Bachelor Australia - Season 5 - Matty Johnson - Media Social Media - NO Discussion - *Sleuthing Spoilers*

The Bachelor’s Florence: ‘Sign me up for The Bachelorette!’ The Dutch babe is single and ready to mingle… with, like, 20 suitors!
Having got the boot after tonight’s hometown visits on The Bachelor Australia 2017, you’d expect Florence to already be sorting through a long list of admirers. But after working her tush off to try and win Matty Johnson's heart (which clearly didn’t go to plan!), the now single Bachie babe wants the men out there to work for her, telling NW that she’s hell-bent on becoming the next Bachelorette*.

“Oh sign me up!” she said of filling our current Bachelorette Sophie Monk’s, shoes once her time is up.

“I definitely wouldn’t go on another dating show and be a contestant, but bring [the guys] to me.”

And while we’re definitely devastated to see Flo leave the Bachie mansion, don’t expect her to be shedding any tears, ‘cause she’s actually glad Matty dumped her.

Your gal pal, Marly, basically accused Matty of being on the show for fame. Do you think that comment had something to do with him sending you home?
Oh no, it was not meant to be and that’s fair enough. So, no I don’t think it had anything to do with it. If you’re genuinely in love with someone then it doesn’t matter what’s been said, who your friends are, who your family is, where you live, you just make it work and you don’t care about all that. I think it just wasn’t meant to be with me and Matty. I think it was just a lack of love. It wasn’t there for me and it wasn’t there for him. It was kind of a relief when he sent me home to be honest. Even though I liked him a lot, I wasn’t in love and he wasn’t in love and it was a good decision.

So it wasn’t upsetting at all to be sent packing?
No, I’m going to be honest sometimes someone else has to make the decision for you. I didn’t cry and I was fine on the way home. I was never upset, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like him because he is amazing, he is a ten out of ten! But it just didn’t happen for me and whether that was the show environment or because it wasn’t meant to be, I don’t know, but the fact is it wasn’t there.

If you had have stayed another week, would you have told him that’s how you felt?
Yes, I think I would have said something if [I hadn’t fallen in love], but maybe surviving home dates and going on another date would’ve help me develop stronger feelings. If not, then I would never ever go to finals ‘cause I couldn’t do that to him or the other girls. So, if that was the case I would have said something but you don’t know what might have happened afterwards and maybe I would have fallen for him but it’s just guessing cause you will never know.

So you don’t have any hard feelings for Matty? You know, given he broke up with you on national television!
I reckon it would be really good to run into him [outside the show]. I mean whoever he [ends up with], I would be so excited because I love all three of the girls that are left and I would genuinely be happy for them and I would want to know how he is doing and what’s been happening for him. There are no hard feelings here.

Wow! You’ve taken it really well…
I loved every minute of being on the show. Even though at times it was stressful. It has been a beautiful experience and I can’t believe that I was one of the girls chosen to do it and I got to meet Matty, even though we didn’t fall in love, because he is amazing he is a ten out of ten. And I’ve made such beautiful friendships and it’s been nothing but good for me. I am really grateful.

Out of the remaining girls, who are you hoping wins Matty’s heart?
Laura and I spent a lot of time together and we sat outside every night and gave each other pep talks. We just made a promise that we would always be friends. We were sitting outside and we were like, “he’s going to pick you because I would date you,” and then the other one would go, “no I would date you!”

She seems to be getting really jealous over the other girls and their bonds with Matty…
It’s never fun to watch your friend being upset, and I really feel for her because if I hear that she’s being uncomfortable, or jealous or unhappy, no that’s not fun to watch at all.

You seem to really care about her! Is she that close with the other girls?
No, no!

Oh, no way! Why?
I’m not sure at the end. But look, not everyone can be friends with each other and not everyone got along with Laura because she is a presence in the room and she is very outspoken and not everyone likes that. But that’s ok because not everyone likes me and I don’t like everyone and she didn’t like everyone. They put 22 girls together and they think we are all going to sing Kumbaya by the fire. No, that’s not going to happen. Unless it's 22 Cobies, it’s not going to happen. [Laughs].

So, are you excited to be back living the single girl life?
I’m just taking it easy. I’m not dating anyone and I haven’t been dating to be honest. I’m not desperately looking for love, it will come my way and we will see what happens.
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Florence Says She "Felt at Peace" When Matty Didn't Give Her a Rose
Hometown dates have come and gone on The Bachelor, and as terrifying and awkward as they may be, they're a great eye-opener as to whether the relationship is going to work out IRL. After meeting the families of Tara, Florence, Laura and Elise on Thursday night, Matty chose to let Florence go. It was a cool, calm and collected departure as far as Bachelor exits go at this stage of the show — without any waterworks from the 28-year-old. In fact, Florence told us it actually felt very right to leave at that point. Read on for how it all unfolded through her eyes.

POPSUGAR Australia: We are sad to see you leave!
Florence: Aww, thank you! I appreciate that, but don't be sad, because I wasn't too upset.

PS: How come?
Florence: I think when he sent me home, it felt right. I didn't realise it before it actually happened, because I really liked him — he's a champion, he's amazing — but I wasn't in love at that point, and that made me feel quite anxious. It was so close to the end, and when he didn't give me the rose, I felt at peace! I didn't cry, and it just felt right, and sometimes that's what you need — someone else to make a decision for you. I don't think we were ever meant to be, so it's all good.

PS: Did you feel like if you'd stayed longer, that you should have been in love with him?
Florence: Yeah, that was something that I was struggling with, because I need time for that. I really liked him, I think I could've developed it, but is that something you want to develop? You just want love to hit you — meet someone and be like, oh my god, I'm feeling butterflies and my whole body is like a roller-coaster and it's crazy what's happening to me — rather than developing feelings and focusing on developing feelings. That's why I think it wasn't meant to be. I definitely would've felt a bit forced to feel that way about him, so I think he made a good decision.

PS: How do you feel your hometown date went?
Florence: I liked it! It was really good to see my friends again, but I noticed they were like, "This is not it, Florence. You're holding back and we don't see it from your side." So it was also a bit of an eye-opener, but other than that, I really liked it — it was a lot of fun.

PS: Yeah, sometimes you need someone else on the outside to give you clarity.
Florence: Yeah, they gave me one look and they were like, "You're holding back." I was like, "No I'm not, I really like him." [My friend] just gave me this look, like, mmm. That was it, and then I started thinking, maybe she's right. I was the first person to do home visits, so I was by myself for a week in an apartment in Sydney and it gave me a lot of time to think.

PS: What do you think about the top three?
Florence: I think it's going to be a hard decision for him to make. But it's not a competition — it's all about love. I think all three of them are amazing.

PS: Who do you think has the strongest connection with him?
Florence: It's so hard to tell! But if you were to ask me who were to win, my money is on Elise. But Laura and Tara are strong contenders as well. I can see the chemistry between him and Tara, and Laura is just so beautiful and so intelligent, and so is Elise, so it's hard! I don't know, I just don't know! [Laughs] I would pick all three if I were him, but you can't really do that, can you?!

PS: Do you have any highlights from your time on the show?
Florence: It was just such an amazing experience in general. Living with the girls, waking up and going to the TV room, sitting there in your pyjamas watching Netflix, making breakfast for each other, all the dates with Matty, being part of such a big production . . . I loved every second of it. Loved it.

PS: Would you do it again?
Florence: Not to find love, but I would definitely do television again. It's just so exciting and like I said, I loved every second of it. To see the producers do their jobs and see how it all goes, that was fascinating. But I wouldn't go on another show to find love, I might just find someone along the way! [Laughs]

PS: Did you ever feel bad cheating on that date?
Florence: No, sorry! [Laughs] It seemed a bit worse than it was on TV, of course. When I ran over to the finish line, I said, "Don't get excited Matty, I cheated", so he already knew before I confessed. We had a laugh, and then I told Elora and Simone and we also had a laugh. It was funny and playful, I thought they would disqualify me and the runner-up would win, but they didn't. We were making television, and all is fair in love and war, and I was happy to get the extra time with Matty. They also didn't give out any rules to play the game, so technically I didn't do anything wrong.

PS: What surprised you about being on the show?
Florence: That you can form real friendships. Every time I see one of the girls, it feels like seeing a sister. It's amazing, seriously, they make me so happy. When I meet up with Lisa, Elise, Simone or Laura, I'm pumped to see them — it's just such a strong connection. I think we all did find love — it sounds really cheesy and cliché, but you find friends for life. It did surprise me that you can develop real friendships on a show like that.

PS: Where are you at with finding love now?
Florence: Well, I'm not heartbroken, so I'm still open to it. I'm just really, really picky and I'm not a serial dater. I know when I meet someone whether I'm going to like them or not, and that rarely happens, unfortunately. It's not like I have a whole list of requirements or what I'm looking for in a guy, it's more of like an instant yes or no when I see someone — it's all about chemistry and connection. At first conversation, I'll know if I'm attracted to you or not, and you need that to develop anything further. I haven't been in love many times and don't fall in love easily, so we'll see! It will come one day.
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ELORA FROM 'THE BACHELOR' REVEALS SHE'D ALREADY KISSED MATTY J AT A PREVIOUS COCKTAIL PARTY That’s why she was so shocked when he turned her down.
On The Bachelor Australia 2017, Elora Murger really brought the heat. She lit up the very first cocktail party with her fiery entrance, and Matty J quickly found himself drawn to the hottie, inviting her on the very first single date, and later on, the season’s ~controversial~ overnight date. Fire puns aside, Elora really was a memorable contestant on The Bachelor this year. The personal trainer, who lives in Sydney but hails from Tahiti, knew what she wanted, and she had no problems going after him. She even tried to kiss Matty at a cocktail party, but it backfired when he turned her down — however, hearing Elora’s full story about this incident is very interesting. Matty was clearly attracted to Elora, but their connection wasn’t enough for him to take her through to the hometown dates. Elora chatted to Cosmo about how she came across on TV, what the breakup felt like, and whether she really burned all the things she’d collected from the show.

What was going through your mind during that rose ceremony?
I was really, really scared. First of all, standing in the bottom two with Florence, she’s one of my besties, so it was really hard. No matter what, all of our hearts are gonna be broken but one. It was really hard. I didn’t know whether I was gonna go or not. At this point, I didn’t know. It was really scary.

Was your heart broken?
It was. I think you could actually feel it through the screen as well?

How did you find watching it back last night?
Honestly? The box part was really hard to watch. It’s really hard to see girls that you love saying bad things about you. Everything was really edited so I would be the one receiving the bad criticism. That date was really hard. We were all holding hands, like, “OK, we have to do this, but we love each other. We have to hold on to that.” I got a lot of love from the girls who texted me, saying, “We love you, and your words were beautiful and breathtaking.” So they felt really bad about how it was portrayed. Watching Cobie, it was really hard to see her in pain. And to see my breakup was really hard too.

It is a breakup! Obviously it’s quite different in this experience, and then it plays on national TV as well.
I was a bit worried as well, because I didn’t do the polite thing where I was like, “Thank you for this experience.” I felt like I was not in control. I felt like a mess, like my whole world just ended. So I was worried about how I was going to be portrayed, with me threatening to kick his azz. What kind of exit is that? But it turned out OK. You really felt I was genuine, and I looked back and looked at the girls. I really love them. So at this point, it’s not about me anymore, it’s about the girls. I just wanted to remind him that if he really hurt them, then… I don’t know, I was just lost for words.

It was surprising at first that he didn’t take you out for a chat, because he’s done it with other girls who he’s had less of a connection with.
I didn’t even think about it then. All I wanted to do was leave. I think he was really uncomfortable, and I think it didn’t help that I threatened to kick his azz. I’m glad he came out. I was still a little bit upset about what he said to me.

The whole “clipping your wings” thing?
Yeah, I felt like he was like, “It’s not me, it’s you.”

You obviously had a great connection with Matty, but you were good friends with girls who barely got time with him. How did you find navigating those friendships in this weird situation?
I think it just naturally happened where the more you hang out with the girls, the more you love them. There are girls you’re going to connect more with than other girls. I think in a way, I was really guarded with the girls, because you could say something one day that would be used against you. Overall, the girls know who I am. And I did stand on that considerate box, because from the beginning I was the one who…You know how when there’s problems, there’s a lot of people who don’t wanna get wet because they don’t wanna get involved? I’m the one who got involved to defend my friends. Sometimes I went three weeks at cocktail parties without seeing Matty, because there was so much heat that it was affecting me so much, the negative energy. I was not capable of interrupting the girls, because I didn’t want to take some of their time. The girls knew that. I wasn’t afraid to get wet for love and for the girls. That one kiss moment [at the cocktail party], they didn’t see it, and if everything would have gone as planned they would have never known. And it wasn’t the first time I kissed him at a cocktail party. I think the girls know that I am very considerate, and they wouldn’t argue against it. They know that.

So you did kiss him at another cocktail party?
Yes! The one where he took me to the Secret Garden. We kissed on- and off-camera. Even when the mic guy was fixing my mic, Matty was kissing me. But that was not on TV, it just wasn’t shown. What happens in the Secret Garden stays in the Secret Garden, in a way!

Not anymore!
Not anymore! Because they used it against me. There’s no way I would go out of my way to hurt the girls. If I felt confident enough to do it, it’s because we have crossed that line before where we were kissing at a cocktail party. I felt a little bit betrayed by Matty, if anything.


After that, did you feel something shift in your connection with Matty?
I didn’t have time! I did not have time at all, because it was a group date. Then I never got a chance to speak to him because he cancelled the cocktail party! So I have no idea. I think it was an easy way out.

Do you know if any other girls kissed him at cocktail parties?
To be honest, I remember Elise saying that she didn’t, because when I told her I did I think it kind of hurt her feelings. Florence didn’t… Maybe Laura in the Secret Garden. But you don’t walk around screaming that you kissed him. The only time I used it to justify myself was to be like, “It was just like in the Secret Garden.” Some of the girls were like, “No, I didn’t kiss him in the Secret Garden.” I was like, shoot, maybe it isn’t something that happens. And I felt really bad, like I was digging my own grave.


Also Elora, do you mind setting the record straight on some rumours about you that have recently come out? Like the story that said you burned all the Bachelor memorabilia you collected?
No! I didn’t burn anything. I still have everything. I hold on to the little things. I even have a note from Simone when the tension was high in the house. She left me a little note on my bed to tell me she loved me, and she was sorry. And I have that as well. No, I wouldn’t burn anything. Why would I throw away any symbol of my experience that just changed my life?

How do you feel about the way you’ve come across on TV?
I am pretty much myself. They fuel off of what we give them. The mysterious image that I have is really emphasised by cutting off my dialogue in a lot in a lot of the dates. With the girls, I feel as soon as the drama was gone, I was an easy one to create drama with. And it’s my fault, because I went for the kiss, and they fuelled off of that. They prepped my exit, so instead of using all the good things that were said, they used the bad things, to justify my departure. But when I leave you see all the girls are really upset, and crying, and really emotional. That showed that we have a lot of love for one another. I’m just gonna hold onto that, and the sweet messages I got from the girls. I hope people can see and understand that.

Did you get closure?
Nope — no closure. I feel it’s my thing to not get closure. I don’t know if I would really want to ask Matty everything, because in a way, I think if he knows it’s not going to be me, or he knows it’s not going to be a girl, he can’t show that he doesn’t really like her that much. If he knew the winner from the start, there would be no show. So I think he does have to be patient, and make every girl feel special. And he is a gentleman. But I wouldn’t want to ask him what he compromised. It would be uncomfortable for him.

What are feelings towards him now?
I would love to see him and the girl! I would love to give them a big hug. It was hard for him to break girls’ hearts — you could see it was hard for him to send me home as well. He wasn’t having fun with that. He went through the experience [on The Bachelorette], so doing it to someone else was probably not comfortable. But I’m OK — he’s happy, he’s got the girl, he had an amazing time, he was dating 22 beautiful women. I’m not saying he’s one to complain, but we all went through something really harsh, and it was playing with hearts. I only have love for my fellow Bachelors and Bachelorettes.

Are you able to give us your quick thoughts on the top four girls?
Of course! Laura is a naturally beautiful soul. She’s so interesting. She’s got so many plans in life. She’s a super sexy, beautiful, boss lady. She’s very confident. She’s just really simple at the same time. She’s a stunner. Elise is also really down-to-earth. She’s such a sweetheart. She’s very sensitive. She only has love. She’s amazing. Tara, unfortunately I didn’t really get to connect with her that much. I can’t wait to see her and give her a big hug, because I think she’s such a sweetheart, and I really saw her shine throughout. She’s really, really funny; she just has big walls that hold her back. I saw so much good in her. And then Florence, she was one of my besties in the house from the start. Maybe it’s because we’re foreign. She’s so hot, and she’s so funny, and she’s very honest. Like she’ll tell you if you look fat in a dress, whereas I’d be like, “Maybe the next dress.” She’ll be like, “You’re fat.” She’s hilarious, she’s smart, she’s fun, and she knows who she is, and I love that. All four of them are just incredible, strong women. Goddesses, actually. I will use that term for them.

There are also headlines saying you clashed with Laura in the house.
That’s not true at all! That is not true. Laura and I never had any beef. She was actually really surprised about it. She sent me screenshots of the articles a few weeks ago, saying, “Are we fighting?” Not at all. She was a little bit separated from the other girls. She’s very independent, and she’d be working on her business a lot of the time, like making jewellery. I think when she really started falling for him she isolated herself a little bit more, and got really close to Florence. But I’ve never had any beef with her — she’s always been a great one to have around.

Have you dated since the show?
Maybe a month or two after the show, I ran into this French guy I met eight years ago — he ended up living in my neighbourhood. I ran into him, and he told me that he’d had a crush on me for the past eight years. So we started seeing each other. I could have fallen for him. He’s a little bit younger; he’s like this beautiful model. I realised when I started seeing him that he wasn’t going to be a long-term match for me, and I just really wanted to stay focused on my experience. I didn’t want anybody to be able to hurt my feelings. I wanted to be on my own, and he wasn’t a good match for me, so I left him. I think he’s gone now — he’s in the U.S. It was fun, and he was very beautiful.

Have you ever been on dating apps?
No! I don’t know if I could. I did download it a few times, like when you get lonely sometimes, so you download it and swipe. As soon as I saw someone I knew I was like, “Oh no!” and I deleted the app. I’ve never gone on dates like that. It’s really hard for me to date, actually, because I don’t know how I would go on dates without putting it out there.
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COBIE FROM 'THE BACHELOR' REVEALS HOW MUCH SHE STRUGGLED IN THE MANSION “I was really down and depressed and stuff.”
Cobie Frost’s elimination from The Bachelor Australia 2017 may have been the most brutal of the season. Matty J took the sweet coal plant operator from Queensland on her second date, which involved climbing tightropes in an obstacle course among the trees. Then he started talking to her seriously about ~feelings~ and all that stuff, basically saying he hadn’t developed anything for her beyond friendship. Matty decided to send Cobie home right then, before the cocktail party and rose ceremony. But that didn’t mean the remaining five girls were safe — the rose ceremony still went ahead, with Elora Murger being the second lady to leave in the episode. Cobie chatted to Cosmo about why she struggled in the mansion, how she really felt about the way Matty sent her home, and why she hates dating apps.

When did you realise Matty was letting you go?
When he was telling me everything that he liked about me, like, “You have all these ingredients,” and things like that. I thought, ‘Oh, this is happening!’ [laughs] I was trying to connect with him, and I could tell it just wasn’t happening, so I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I get it. It’s OK!’

What was it like for you to watch back?
It was fine. I watched it with friends. It was such a long time ago. I was just really upset that I was leaving, because I didn’t get to say goodbye to the girls. I said to him, “Do I get to say goodbye to the girls?” and he said, “No.” Then I got ever more upset!

Logistics question: What happened to your stuff?
[Laughs] Our house mum packed up all our stuff. Well she packed up all my stuff in this instance. I had no idea [I was going]. I thought I had one more week in. But I already knew I’d go on a single date.

Really?
Yeah. You know the week before, how we had to break through our fears? I said to the girls, “If I get this one-on-one time, he’s gonna tell me that it’s not me, and he’s gonna send me home.” He could see I was being super vulnerable, and he wasn’t feeling it. So I knew he didn’t want to lead me on. I knew it was coming, I just thought I had an extra week.

You say that, but he did keep you on for quite a long time. Did you question why he kept you up until the top six?
I think it’s just because we had a really good friendship. We always had a good time together. I enjoy his company, he’s a good bloke. I’m not doing any harm by being in there, and I genuinely care about him, and the girls, and I really want what’s best for everybody. I think it’s just part of the process.

Were you still hopeful that something would develop between you and Matty, or had you accepted earlier on that maybe it was just going to be friendship?
I wanted to have more time with him, to see if we were more compatible. But because it was so hard for me to get that time, I’d kind of just given up. I was super exhausted. When I got out, I felt like it was a huge relief off my shoulders. I had really bad anxiety, and I was really down and depressed and stuff. I really struggled in the house, so to get out was the best thing that could have ever happened. I wasn’t being myself anymore, I was just really down. I’d tried so hard to get this time with him, and I hadn’t got it.

That’s really sad to hear!
It’s a unique experience! It’s very confronting, and I’m so grateful I had it, because now I’ve learnt more about myself. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Do you feel like you got closure?
Yeah, absolutely. I feel really lucky. Like really lucky.

What did you think of Elora’s elimination following yours?
I don’t know. I think, if anything, it would be good to take everyone outside and have a little chat to them, because we are here for such a long time, and there are feelings involved. I think it’s like a courtesy thing. It’s hard having your heart ripped out or broken, when people are so invested. I guess he did what he felt was right, and that’s him staying true to himself as well. He definitely is a great guy, and would never do anything to hurt anyone’s feelings, so I think it’s just because he’s a boy, and sometimes they don’t realise, you know? [laughs]

Watching the show back, has there been anything that surprised you? Whether it was girls behaving differently, or seeing Matty in a different way, as a viewer?
I feel for Matty, because he’s really great, and I don’t know if anyone is getting to see that as much as we got to see. We got to see and spend a lot of time with him, see all of his personality, so if anything, I would hope they can understand that he has a really tough job, and not to be so hard on him. This is about him finding love, and I think the public need to cut him some slack. He did this last year, and didn’t know what to expect, and now he’s doing a different part of the experience. It’s equally as hard for him as it is for us, so I think we need to cut him some slack a bit.

It’s very different when you go from being a contestant to being the one who has to break hearts.
Yeah, but you can see him changing as well. At the beginning, he was super bubbly and happy to be there, and when it gets down to the nitty gritty, he kind of seems exhausted. But it’s hard! He’s got all these girls. He’s got to think about who he wants to take on a date next, and hometowns are coming up… It’s quite stressful! Like if it was stressful for me, I can only imagine how stressful it would have been for him.

You know what you’re signing up for with The Bachelor, but how do you feel about everything being up to him?
Oh, I think… It is up to us to give it as much of a go as him. If we wanna walk out, no one’s telling us we have to stay. It’s the same thing with real life. If you were seeing someone and you didn’t want to see them anymore, there’s nothing stopping you. The same morals apply. I guess because you’re in this different environment, you want to see it through, because you don’t want to leave on a “what if?”. That’s all you can do.

Did you ever consider walking out?
I’d thought about it, but I knew I would never. I didn’t want to live with any regret. I went in there to give it a red hot go, and I did that. I’m happy with my decision.

Your expressive face got a lot of air time. What was it like watching yourself on TV? What do you make of all the memes that have come out of it?
[Laughs] Oh my God, they’re so funny! I do wear my emotions on my face. I don’t think I realised how much I open my mouth when I laugh, or when I’m excited. It’s funny. It doesn’t bother me at all. I think it’s great — why not have a laugh about it. That’s who I am, so there’s nothing wrong with that.

Can you share your quick thoughts on the top four? Laura?
Laura’s amazing — she’s so nice. She’s like a big sister to me. I’m very grateful for Laura.

Florence?
Florence is really funny. She does awesome Britney Spears impersonations as well. Flo is a legend.

Tara?
Tara’s just a legend. She’s like one of my besties. I love her so much. She’s just amazing.

Elise?
Elise is a sweetheart. She is so nice. All the girls really looked after me when I was in the house. They really made sure I was OK, because I did struggle a lot.

Simone told us you two chat every day on the phone.
Yeah, Simone and I talk a lot!

You wouldn’t have picked it watching the show.
Simone and I had a really good friendship in the house, and it just went from strength-to-strength when we got out. We just really get along. We really click. Sometimes we FaceTime, or I’ll go down to the Gold Coast when she’s here [in Queensland]. I love Simone. She’s my soul sister. And I’m really close with Sian as well. I live in Perth, so I’m seeing Sian and Steph a lot as well.

Is there anyone you haven’t really stayed in touch with?
[laughs] Um… I’m pretty friendly with everybody! Almost everyone.

Have you dated since the show?
No.

Are you looking to date?
It’ll just happen when it happens. There’s no need to rush these things. You can take time. I just want to go back to work. Whatever! It’s all good.

Have you ever used dating apps?
Oh my God, back in the day, yeah, I think for like two seconds, and then I was like, “This is disgraceful. I’m just not even going to do this.” It’s so surface-level — it’s like a tick or flick. I don’t want to start off my relationship based on a tick or flick. I wanna have a conversation and see if you’re genuine or not. If you’re not, why would I bother?

Who do you think is the best match for Matty?
Oh, I don’t know… I think he has an amazing bunch of women, and they all offer equal happiness. Everyone’s amazing.
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mercieme wrote:Posting this interview again (video in link) that Matty did for the Adelaide Advertisers as part of his media rounds on Thursday July 27th, same day that Episode 2 aired. He addresses how he goes on SHVs with his F1; whether he made up his mind early on who his F1 was and how he didn't make up his mind till the very end; how difficult the final decision was and that post filming he has been sure that he made the right decision; how different both his F2s are; how he had in mind to come to Adelaide for a date to swim with the sharks but getting audio under water would have been challenging (I wonder what / who would have gotten that date had production been able to film that). Overall interesting nuggets IMO from this interview which helped me to be determined to sleuth out the season when I first listened to it about 6 weeks ago  

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/confidential/chat-live-with-the-bachelor-matty-j-on-advertisercomau/news-story/ae28282f698a8e90dfe6b9c4cf13d50d

FLORENCE FROM 'THE BACHELOR' EXPLAINS WHY SHE CHEATED DURING GROUP DATE CHALLENGES This is why she’s one of our faves.
Florence Alexandra Sophia’s time on The Bachelor Australia 2017 came to an end after she introduced Matty J to two of her best friends on her hometown date. With her immediate family still in Holland, Florence brought Matty to Melbourne to meet her friends, Marly and Maha, which was something he seemed a little concerned about. Like, why didn’t her family fly over to meet him? Marly asked Matty the hard questions, like how he could develop feelings for more than one person, and accused him of being on the show for fame. Matty also expressed his concern that Florence could decide to move back to Holland in the future, which is a deal breaker for him as he wants to spend the rest of his life in Sydney (or at least Australia). Following that — and three other hometown dates that obviously went a little better — Matty decided to let Florence go at the rose ceremony. And she seemed pretty cool about the whole thing.

Florence was one our favourite contestants this year, from the way she oozed sex appeal — remember when she dressed up as a sexy teacher and gave Matty a Dutch-speaking lesson? — to how she didn’t take the competition too seriously. Florence chatted to Cosmo about why she didn’t fall in love, whether she actually asked her parents to fly from Holland to meet Matty, and what she plans to do with the cast of their interlocked hands (yup, she’s still got).

How do you think your hometown date went? And did it play out on TV the way you remember it?
It didn’t play out on TV the way I remember it — that’s the best way to put it. I didn’t really enjoy watching it, to be honest, because in my memory it was a little different.

How do you remember it?
It was so easy-going, we had a lot of fun, we had a lot of laughs, the whole hand-holding scene was not nearly as bad as it seemed. Marly said some really nice things to Matty, and they had pretty good banter. They’re things you unfortunately didn’t get to see.

Did you ask your family to fly over from Holland for your hometown date? Matty seemed pretty concerned that your immediate family hadn’t come over to meet him.
Oh, is that right? No, I didn’t ask them. They have jobs, and Australia is not around the corner — it’s a 26-hour flight, so it would have been a bit full-on. If I was to be the girl in the end, then he would meet them eventually anyway.

What did you think about Marly’s questions for Matty, and the way he reacted?
I think Marly’s questions were fair enough. Some people say, “But you were on the show as well,” but she knows my intentions, and she doesn’t know his. So she was just trying to be a good friend, and trying to protect me, and trying to get the truth out of him. Sometimes you need a bit of grilling for that. She wanted to know what he genuinely feels and thinks, and sometimes you have to put people under a bit of pressure to get the answer to that.

We could hear you say at the end of the episode, “I didn’t see it coming,” about your elimination. Were you surprised?
You don’t see it coming. Every week, from day dot, you don’t know if you’re going home, you don’t know if you’re gonna stay, so do you see it coming? You never see it coming. You don’t see the other girls’ dates. It’s hard to say — when you’re in that environment, you don’t know what to think, you don’t know how to feel. But I was relieved when he sent me home, because I wasn’t in love, and I think it made it easier for both of us.

How much did your feelings develop for Matty in the time you had?
They definitely did develop, because I didn’t have any feelings for him when we started this journey, but at the end of it I did have feelings for him. I really liked him, but love is such a strong word, and I’m not going to throw it around like confetti. That made it easier — I wasn’t heartbroken.

On a scale of one to 10, how much did you like Matty?
Well Matty is a 10 out of 10, so I would definitely give him a 10. But on a scale of one to love, and 10 is the equivalent of love, then I would say it was probably a seven. Like, I’m on my way, I could fall in love with you, but I’m not in love yet.

Were you upset that Matty didn’t take you outside for a talk?
No. I wasn’t heartbroken, so I didn’t really think about that. When I watched it, I noticed that he walked some of the other girls out, but what’s left to say? Who cares? I’m gone anyway, so it’s not gonna make a difference. If your boyfriend breaks up with you, you’re not gonna hang around for another drink, are you? [Laughs]

How would you describe your connection?
We just had a really good time together. We always had fun, and whatever we were doing, whether it was pottery, or jumping off a building, or just having lunch, it was always fun. We had nice chats at the cocktail parties as well. It was just easy-going.

Who got to keep the hand cast you two made?
I did! I’ve still got it.

And you’ve still got the bowl he made you?
No, he never gave that to me. Can you get it for me, you reckon? Next time you speak to him, can you ask him? [Laughs] But I still have the creepy hand thing — I think I’m gonna chuck it on eBay. I’m just gonna wait until he reaches 200,000 followers, and then I’m gonna sell it.

We love that you didn’t take the challenges too seriously, like when you cheated during the compatibility test. How did you feel about the challenges on group dates?
I mean… You can’t compete for love, so I didn’t take it too seriously. It’s not like, “If I do really well in this challenge, he’s gonna like me.” No! Who cares how well you do in the challenge! He likes you, or he doesn’t like you, and he didn’t care that I cheated. It’s just for fun.

Matty said one of his deal breakers is not being compatible in the bedroom. Considering this is meant to be about finding lifelong love, do you think it’s weird The Bachelor doesn’t explore this?
Yes, but at the same time, I am happy that it’s not a part of the show if my dad is watching. That would be a bit strange, like next-level PDA! It must be weird for him — I just hope that whoever he’s with now, that they’re compatible in the bedroom.

Did your parents watch any episodes?
Yeah, they watched everything, even my grandparents!

What do they think?
They are so proud. They’re just proud that I’m coming across well. They think I’m funny. It’s just good to hear, because the last thing I would want to do is disappoint my parents. But they’re happy, and they enjoy watching the show. They think Matty is a good bloke, so it’s all good.

Does Holland have The Bachelor, or similar shows?
We used to have it — it’s actually returning this year, but it was gone for like 10 years.

Is it the same?
Considering it was gone for like 10 years, it wasn’t that much of a success. Holland is so small, and the people are so not impressed with… I don’t know, it’s just different to Australia and America. I think the Australian one is really, really good, and I can’t really remember what the Dutch one was like, but surely it wasn’t that good.

Can you share your quick thoughts on the top three girls? Laura?
Laura is my bestie, my girl. She’s amazing, she’s so funny, she’s a chatterbox, and very smart.

Elise?
I wish I could be Elise, she’s like my idol. She’s just so perfect. I admire her. I look at her and go, “How can someone be so perfect?”

Tara?
Tara is hilarious. I just remember me and Tara always eating. When the other girls were on a diet, we were always eating while making pig sounds. So we’d sit in the pantry and go [makes pig sounds]. Just making weird noises and eating a lot. She’s so hilarious.

A lot of the girls have said they put on weight when they were in the mansion. Did that happen to you?
A hundred per cent! The only thing I did was eat! I would literally open a can of yoghurt, pour muesli on top of it, and chocolate, and just eat it. It was amazing, but it made me… curvaceous [laughs].

Have you dated since leaving the mansion?
No, I haven’t dated anyone. I’ve stayed away from dating. It was a pretty full-on experience. I wasn’t heartbroken, but I didn’t want to get myself into trouble — you don’t want to be seen with guys while you’re still on the show. So nah. I just focused on being by myself. I went to Holland for a bit to see my family, and now I’m back in Australia, just catching up with my friends and living a normal life.

Have you ever used dating apps?
I’ve had one Tinder date, and that was OK. But no, I’m not a fan of that, because then I’m meeting up with people I don’t know — which is funny, because I went on The Bachelor, I know, but not in a setting like Tinder.

Who has the best connection with Matty?
I honestly don’t know. When you’re in the house, you don’t know because you’re not there [on their dates], and I know that you can’t always trust what you see on television, so it’s so hard to say. And all three girls are really strong contenders. One day I’m like, “I think it’s gonna be Laura,” then the next day I’m like, “I think it’s gonna be Elise,” then, “I think it’s gonna be Tara.” So I don’t know.
Source

LAURA BYRNE SAYS SHE “ABSOLUTELY” FELL IN LOVE WITH BACHELOR MATTY J BUT WORRIED ABOUT COLD SORES
ADDING fuel to fan speculation Laura Byrne has won Matthew ‘Matty J’ Johnson’s heart, the jewellery designer has confessed she fell madly in love with the Bachelor. “Absolutely,” says Byrne when asked if she was smitten.
“It was definitely during the hometown visits, having him there with my family, that made it real,” she says. “My family were so approving and so excited and accepting, and just instantly like ‘this guy’s great!’”

Gold Coast nanny Tara Pavlovic and former Hockeyroo Elise Stacy, from Perth, were also named in the top three this week. And though the reality stars stayed mum on the outcome, the girls couldn’t help but drop some cryptic hints. “I came off the hometown date with Matty and felt really great about the time we had,” says Stacy, 29. “I would have been surprised if I’d been sent home … but also not surprised.” Pavlovic, 27, also indicated she could often predict who Johnson would choose. “I could kind of pick who was going, I could gauge it pretty well. I think everyone could,” she says.


Stacy became a frontrunner for Johnson’s heart only in recent weeks but believes he had genuine feelings for all three contestants by this point in the show. “With the girls left, I have no doubt he has feelings for every single one of them … but you never know he actually wants,” she says.

However Byrne, 30, doubts it’s possible to be in love with three people at once. “Look, I don’t think it’s possible for me to have deep romantic feelings for three people at the same time. I think maybe I could have deep romantic feelings for one person and then I might question, ‘oh, but maybe that person is better for me?’ But that would be (using) my head over my heart,” she says.

From the beginning, fans had pegged Byrne as most likely to win after she scored the first kiss, and this week a media outlet released a ‘spoiler’ claiming Byrne and Johnson had been on a top-secret romantic weekend getaway. The claims included a description of Bryne and Johnson travelling in multiple private cars to elude paparazzi but no photo showing the pair together could be produced.

Stacy also caused controversy recently when it was revealed she was moving from Perth to Sydney, where Johnson lives. But she was able to provide an explanation. “I left my job to go on The Bachelor and when I finished I got offered an amazing job in Sydney, in marketing and brand activation,” she says. (Conspiracy theorists note, Stacy works in the same profession as Johnson — could he have got his new girlfriend a job?)

Now, after months of speculation, the grand final is set to air next week, and it couldn’t come soon enough for the remaining contestants, particularly to relieve them of watching Johnson kiss other girls.

“When you get this far you do have feelings for the guy so it’s strange to see him sit there and be affectionate with other women and say all these amazing things to them,” says Stacy.

Byrne agrees watching Johnson kiss the other girls is certainly uncomfortable, not least of all given the risk of contracting an infection. “There were some people in the house who had cold sores and I was like, ‘oh, dude. nup. I’m not OK with this!” she says.
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Ash wrote:What do u guys think of these extracts of Tara's interview:

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/entertainment/gold-coasts-own-the-bachelor-girl-tara-pavlovic-tries-to-woo-matty-j-on-a-rollercoaster/news-story/0497580b881f6a5eec96bb74bde4a9c2

“I wasn’t worried about them embarrassing me at all, they’re legends, they wouldn’t do anything to embarrass me on purpose or accidentally either.

“I wasn’t worried at all really, I didn’t do too much worrying on the show.

“I just went with the flow every day — whatever’s meant to be will be.”

The promos for Gold Coast girl Sophie Monk’s Bachelorette season have already begun, but could we have two in a row?

Tara says she wouldn’t say no, but would like to see that the contestants are better cared for if she were in Matty’s position.

“I would ask for more information and see exactly how it works,” she says.

“There are a few things I’d want to chat about, about how it’s run.

“A lot of the girls struggled emotionally and I think there could have been ways to help girls not struggle as much.

“I wouldn’t want to be the catalyst of people struggling for my own gain.

“I think they could make it emotionally easier for people.”

mercieme wrote:Finale and Episode 15 F3 Dates Sneak Peek