Dean Gaffney admits courting is ‘nightmare’ as ‘naughty’ messages get uncovered
Dean Gaffney has blasted modern dating as a “nightmare”, warning that private messages are no longer safe in a world where everything can be screenshotted and shared.
The EastEnders legend, 48, says romance has changed beyond recognition, with dating apps and social media creating a culture where nothing stays private. “We’ve all got phones that we swipe on. You can chat to someone in Botswana if you want,” he said in collaboration with casino.org.
“Phones have basically become our lives. Gone are the days of meeting at a local nightclub. Now you can be in London and chatting to someone in Scotland or anywhere else. We’ve become a nation, actually a world, swiping right.”
But while it might sound convenient, Dean admits it comes with a darker side. “Everyone screenshots everything, sometimes that’s a bit naughty. Messages meant for one person end up online,” he said.
“There’s no real law against it, it’s just the world we live in now. For the younger generation, they don’t know any different. It’s just normal to them.”
The soap star, who starred on Celebs Go Dating in 2020, says being in the public eye only makes things harder, with rumours and gossip spreading quickly. “There are always people saying things. You hear it all the time,” he explained.
“Someone will say, ‘Oh yeah, you chatted my friend up,’ when you know you didn’t. You get a lot of propaganda, a lot of clout-chasing. It’s like Chinese whispers.”
Despite his reputation for a party lifestyle, Dean insists the reality is far more low-key than people think. “I think people have this misconception about me,” he said.
“When they see me in Dubai or Ibiza, they think I’m some millionaire living this big flashy lifestyle. The truth is, wherever I go, I’m usually staying for free because my friends have a villa or businesses out there.”
Ibiza remains a regular spot for the star, thanks in part to close pal Tony Truman, but Dean is quick to shut down any wild assumptions about his lifestyle.
“I’ll go to my grave knowing I’ve never taken a drug in my life,” he said. And these days, his life is far from the chaos people might expect.
“We’re now in March and my sofa has seen a lot of me, just sitting there watching films,” he laughed. “I’m a normal person, like everyone else. At the end of the day, we’re all the same.”
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