‘Clearly it was meant for me’: Meet the Lincoln student who appeared on Naked Attraction

A University of Lincoln student appeared on Channel 4’s Naked Attraction a couple of weeks ago and everyone has been going nuts about it. After all, a university student appearing on one of the nation’s favourite shows is kind of a big deal. It isn’t your average dating show, Celebs go Dating is a bit bizarre but nothing like this. You see ordinary people in the nude in boxes with each part of their body being revealed to someone, who at the end presents themselves naked to the final pair.

We spoke to Milan Van Heerden, a 22-year-old philosophy student at the University of Lincoln about his time on the show. Despite not being chosen for a date by 28-year-old Jessica, who described herself as “a real-life Bridget Jones”, Milan spoke to us about what it was like appearing on Naked Attraction.

Why did you decide to apply to the show?

“I saw a casting call for the show on my Facebook news feed and thought clearly it was meant for me. So I applied.”

What was the application process like?

“You just go onto studiolambert.com/takepart and fill out things about yourself and what type of person you are.”

Millie Norris appeared on the show back in 2018. She told The Sun: “It was me and two people in the room, one was a man who filmed me to see how I was on camera. They asked me some questions then asked me to get unchanged. Then they ask you more questions while you’re sat there naked.

Were you nervous about appearing on the show at all?

“You’d always get a bit of stage fright going onto a show like that so slightly.”

An ex-contestant called Gavin said: “It’s a long day. They start filming at seven o’clock and I went in really hungover to the studios down in Manchester. They do some hair and make-up and then you get to meet the people you’re up against.

He told iNews there is good banter between the other people: “It’s sort of what you get in a football dressing room, everyone taking the piss out of themselves. Most of the people who appear on the show are quite like-minded.”

Have you been recognised on campus since the show aired?

“Not in person, no. Since things have been moved digital.”

Were you worried at all about going back to uni after the show aired?

“You would be slightly yeah, going onto a national television show like that. But it’s not been bad.”

Would you recommend people going on the show?

“I would do yeah!”

People who appear on the show have a fairly long period of time standing in the box, nude. Gavin who previously appeared on the show said: “You’ve got about two hours of standing in a box until it all starts. It ended up being from seven in the morning to three in the afternoon to film half an hour of television.

“They come round and take loads of pictures for the mashups. It was quite a lengthy process, but enjoyable.”

The final episode of Naked Attraction airs tonight at 10 pm on Channel 4.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Nude auditions and psychological tests: What it’s like to go on Naked Attraction

• A University of Lincoln student appeared on Naked Attraction

• I applied for Naked Attraction and this is what they asked me