Love Is Blind: UK’s Freddie Powell Reveals What He Really Thinks About His Heartthrob Status (Exclusive)

Freddie Powell might not have found his happily ever after on season 1 of Love Is Blind: UK, but he did find something else — certified heartthrob status.

Is it what he ultimately wanted? Not quite. And he’s pretty “embarrassed” by it, he tells PEOPLE at the Netflix Summer Break event held at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, Calif., on Thursday, July 17.

“It’s a very nice compliment. Obviously I’m very sort of grateful for that. Yeah, I’m grateful, obviously, I don’t really know what to say, like, it’s a little bit embarrassing, do you know what I mean?” he says with a smile.

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The reality star, who is set to take his second shot at love on season 3 of Perfect Match, says he has “no idea” what his appeal is because “I’m just me.”

“Like, I say what’s on my mind and I’m always very mindful of what I’m doing, but I do that — it’s not just for TV… it’s just my life, you know. I’m always very mindful of what I say and do and I have no idea,” he adds. “I don’t really know how to answer that. I just, it’s a little bit embarrassing, but I’m flattered. I’m flattered!”

As fans remember, Freddie and Catherine Richards were close to finding a forever love on Love Is Blind: UK season 1, but things ultimately didn’t pan out.

Catherine was initially torn between Freddie and Ollie Sutherland in the pods, but she ended up selecting Freddie and the two got engaged. (Ollie went on to get engaged to Demi Brown, but they split at the altar as well. He is now engaged to Love Is Blind alum, Amber Desiree “AD” Smith.)

Catherine and Freddie ultimately called things off at their wedding, and confirmed at the reunion that they are “better suited as friends.”

Speaking to what his perfect match would be today, Freddie tells PEOPLE that it is someone with whom he “can connect with on a deeper level.”

“I know it sounds cheesy, but just like my twin flame, so somebody who, you know, we think similar and we don’t have to have similar interests,” he adds.

“We don’t have to be the same person, but just somebody that I can vibe with and, and understands me as a person and what I can offer and, and what I, yeah, and what can they can offer to me as well,” says Freddie.

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Love Is Blind: UK season 1 is available to stream on Netflix. Season 2 is set to premiere on Wednesday, Aug. 13, while season 3 of Perfect Match premieres Friday, Aug. 1 on Netflix.