When Cheryl Bradshaw went on matchmaking series The Dating Game, she certainly wasn't expecting to come face-to-face with a serial killer.
But that's exactly what happened when she chose Rodney Alcala from a lineup of eligible bachelors to go on a date with.
You see, when the pair met on the popular dating show, Alcala was part-way through a crime spree, having raped and assaulted multiple people and committed several murders.
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Then, in 1978, he went on The Dating Game and ended up winning an all-expenses-paid date with Bradshaw.
However, their date never actually ended up happening after a creepy backstage encounter led to Bradshaw calling the whole thing off, a decision that may have saved her life.
She reportedly called up producers at the time and said: "There’s weird vibes that are coming off of him. He’s very strange. I am not comfortable. Is that going to be a problem?"
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Fortunately, they agreed, and the upcoming date was quickly cancelled.
What happened to Rodney Alcala after The Dating Game?
After his TV appearance, Alcala would go on to commit at least three other murders and was later dubbed 'The Dating Game Killer'.
He was arrested on 24 July, 1979 and handed a death sentence.
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The serial killer died of natural causes in 2021, exactly 42 years after his arrest, and has since been linked to around 130 other cold cases.
What happened to Cheryl Bradshaw after The Dating Game?
Following her appearance on The Dating Game and news about Alcala's crimes, Cheryl Bradshaw is reported to have left California to live a private life and raise a family.
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Not much is known about her life beyond this, however, in 2012, she told the Sydney Telegraph about the moment she knew something was off with Alcala.
Opening up about their backstage encounter, she said: "I started to feel ill. He was acting really creepy. I turned down his offer. I didn’t want to see him again."
Netflix's latest true crime thriller Woman of the Hour, which was released on the streaming platform last week (18 October), tells the story of Alcala, his crimes and how he won The Dating Game.
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It also includes a fictional retelling of what may have happened had Bradshaw accepted the date.
In the scene, Cheryl - played by Anna Kendrick, who also directed the film - is getting very bad vibes from Alcala.
When he asks for another round of drinks she shakes her head at the bar while he's looking away. And, later on outside the bar, she gives him a fake number.
You can watch Woman of the Hour on Netflix now.
Topics: True Crime, TV and Film, Netflix
Bec Oakes