guest: New York comedian and creator of the original Tinder Tales podcast, David Piccolomini.

David brings one of his own very memorable first date tale to the table — a story packed with chaos, comedy, and the kind of twist that only modern dating can deliver.

He chats about the rise of dating apps, life on the road as a touring comic, and his ambitious new one-man show built around learning ten new skills in two years. And shares what he discovered after hosting hundreds of dating-story episodes — from surprising trends to unforgettable confessions.

He also offers genuinely useful advice on:

• Creating a killer online dating profile 💘
• Standing out on apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Field 🔥📲
• Avoiding common profile mistakes ❌
• Mixing confidence, humour, and honesty to get better matches 😎💬

If you love funny dating stories, real-life romance disasters, modern dating insights, or interviews with comedians, this episode is full of laughs and takeaways.

David Piccolomini Instagram YouTube

Keywords: Tinder stories, online dating podcast, funny dating experiences, modern dating advice, dating profile tips, comedian interview, Field dating app, chaotic first dates, Irish comedy podcast.

In this episode of Telling Tinder Tales, your favourite duo Chris O'Neill and Thomasin Lockwood chat with Tina, an American expat living in London, about her unforgettable dating experiences. From sketchy red flags and cigarette-scented kisses to an unexpected fairytale romance with a dashing Polish man—this episode is full of twists, laughs, and surprising insights.

Tina shares two powerful dating stories:

1. The Walking Red Flag: A man who tried to rush intimacy, ignored boundaries, and planned a first date to a secluded beach.
2. The Breeze App Success Story: A sweet, slow-burn romance sparked by a thoughtful man, a mysterious accent, and a four-hour first date.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, and you might even get a little teary-eyed. Plus, we learn about a lesser-known dating app that sets up safe, no-texting first dates in neutral locations. Oh, and there’s kissing at train stations...what's not to like!

🔥 Key Takeaways & Topics

• 🚩 Red Flags in Early Dating: Tina boldly confronts disrespectful behaviour on first dates. Her no-nonsense attitude is a guide for modern daters.
• 🚙 First Date Danger Zones: Why agreeing to a two-hour drive to the beach is a bad idea.
• 🧭 Breeze Dating App: An old-school, structured dating app that skips the texting and sets up real-life dates in vetted locations.
• 🧠 Healthy Boundaries & Self-Respect: Tina models what it looks like to stand your ground with humour and grace.
• 💕 Finding Love When You Least Expect It: A spontaneous decision to not cancel a date turned into a real connection—with kombucha, candles, and a Polish accent.
• 🌍 Cross-Cultural Dating: How cultural values and upbringing affect relationship dynamics.

🔗 Follow Tina on YouTube @unfilteredselflove-withTina and Instagram @tinalhiatt

Producers/Hosts: Chris O'Neill & Thomasin Lockwood

Producer/Editor: Lucie Regan

Edit Assistant: Leo Dunlop

#datingpodcast #TinderFails #modernromance #onlinedatingstories #datingredflags #datingapps #relationshipadvice #BreezeApp #interculturaldating #funnydatingstories #TinderTales #relationshippodcast

In this hilarious and heartwarming episode of Telling Tinder Tales, your hosts Chris O'Neill and Thomasin Lockwood dive into two unforgettable dating stories that prove love—and disaster—can be found in the most unexpected places.

🎩 First up, comedian Danny Ward takes us back to 2008 and a MySingleFriend.com date that escalates quickly: from a mystery message to a full-blown black-tie gala with millionaire property magnates, Lamb shank, and posh awkwardness ensue.

🐾 Then, Rae Liu, podcast host of Kaleidoscope PBTS, shares her journey from swiping on China’s Tinder equivalent (Tantan) to falling for a fiercely confident woman who orders everything on the menu. This wild ride includes DJ egos, budget dating, and buckets of Red Bull in Thailand.

💬 Expect laughs, surprises, and a little bit of wholesomeness as we explore how online dating can lead to lifelong connections—or very expensive dinners.

🔑 Key Topics:

• Online dating gone wrong (and right)
• MySingleFriend.com and early dating apps
• Awkward first dates with family involved
• Cross-cultural relationships in China
• Tinder alternatives like Tantan
• Hilarious tales of chaos, commitment, and cat cohabitation

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your shows. 📍 Catch us live at the Nottingham Comedy Festival and follow us on social @TellingTinderTales for updates.

Have a story to share? Slide into our DMs or email us—details in the show notes.

Producers/Hosts: Chris O'Neill & Thomasin Lockwood

Producer/Editor: Lucie Regan

Edit Assistant: Leo Dunlop

#DatingPodcast #OnlineDatingStories #TinderFails #FunnyPodcast #ComedyPodcast #RelationshipFails #ModernDating #StorytimePodcast #MySingleFriend #FishnetStockings #MatalanTuxedo #ChineseTinder #TantanDating #LoveAndLambShank #KarenStory #Podcast #PodcastDescription