Married At First Sight star Ben Jardine has told how he had a hair transplant at Crown Clinic to boost his self-confidence.
Ben became famous on the hit Channel 4 show where millions saw him marry police officer Stephanie, 32, without ever meeting or seeing her before the ceremony.
They spent months trying to make the marriage work and moved into their own flat before they decided it wasn’t working.
Despite the heartache, Ben is ready to find love again and underwent a hair transplant to fix his male pattern baldness.
The property developer, who has also starred on Celebrity Big Brother, had 3,000 hairs transplanted into the front of his scalp by our consultant surgeon Asim Shahmalak.
Ben, 37, from Bromley in south east London, said: ”I know my first marriage didn’t work out but I would like to meet someone special and getting my hair sorted out might help with that.
”I have been losing it for years and it is particularly noticeable around the temples. You see pictures of yourself on Celebrity Big Brother and think: ‘It is really falling out – I need to do something.’
”I am a big believer that opportunities come your way if you have self-confidence and feel good about yourself.
”I know having a full hairline will make me look years younger and hopefully it can help me find the woman of my dreams.
”You have got to love yourself if you want someone else to love you.”
Ben had the same FUE (follicular unit extraction) procedure as Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd, who plays David Platt in the soap and was a patient at Crown Clinic just before Christmas.
Follicles were extracted from the back and side of his scalp and then replanted in the balding areas at the front.
It will take up to a year for the new hair to fully grow back when Ben should have a completely full hairline.
Ben said: ”Losing your hair does make you look years older and it definitely knocks your confidence when it comes to dating.
”I haven’t been very lucky in love previously but I am on old-fashioned romantic who just wants to meet a lovely woman and settle down.
”The only difference this time is that I will meet her first and get to know her properly before tying the knot! I have definitely learnt my lesson on that score.”
Ben was approached in the street by a researcher from the Channel 4 show and asked if he was interested in marrying a stranger.
He was just recovering after the painful break-up of a 13-year relationship and the chance of a fresh start appealed to him.
Experts matched him with Stephanie and they tied the knot before honeymooning in Mallorca and setting up home in Clapham, West London.
But they soon realised that they were ill-suited and he split with Stephanie shortly after filming ended, though they are both still waiting for their divorce to come through.
Since then, he has had a baby girl, 15-week-old Siena Grace, with another former girlfriend, Spanish yoga teacher Silvia Sanchis, 41, who still lives with Ben in Bromley even though they are no longer together.
Ben said: ”I have absolutely love being a dad and it is great that Siena Grace is living with me even though her mum and I are no longer together. We are still good friends and both just want what is best for Siena.”
Ben started losing his hair in his early 20s but the process has accelerated in recent years.
He chose Dr Shahmalak for the procedure because of his global reputation for excellence and his work with other celebrities such as Corrie’s Jack, model Calum Best, TV doctor Christian Jessen, former footballer Didi Hamann and Home Under The Hammer presenter Martin Roberts.
Ben cannot wait to start restyling his hair when the transplant fully grows back in about a year.
He said: ”Your choice of surgeon is the most important consideration when having a transplant. I wanted the best in the world and I am delighted with the work so far by Asim Shahmalak, who is the best in the business.
”It should be ready for Christmas. I quite fancy trying some different looks and it will be wonderful in my late 30s to have more hair than when I was a teenager.”
As well as becoming wealthy through developing properties abroad, Ben is also a professional middleweight boxer and Thai boxer and he is working on a new TV series where he trains up other celebrities for fights in the ring.
Dr Shahmalak, who also has consulting rooms in Harley Street, said: ”Like a lot of people on TV, Ben is self-conscious about his looks. A hair transplant will make him look at least five years younger and should do wonders for his self-confidence.
”I work with a lot of TV stars who need to look good to maintain their public profiles. A hair transplant costs much the same as changing your car but it can completely transform your life.”