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Marriage On The Cards For Jamie Yeo And Tinder Beau

Sheila Sim isn’t the only celeb to find true love online.

Marriage On The Cards For Jamie Yeo And Tinder Beau

It took Jamie Yeo only two weeks on Tinder to meet her boyfriend of six months. And it may be less than a year before wedding bells ring for the Gold 905FM DJ and her new beau.

The 39-year-old host would only reveal that her Mr Right (Swipe) is Rupert, a 38-year-old British expat who works at a consultancy firm. Jamie, who has a six-year-old daughter, Alysia, from her second marriage to British expat Thorsten Nolte, finalised her divorce with Nolte early last year. She was previously married to Glenn Ong in 2004 before they split up in 2009. But enough about the past. We ring Jamie up to shoot the breeze about the dashing dude who's been making frequent appearances on her lovey-dovey Instagram snaps.

8 DAYS: We hear you met your boyfriend, whom you've been dating for six months, on Tinder.
JAMIE YEO: Yes, I did. I was only on Tinder for two weeks in 2015 and then I started dating someone else (not from Tinder), so I deactivated my account. In that two weeks, I chatted with Rupert and we stayed in touch via text. He was very sincere and thoughtful. After I told him I didn’t want to meet him, he stuck around as a friend. He’d text me from time to time, recommending me books to read, remembering key dates like the custody hearings [of my divorce from my previous marriage] etc. That really touched me. So when I was single again after eight months, I reached out to him and asked how he was doing and if he was still in Singapore. The moment we finally met each other, it’s pretty much instant attraction, and things got really intense from there. We always tell each other that if it’s not for Tinder, we’d never have met! (Laughs)

Tell us more about Rupert.
He works in a very corporate sector doing stuff that helps companies deal with crises. A relationship had just ended for him then, and he was kind of alone, which was why he was on Tinder. He looks good, and is very eloquent and sweet, so some people around me thought that he’s too good to be true. But I felt that Singapore is very small, and if you want to cheat someone, you don’t do it to someone like me. So I went against my instincts and met him (laughs).

Is marriage on the cards?
He has brought it up and wants to [get married]. He told me before the clock struck 12 on New Year’s Eve that 2017 is the year he wants to marry me... if I don’t mind. But if we do, it will be private (smiles).

You're a known personality in Singapore. Why did you decide to go on Tinder?
I have friends who dated decent guys from Tinder, and another friend who got engaged to the guy she met there. I don’t usually go to events and launches, so I don’t get to know many people, and guys in the industry are either taken or gay (laughs). It’s quite common for people to be on Tinder now, and I thought it was a good way to make friends. If it led to something more, then great. It was quite an experience being on it.

Did you feel like it was a risk being on Tinder because you are a celeb?
I was skeptical at first, but the scene in Singapore is so different now. There are expats who’ve just moved here, and they don’t watch local TV at all. I also chatted with local guys, who happen to be friends of friends, and they are very decent. Many people are very honest on Tinder and their accounts are linked to their Facebook so I can tell if they are legit or not. I think people also didn’t dare to be a sleazebag with me.

What did you write on your Tinder profile?
I kind of just put myself out there. I reached a stage in my life where it didn’t matter if I’m someone famous. I uploaded regular photos of myself, and I wrote: “Look, I work in the entertainment industry. Honestly, what am I going to do? I don’t see myself going to a bar to know someone. I’m just here to look for someone nice.” I also linked my Instagram profile to my Tinder, so that people know that I’m the real Jamie Yeo and that I have a daughter [from my previous marriage]. I was quite straightforward and honest in my profile.

What tips do you have for other celebs who want to get on Tinder but hesitate to do so because of the possibility of weirdos or stalker fans?
(Laughs) It’s always good to chat and suss out what they do. I’d never chat with someone who’s not open about his Facebook profile. If someone’s account looks suspicious, then I’d be cautious. Singapore is very small. If it’s a local guy, there’s inevitably some kind of [mutual connection] between us. I guess my tip is to be honest and open. If you come across as that, people can feel it too.

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