Chantelle Houghton has been on a date with a mystery man.

The reality TV star - who split from fiance Alex Reid last October - has turned down several approaches from guys recently because she was looking forward to going out with the unnamed admirer, and they had a ''really nice'' time together.

She said: ''I went to a charity lunch in aid of Cancer Research UK with Lucy Mecklenburgh last week. It was held at The Grove hotel in Hertfordshire. We had a really nice time and I ended up going on to a bar with Lucy and her stepmum Tracey afterwards, where we drank apple Bellinis and peach Martinis!

''I even got asked out a couple of times, but I declined because I went on my first date with my mystery man last week. We had a really nice evening and I made sure we went somewhere we didn't get papped.''

And Chantelle - who has nine-month-old daughter Dolly with Alex - could soon be showing off her culinary skills to her new man, as she also spoke of her love of cooking, although she admits she gets a little impatient waiting for the meal to be ready.

She added in her column for new! magazine: ''I had a really nice, chilled family lunch with my mum, her partner Dean and Dolly at my house on the Sunday before last. I cooked a roast chicken. I like cooking, but I don't get why it takes so long! It takes hours to prepare and then it's gone in 20 minutes.''