A COUPLE who met on a television dating show are finally to be married, after being forced to postpone their wedding twice because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cindy Thompson, from Skipton, met her now fiancé Elan Cohen on Channel 4’s ‘First Dates’ back in 2017. They touched everyone’s hearts and bonded as Cindy shared the story of her mum, Angela’s brain tumour diagnosis.

Cindy and Elan were originally due to get married in May, 2020; they put it off until November, last year, and will finally tie the knot in Cheshire, close to where the couple have settled, on Sunday, September 19.

The patient couple hope it will be third time lucky, and are excited to celebrate with their families and “draw a line in the sand” after a difficult few years.

On the show, Cindy told Elan that her mum Angela was battling a glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain tumour. They also bonded over their matching khaki clothing, and have now incorporated khaki into the theme of the wedding.

Elan invited Cindy for a date in Manchester the weekend following their first meeting on the show, and they quickly hit it off. Elan met Cindy’s parents on Boxing Day and got their immediate approval. Cindy says she is “so glad” Elan and Angela were able to meet.

Angela died in June, 2018, just 20 months after her diagnosis. Her last words to Elan were ‘don’t let me down’. True to his promise, Elan asked Cindy’s dad, Mike, for permission to marry her, and he specially modified Angela’s engagement ring for his bride to be.

Some of the last advice Angela gave to Cindy and Elan about their wedding was “be kind to each other”, and they now plan to include this mantra as part of their vows.

They hope their wedding will be “a symbol of happiness and moving forwards” for both families. Cindy says “it gave [Mum] great comfort knowing that I had met my soul mate.”

Cindy became an ambassador for Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity in 2020, aiming to drive awareness and continue her mum’s legacy. She brings a wealth of retail skills from her job as senior online trading manager at Asda to the role, as well as giving speeches at several of the charity’s fundraising events.

Cindy will be at the charity’s Fizz & Fashion afternoon tea event at Hollins Hall, Baildon on Saturday, October 2.

Cindy said: “When Mum was first diagnosed, we were just in shock. Attending the YBTC support groups in Leeds to meet other families was invaluable.

“They knew what we were going through, we could talk openly. Mum taught us to live life to the full and did lots of charity work herself before she was ill, so I know she’d be proud of the work I’m doing with YBTC now.”

To find out more about the charity’s event, go to https://www.yorksbtc.org.uk/fizz-and-fashion