AS A stunt actor, Jon Zhang is used to a good battle, but it looks like he might have finally met his match – in the form of fashion shop owner Trudy Nelson.

The 28-year-old from Cowley became a social media hit after appearing on the ITV dating show Take Me Out last week.

The former Oxford Brookes University Phd student bagged himself a date on the fictional island of Fernando’s after winning over Portsmouth girl Miss Nelson, 25.

Mr Zhang’s journey to national television started last October, after producers messaged him on Facebook to see if he would be interested in appearing.

After his audition, the crew visited the SAE Institute in Littlemore – where Mr Zhang gives lectures on fight choreography – to film him at work.

He said: “The whole experience was a bit surreal to be honest.

“I know the rest of the guys taking part were pretty nervous, but I thought that, as it was on TV, I should be more relaxed.”

As part of the show, male contestants have to impress an audience of 30 single women – who each turn off their light if they are not interested in a date.

Mr Zhang, who has appeared in martial arts film 47 Ronin and US drama 24, also wowed the audience with a show-stopping nunchucks routine.

He added: “I saw girls turn off their lights but I just kept myself calm, I knew I only needed one to get a date.

“The hardest part was turning off all the lights at the end. It’s a shame because you realise there are these girls who actually want to date you.”

For their date on Fernando’s the couple tried their hand at horse riding, before a romantic dinner by the sea.

Mr Zhang said: “The date was a lot of fun, although at first my horse wasn’t moving and I just kept wishing it wouldn’t make me look bad.

“The trip gave me the chance to connect with her. It was quite weird. We weren’t allowed to talk to each other unless the camera was on.”

But despite their romantic getaway, it seems the pair have decided to remain just friends.

The keen pianist said: “I enjoyed my time with Trudy, and I realised a good friend like her was what I was actually looking for.”

The actor, who admitted being single for a long time, is looking to pursue his film career and release a piano album.

Find out how he got on with his date tonight on ITV1 at 8.30pm.