The tenth season of The Bachelor has come to a close with an engagement, a rejected proposal, and one relationship abruptly coming to an end.
This year’s instalment tipped the Channel 10 franchise on its head, with three Bachelors instead of one, and an unexpected polyamory storyline between Felix Von Hofe, contestant Jessica Navin, and her outside boyfriend Damien Kelly.
The last few episodes of the season saw Felix ruminating over whether to continue a relationship with Jess outside the mansion, with Damien still on the scene, or pursue things with Abigail, who came to the reality show single.
But the beginning of the finale saw Jess tearily end things with Damien, admitting she needed to “put her energy and focus” on one person in the hopes of exploring things with Felix.
Here’s how the rest of the finale went down:
Thomas Malucelli proposes to Leah Cummings
Thomas, 35, was first up. He sped through a goodbye with Lauren Whybird, 28, telling her, “I’m so sorry, but you’re not the one.” They hugged and parted ways amicably.
Leah, 32, entered shortly after, and after a passionate embrace, Thomas dropped to his knee.
“I never thought I’d be proposing to someone after just a few weeks, but I know that you are the one,” he began.
“I want to experience every day of my life with you. I want to be spontaneous with you, I want to live life with you, and just live life to the fullest. I’m so blessed that I’ve found you. Will you marry me?”
Leah said yes, and the two kissed before a cheeky final interview with producers.
“What’s something you can’t wait to do as a couple?” the pair were asked.
“I’m going to say it. Have sex,” Thomas responded with a laugh.
Jed proposes to Alesia, but she says no
It was a bittersweet end for musician and Machine Gun Kelly lookalike Jed McIntosh, 25, who not only copped an ice-cold response from his runner-up, but was rejected when he proposed to winner Alesia Delaney.
Convinced she would be the last woman standing after Jed confessed he was falling in love with her on their final date, Angela Ferdinands, 25, entered the chapel first, greeting the Melbourne drummer with a kiss.
But her feelings were crushed when Jed admitted his fears that the demands of his job, and potential touring commitments, would “do her a disservice”.
“Right, OK. it’s just a little odd to me because last time we saw each other we had a conversation about travel and I thought we nipped it in the bud,” Angela shot back.
“I’m just going to be honest with you, this is a massive shock. I mean I told you that I was falling in love with you, and you said the same thing,” she added.
In an attempt to explain himself, Jed said: “My feelings for you have always been real.
“The practicality of my work is something that I have to think about because it’s a serious part of my life and … I just think you deserve someone that’s going to be more present, and I don’t think I can do that.
“I’m really, really sorry,” he added.
“Alright,” Angela said curtly, walking off.
Speaking to producers, Angela admitted she was “blindsided” by the result.
“I feel like such a c*ckhead, like, what?,” she said in disbelief.
Alesia, 28, was next to approach the chapel, expressing her hopes that Jed would not propose given their prior conversations and her assertion that she is not ready for marriage.
“I just hope that he understands that I’m not ready for a ‘will you marry me’,” Alesia told the camera before meeting Jed.
Elsewhere, Jed told producers of his plan to ask anyway, even if the answer is no. Cue extremely awkward scenes.
“I’ve completely fallen in love with you, and I’ve honestly never felt the way that I feel about you with anyone else in my life.
“And, I know this proposal has been a big, nerve wracking thing for you, but I have come here with a question,” Jed began.
Dropping to one knee, he then asked Alesia to marry him.
“Oh my god, I don’t know what to say. Oh my god. F*ck. Oh, f*ck. Oh my god, I just wasn’t expecting it … That’s thrown me,” mumbled a shocked Alesia.
Standing up, Jed assured her that they don’t have to get married, but she can keep the ring anyway.
“I want to be your man, I want you to be my woman,” he said.
“I want you to know that I’m not rushed with my feelings at all.
“I do know what I want, and I still wanna offer you this ring, I know you’re not saying yes to ‘will you marry me,’ but I wanna give you this as a sign because I’m willing to wait on so many things.”
Looking relieved, Alesia responded: “I’m falling for you, I am … I will put that on any finger you want, as long as it’s not ‘will you marry me’.”
Felix chooses Jess, with a twist
In a tricky move by production, Jess appeared first in yellow, swearing as her entrance was interrupted by a paparazzi drone flying overhead.
“Sh*t,” she said as she was accompanied away by a crew member
Dramatic music then played as Felix readied himself, as Abigail suddenly appeared through the bushes.
Praising her “contagious positivity,” Felix admitted he hadn’t found what he was looking for with her.
“I have spent so much time inside searching for a why in my head, that it’s just not there in the heart. And I don’t know why it’s not there,” he said.
“Do you think you’ve found that feeling with Jess? I hope you find it with Jess, and I hope that that is an absolutely whirlwind of happiness,” Abigail responded as Felix avoided her gaze, keeping the audience on their toes.
While it transpired that Jess was his chosen contestant, he was still grappling with the decision.
“I’ve had to make so many compromises to just my fundamental beliefs, and things I thought a relationship would be,” he admitted of her polyamorous relationship with Damien.
“And then we met the parents, and I was finally seeing right before me, that that relationship with Damien, was right there in front of me, and when I asked you to make a decision there, you couldn’t say back to him ‘I don’t love you.’”
Interrupting him, Jess explained that Damien was no longer her boyfriend.
“I just want you to know that that chapter of my life, has now been closed. I felt that was the right decision, and he was very understanding and very supportive, and he wants nothing but love for me, even if that’s with you.”
Looking thrilled, Felix said: “Love’s all about taking a risk, and there’s no one else I’d rather take that risk with, than you. I wish I knew exactly what it’s going to look like moving forward, but part of me loves that I don’t.”
“Kiss me like you’re single,” he added, as the two embraced.
The season came to a close with all three suitors meeting up for a cocktail with their partners; Thomas and Leah, Jed and Alesia, and Felix and Jess.