As soon as we saw Abbie Chatfield on The Bachelor Australia, we knew she was an icon. Going viral for her hilarious yet underrated line (“I’m a Gemini”), the Bachie contestant has now made waves in the Australian reality television world, even going as far as to host our new favourite dating show, FBoy Island Australia.
But while we’ve steadily begun to realise that what we see on the screen isn’t exactly what goes on behind the scenes in the reality television world, there’s also far more behind how contestants act on reality television shows than we once thought.
Reflecting on her time on the seventh season of The Bachelor Australia, Chatfield admits that she was a little paranoid when it came to actually being on the show.
“On my season, I thought there was a big conspiracy afoot about Matt [Agnew] not liking me,” Chatfield tells Chattr in an interview.
“I remember because I was sobbing to my producer,” she shares. “I was like, he doesn’t like me. I should go home now.”
Chatfield tells us that she initially thought producers were trying to “trick” her into doing or saying things during her time on the show.
“[My producer] was like no, come out. But I thought she was trying to trick me into an interview where she was going to get me crying on camera,” she continues. “But actually, she was just asking me to come out so I could get asked on a date.”
Reflecting on her time on the show and her experience since, Chatfield says she’s gained a better understanding of how reality television works.
“The more you do reality TV, the more you understand that people working on these shows aren’t evil. They’re trying to get a storyline,” she says. “There are so many times that I look back and I’m like, oh my god. I was so convinced there was a conspiracy afoot or a coup, but they were just trying to get us to film a scene!”
Season Two of FBoy Island Australia features not one but two alumni from The Bachelor: leading lady Krystal Thomas and her finalist Paddy Colliar.
Abbie says that while the presence of former reality television stars might raise some eyebrows, in reality, they’re much better to watch than someone unfamiliar with the reality telly game.
“I feel like if you’ve been on reality TV, you kind of get the idea if you do it again, and you’re a bit easier to work with,” Chatfield says, thinking of her own experiences. “You’re not as paranoid.”
“Krystal really enjoyed it because it was less pressure,” she explains. “I think it makes it easier for them, so therefore, it makes it come to life on camera more because they’re not tired and stressed.”
Abbie’s number one regret of her time on The Bachelor?
“I wish I could’ve just enjoyed it!”
FBoy Island Australia Season 2 streams on Mondays on BINGE. You can catch the finale from Monday, 30th of October.
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