Mr Smith, 33, is a contestant on the new program Please Marry My Boy, a show which places the responsibility of finding a partner into the hands of the mother of a son who, for whatever reason, cannot find one himself.

If the concept invites ridicule, remarkably the two Port Stephens contestants do not.

Mr Smith applied for the show with his flatmate, each going along with the process hoping the other would be selected.

Once he was selected he says that he "kept it quiet," he seems genuinely relieved when he mentions the response from friends has been "pretty good, and pretty supportive."

While Mr Smith has been generally happy to take the whole experience as it comes to him, convincing mother Anne to be involved was more of a task.

"I was surprised, a bit shocked and reluctant, I didn't think it was something he'd want me to do," she said.

"[but] Like all sons do, I guess he's got a good way of persuading me to do things."

Although he is casual about it, Mr Smith seems to have genuinely enjoyed his involvement with the program.

"I did mate, honestly I'm a bit of a shy bloke, I like sports and going to the pub with the boys, [but] doing this helped with my self confidence, I would definitely do it again," he said.