A couple had an argument about the bill on First Dates and it was the most painful scene ever

This is a question that comes up pretty much every week on Channel 4's First Dates, and mostly it's answered without too much fuss. Often the woman offers to split the bill and the man insists on paying. Sometimes the woman doesn't offer and the man pays without questioning it. Occasionally the man offers to pay the whole bill and the woman won't let him. Other times, the couple split the bill. It's very rare that a woman on First Dates pays for the whole meal.

In all these scenarios, the couple seem to agree fairly quickly on how it's going to go and it's not really an issue. But on tonight's First Dates, the arrival of the bill sparked an argument and turned the date seriously sour.

Marc, 38 met Elle, 30. Marc said he was looking for someone to spend the rest of his life with, someone to do nice things for like "run a bath and put candles round it." Elle wanted to meet "a gentleman, a guy to hold the door open for me, pay the bill...”

The duo were getting on reasonably well — a bit of flirting here and there — until it was time to pay. Then all hell broke loose.

Here's what happened...

Elle casually passed the bill over to Marc

But Marc wasn't sure about this...

Elle remained chirpy but also very insistent...

But Marc wasn't letting this go...

Elle wasn't letting this go either...

The bill was £136.69. She gave him £30. And then Marc tackled the issue of gender equality...

At this point, Elle looked seriously unimpressed. For what felt like an eternity.

Yep, still stunned into silence...

Awkward, isn't it?

And then Elle got up and left the table. Forever — not for a a classic First Dates loo break.

Oh dear.

What do you think? Have your say on the Billgate debate and vote below...