How do celebs rate as boyfriends? Mark from Westlife has dinner with Bliss Editorial Assistant Christina.
"When it comes to dating, I have one simple, golden rule. The bigger a boy's ego, the more I fall for him.
Obviously I'm expecting to fall head-over-heels with Mark five minutes into our date. After all, who could be more arrogant than one of pop's biggest stars?
I soon realise how wrong I am when Mark arrives. OK, so he may be kitted out in regulation-pop-star Dolce & Gabbana, but he shyly admits: "This is the first time I've ever done anything without the rest of the band. It seems really weird not having them around."
So weird, in fact, that without Kian and co to coax him out of his shell, Mark's pretty quiet and withdrawn. Until our food arrives, he doesn't act like a pop star at all - just a normal lad who's more interested in home comforts and home-cooked meals with his family back in Ireland than glitzy London parties. Which means no looking into my eyes, no whispering sweet nothings, and no attempts to hold my hand across the romantic, candlelit table. Great.
As he polishes off steak and sauté potatoes (while I pick at a plate of noodles, trying to avoid them dripping down my chin), we chat about Mark's life. He tells me about how he's a shopaholic, he's got "normal" mates, and he's living out of a suitcase. How very fascinating - not.
Towards the end of our date though, Mark's professional mask slips - and he chats freely about life as a celeb. It's only now I see how fame's affected his life, as he laughs about a big night out with Robbie, and reveals he's met everyone from B*Witched to the Spice Girls. Now this is more like it!
Sadly, when Mark's car arrives to take him home, he gets up in a flash - he obviously can't wait to get back to the boys. With a quick kiss on the cheek, he's gone. Oh, well.
I start to put my coat on, when suddenly he comes back into the restaurant. "Thanks again for the date, Chrissie," he says, kissing me again. On the cheek, mind.
So could I date him for real? No. Part of Mark fancies himself as a celeb, but he's too sweet and sensible to let that take over. And, like I said, I like a lad with a big ego. Sorry, Mark, but you'd have to take a few more lessons in being a bad boy. Now, what was Robbie's phone number again?.'