"I went on this date with this guy, and for me, I thought it was a 'good' date, but he must have loved it. On the second date I tried ending it and his response was like 'No, I love everything about you, I really want to be with you, how do you feel about taking it a step further?'"
We both erupted into laughter. This is easily the best dating story I've ever heard but how on earth does one even deal with that situation?
According to Pemberton, you very sweetly say you're not on the same page, you run home, block them on all social media - including LinkedIn, bank the experience in your mind for a later date (literally) and use it to break the ice while you're chatting to a handsome stranger.
"I didn't laugh when he proposed because I didn't know what to do. It was a compliment."
Pemberton likes to process most situations through comedy. He tells me his therapist hates it but it's something he believes is 100 per cent healthy. "If you can take it to the comedic sphere you process it in a way where the input could be really bad but the output is really positive and it can help other people and they can relate to it."
And that relatable output is calling out bad behaviour by men. But it's not just Pemberton's own experiences, he has seen and heard much through friends and family.
"My older sister is very funny and she's had a lot of dating trouble with men. A lot of stories and backing behind 'fight back at the straight men' comes from my sister. If she's not going to say it, I'm going to say it," he says.
But the TikTok star knows where to draw the line. "She would probably kill me if I talked about her stories on TikTok."
With his impressive following steadily increasing by the day, Pemberton is recognisable. This can create a lot of interesting experiences in his personal life as well as some very sweet moments, like a recent interaction with a young woman where they bonded over ex-boyfriends.
And if you're ever scared to approach the well-put together, hilarious man with enviable eyebrows, don't be, Pemberton says.
"I do enjoy meeting people and I don't get stressed out by it; I'll never hide away."
So, what's next for the TikTok sensation?
"I don't know where I'm going to take this TikTok thing, I definitely don't use social media for the influencer lifestyle," he says.
But there's one thing he's focusing on and that's completing his degree.
Before the interview ends, I have to ask if being a professional comedian is on the cards.
"I don't think I'm funny enough to get into comedy. I don't know how people would take it," he jokes.
"I like my little Tik Tok community of likeminded people."
For more of Matt Pemberton, you can find him on all things Tik Tok and Instagram but not Facebook, because everyone knows that is the real close friends list.
•INSTAGRAM @matt_pemberton_
•TIK TOK @mattpemberton
