Divorced couple awkwardly visits First Dates restaurant together

Can exes ever be ‘too close’? Some people think so

What’s the worst first date scenario you can possibly think of?

Being matched with a wanted criminal, falling ill during the middle of the date and not realising that you’ve had your dress tucked into your knickers the entire time are all pretty high up there.

However, imagine settling down for a romantic dinner, only to discover that your date’s ex is sat at the table right next to you.

That’s exactly what happened on last night’s episode of First Dates when a divorced couple decided to visit the loved-up restaurant at the same time.

When Mandy and Stuart entered Paternoster Chop House and sat at the bar together, all of the waiting staff were unsure as to the nature of their relationship.

It turns out that the pair had been married for 11 years and became parents to a son, before divorcing nine years ago.

Mandy and Stuart were faced with having to reveal their unique situation to their respective dates, Adam and Claire, when they were placed at neighbouring tables.

Claire couldn't believe her luck when she discovered that her date's ex-wife was sat at the next table (YouTube/First Dates)

As can be expected, their dates reacted very awkwardly to the strange set of circumstances that had befallen them.

“Are you joking me?” Claire said when Stuart made the big reveal. “Are you having a laugh? Please tell me you’re joking.”

Adam also evidently felt uncomfortable at the news, saying: “No way” when Mandy made her confession.

First Dates viewers expressed their astonishment at Mandy and Stuart’s close friendship, with many stating that they would never enlist an ex as a wingman or wingwoman.

“Most cringeworthy thing I’ve seen on here!” one person wrote on Twitter.

Another fan of the show commented: “I don’t want anyone’s ex sitting so close on any date nevermind a first ewwww don’t like it at all!!”

However, some people were fond of Mandy and Stuart’s warmth towards one another.

“It’s nice that they get on so well,” a Twitter user remarked. “There are so many toxic divorces with kids being used as weapons.

“It’s a refreshing change!”

“I don’t think it’s a big deal,” another person wrote.

“It’s great they get on. Maybe it’s a sign of some people’s insecurities that it’s an issue.”

Unfortunately, the popular dating programme appears to have stopped providing updates at the end of the episode, so we can’t be sure how Mandy and Stuart’s separate dates turned out in the end.

However, something tells us that their familiarity with one another may have been slightly too off-putting for their potential suitors.