Luton man's rocky romance on BBC's Love in the Countryside takes a final twist

In yesterday's instalment of the hit series, Luton-born Michael Nanton-Knight, 34, was selected to go on a penultimate date with Cumbrian farmer David, 35, to see if their chemistry might ignite.

After beating out romantic rivals Sal, 27, and Luke 34, in the previous episode, businessman Michael invited farmer David to his usual hangouts in Central London.

But while sat in a cafe with stunning views overlooking the Thames, David delivered an unexpected clanger.

"I need to see Luke again," he confided to a stunned Michael.

David then added he wasn't sure if he'd made the right choice.

Taking the bad news like a pro, Michael simply told him, "I need to be the one," and ended with things with David.

"It was about having some self respect," Michael told the Luton News after last night's episode aired.

"I know what I want, and I'd been in that situation before. I don't have time to hang around waiting for someone else to make their mind up.

"It was a bit of a kick in the teeth."

After things ended with Michael, cameras followed David as he awkwardly reunited with Luke a month after rejecting him.

But the lovelorn farmer soon got his just rewards for dithering!

A few weeks later, host Sara Cox caught up with David with his tail between his legs as he revealed things had quickly fizzled out between him and Luke.

Despite the drama, Michael revealed he is still good friends with his on-screen date and the pair text regularly.

He said: "One of the funny things to come out of this was I realised I do want to move to the countryside eventually!

"I'd still need a bit of London life but I would have been willing to move to Cumbria,"

And he's made a friend for life with fellow contestant, Manchester bar manager Sal, 27, who revealed he had been ostracised by his family after coming out as gay.

The pair got on like a house on fire in the first few days of the competition before the arrival of "competitive" rival Luke.

Michael said: "Sal's my absolute hero. In our community, you meet characters who go through so much just so they can be who they are.

"I call him 'Sal the Pal', he's such a sweetheart and I have a lot of respect for him after everything he's been through.

"I'll go up to Manchester and he'll come down to London.

"My mum's already said he's welcome at ours for Christmas!"

The next episode of Love in the Countryside airs on BBC at 9pm on Tuesday.