Celebs Go Dating Presenter Eden Blackman Accused of Violent Abuse

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When the TV presenter Eden Blackman died in June at the age of 57, after a long illness, the emotion some women felt was not sadness, but something closer to relief.

Byline Times can reveal that the late television personality, who co-presented Channel 4’s (E4) Celebs Go Dating from 2016 to 2018, had been accused by multiple women of violent abuse both prior to and during his time on the show.

One woman, ‘Sophia’, knew of Blackman through two friends who, she said, he had previously dated and allegedly violently assaulted. Based on their warnings, she spent nearly a decade refusing his attempts to book her for modelling work.

Then, in March 2016, an email arrived from a modelling agent named ‘Christian Buckley’, looking to book her for an audition for what was claimed to be a talent show. This happened prior to the first series of Celebs Go Dating and before Blackman was involved in the show.

With just her and ‘Buckley’ in the studio, Sophia alleged that he became violent.

“It was about an hour [to the meeting] when he asked me to start modelling, to show what I could do. I did, and then he took his belt and started beating me. Then he got other implements and hit me with those…When he started hitting me, I realised who he was.”

The supposed booking agent, she said, was Blackman – the man she had spent years avoiding. She believes it was retribution for avoiding his advances for so long.

“He ended up beating me very badly,” she told Byline Times. “It’s a situation where you don’t know what to do. I remember this weird thing about being called ‘Uncle’ – he said ‘call me uncle’ or it would get worse…You do what you’re told in that situation because it’s a matter of survival, isn’t it?”

After escaping, she called an ex of Blackman’s who confirmed from her detailed description that it was him. They recognised the pseudonym too: ‘Christian’ referred to Christian Grey, the protagonist of Fifty Shades of Grey; while ‘Buckley’ referred to Jeff Buckley, Blackman’s favourite musician.

Blackman later told a mutual acquaintance that the encounter was “all consensual” and that “she wanted it”.

Nadia Essex, who co-presented Celebs Go Dating alongside Blackman, said that she became aware of concerns about his behaviour towards women during their time working together on the show.

Essex told Byline Times that she raised concerns about Blackman’s alleged inappropriate behaviour towards women with Lime Pictures in October 2017. Lime Pictures investigated Essex’s concerns, speaking to individuals who might have more information. 

Following this investigation, both presenters entered mediation and agreed to continue working together. Essex’s contract was renewed for Series 4 in November 2017, and subsequently for Series 5.

Lawyers for Lime Pictures emphasised that it takes all complaints seriously and investigated Essex’s allegations, and a separate complaint that was also brought to its attention (not Sophia’s) as thoroughly as it could, within the constraints of what complainants were willing to do.

The production company’s lawyers said that, in 2018, Essex provided the production firm with written assurances that she was not linked to anonymous Twitter (now X) accounts “trolling” Blackman. She later admitted that she was responsible for those accounts. Essex was suspended and she resigned shortly afterwards. 

Two accounts run by Essex had branded her co-presenter a “liar”, “cheat”, and a “dog” in September 2018, after it emerged that Blackman had been unfaithful to his partner with a Kim Kardashian lookalike, Chantelle Sadie Paul, who had appeared on Celebs Go Dating.

Essex subsequently signed an undertaking agreeing to remove negative posts and to never engage in ‘harassment’ against Blackman. Essex admits that she made errors of judgement but says that she was desperately trying to highlight what she believed were serious safeguarding issues.

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Essex later attempted to take Lime Pictures and Blackman to an employment tribunal for sexual discrimination, but the case was ruled to have been filed too late. She has not worked in television since, and said the experience has left her with PTSD after years of online abuse related to the trolling episode. Essex had to claim Job Seeker’s Allowance after leaving Celebs Go Dating.

But, she told Byline Times, “this is about the women”.

In a statement after publication to this outlet, Essex said: “In June, I shared a public statement revealing the full extent of Eden’s depraved abuse. It received over 1.9 million views. Despite this overwhelming public response, there was a continued silence from mainstream media and major broadcasters. That silence was deafening — not just for me, but for all survivors who risk everything to speak out.”

Blackman co-presented Celebs Go Dating for four series, from August 2016 to early 2018. He was confirmed in March 2018 as not returning for Series 5.

His departure came not as a result of abuse allegations, but after it emerged that he had conducted an affair with a contestant on the show. The public announcement of his departure suggested he was leaving to “focus on other projects”.

When asked whether Blackman’s departure was related solely to one inappropriate relationship with a contributor or whether there were other inappropriate relationships during his time on the programme, Lime Pictures declined to comment beyond confirming that he left the show in March 2018.

After Blackman left Celebs Go Dating, several alleged victims contacted Essex, who said she was shown photographs of injuries sustained during sexual encounters with Blackman. 

Since Blackman’s death, Essex says at least six women have approached her alleging rape, torture, and psychological abuse by the late presenter. 

Blackman, it appears, successfully kept his alleged predatory behaviour secret throughout his time in the public eye, with his reputation remaining intact until after his death.

Eden Blackman died in June 2025 and cannot respond to these allegations.

Some names have been changed to protect victims’ identities.

This piece has been amended to remove the experience of one victim on request, and to clarify some of the text.

Do you have more information on this story? Get in touch in confidence on josiah@bylinetimes.com 

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