While The Bachelors Australia 2023 has a whole new look onscreen, it turns out there were some serious shake-ups behind the scenes too.
As reported in the So Dramatic! podcast, the tenth season of the dating show saw a number of wild changes made during production to make the show what it is.
The Bachelors’ contestants were put into “lockdown” before filming
All of The Bachelors’ contestants were put into “lockdown” ahead of filming. However, it’s not for the COVID-safe reasons you may be thinking (like seriously, they let them play tonsil tennis on a nightly basis).
One contestant told host Megan Pustetto that the lockdown ensured the different Bachelors’ suitors didn’t communicate with each other before officially meeting in the mansion.
“We all stayed at the Hilton Hotel and we got put into pods,” they explained in episode 242 of the So Dramatic! podcast.
“Initially, when we were in lockdown, we were all separated into our pods. So if we had to go down to wardrobe or meetings with the producers, we were only with our 10 pod girls.”
She added that they would often “see other girls getting chauffeured around”, but they “weren’t allowed to communicate with them”.
“They kept us away from each other and then introduced us all at the first cocktail party.”
Filming The Bachelors 2023 first night took WAY less time than previous years
Traditionally (and infamously), The Bachelor‘s first night is filmed over two evenings, with post-production making it look like it’s all done on the same day.
However, this year producers took a different approach, filming it in just one night! Hallelujah!
“Filming started at 8 pm and was wrapped up by 2:30 am,” one suitor dished.
The production could be condensed due to the introduction of Flash Dates, which replaced the tedious red-carpet meetings. And TBH, we prefer it!
There were “no set rules” when it came to living arrangements on The Bachelors 2023
Considering there are a f*ck-ton more women on the show than usual (hello, three Bachies, remember?), many have been wondering how they managed to fit them all under one roof.
Are they all in the same Gold Coast mansion? Do they fob them off to separate abodes once filming wraps? HOW DOES IT WORK?!
Luckily, one loose-lipped lass revealed all and well, they’re pretty much living like sardines.
“All the women from all the Bachelors stay in a mansion on the Gold Coast,” they said. “We all slept in bunk beds.
“There are like 10 girls in a room, it’s hectic.”
According to the insider, the rooms were mixed and the contestants could choose who they shared with.
“Girls who were with different Bachelors could bunk together,” they said. “And as some girls were getting eliminated, girls started moving around to other rooms.
“There were no set rules really.”
Clearly! Between girls with boyfriends, Felix macking on with every woman and her dog cat and literal (almost) punch-ons, The Bachelors 2023 is unhinged!
What happens to the contestants once they’re dumped from The Bachelors mansion?
Have you ever wondered what happens to the contestants once they leave the mansion?
Do they go home? Do they jet off on holiday? Bunker down in the basement until filming is over?
Thankfully, one suitor confessed all in episode 245 of the So Dramatic! podcast, revealing that “they get put up in a hotel nearby”.
“They next day, they get brought back to the mansion to do their exit interviews,” they added.
“Then after all that is done, they get given their phones and get flown back home.”
Inside The Bachelors’ cast’s ever-changing social media blackout
As we know, The Bachelors was originally supposed to air in August 2022. However, Ten shelved the series while they put all their efforts into promoting The Real Love Boat (which didn’t go as well as they’d hoped).
However, with the HUGE period of time between filming and the show airing, the Bachie contestants had to endure TWO social media blackouts; one prior to the original airdate and another before the ACTUAL airdate.
One contestant explained: “We all had our Instagram accounts taken off us in July and we were in the social media blackout period as per our contact. [This] meant no posting anything on social media, no liking of any posts, no commenting on any posts, etc.
“Then we got told a few weeks later that we would be getting our accounts back and we can post as normal again until further notice.”
Noting that it was “all very strange”, the contestant said they were told the show had been postponed before the second blackout period was enacted “over Christmas and New Years”.
“It was super annoying.”
How does posting on social media work while The Bachelors is airing?
“We can only post Bachelor content when the show starts airing,” another star said. “They send us photos to choose from. Then we have to write a caption relating to that photo which we send off to publicity for approval.
“They post the photo and caption for us. We have no access to our accounts whilst we’re on the show.”
Once the show finishes airing, the cast can “post [their] normal lives again”. However, they “still need permission from the social media team first”.
“Three months after the first episode airs is when we get our account back for good.”
God, we would DIE if we had to go six months without social media freedom!
The Bachelors 2023 contestants were left “in tears” by hair and makeup artists
As reported in episode 248 of the So Dramatic! podcast, this year’s contestants were left extremely unimpressed by the hair and makeup team.
In fact, some women ended up in TEARS over their Rose Ceremony looks.
“Everyone got their makeup and hair professionally done but the hair and makeup artists were so bad,” one contestant explained. “Some of the girls were even crying because they hated their makeup so much.
“They made everyone look uglier and not like themselves.” Ah, no thanks!
Another dished that the hair and makeup crew often ran out of time to complete the entire cast’s looks.
“So [some contestants] were left with nothing or they did it all quickly in five minutes,” they said.
“They would run a straightener through the front and tuck it behind their ears or just do a ponytail to save time. There was no effort put in at all.” It’s giving botched Year 12 formal vibes, TBH!
The insider added: “They also did it all in one room, 8-9 people doing both hair and makeup crammed into this room like sardines.
“It was awful.”
Contestants reckon Felix Von Hofe is SUPER high-maintenance
As if the contestants weren’t high-maintenance enough, turns out Felix Von Hofe was the worst of the bunch!
One suitor claimed that the basketballer is super high-maintenance, alleging that he had veneers, facials, regular haircuts and beard trims, manicures and weekly spray tans!
And is this supposed to be a bad thing? We love a man who takes pride in his appearance!
Want even more goss? Listen to episode 248 of the So Dramatic! podcast with Megan Pustetto below!
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