Much to the dismay of about 99.9 per cent of people watching Bachelor in Paradise last night, Abbie Chatfield was sent home after she didn’t receive a rose. I was shocked, to say the least, considering how hard Channel 10 pushed her in all the ads. But to be honest – and despite what you saw last night – Abbie was just really bloody happy to get out of there. PEDESTRIAN.TV chatted to the absolute legend this morning, here’s what she had to say.
PEDESTRIAN.TV: What was your mindset like going into Bachelor in Paradise?
ABBIE: I was optimistic this time, because last time – even though it didn’t work out for me – it was still a success in my mind because I did get feelings for Matt [Agnew] that were genuine. So I thought it could happen again. And then I got there and it was kind of really not what I expected it to be. Look, my life exists for the girls and the gays and so hanging around straight men is not really my vibe and it just – it felt like being at a high school party that I used to go to when I was like 15 and just feel insecure around all the guys – it just wasn’t my vibe.
PTV: And was the vibe like towards you in the villa?
A: Well I didn’t realise there was all this bitching going on, but am I shocked? No. ‘Disappointed, but not surprised’ is just a slogan for my entire experience on the internet. But yeah, I thought it was fine, I thought everybody was fine, I was happy to see everyone. I thought they might have learnt their previous mistakes – the girls being a bit mean on last season and the fact that I’ve been so open about my suicide ideation and mental health – you’d think that they’d change, be more cautious, be more considerate, and think about why they feel the need to tear me down, but yeah! It’s interesting to watch interviews and bitchy conversations, isn’t it? And I didn’t say one thing about anyone at all, so that’s nice!
PTV: Have you spoken to Mary [Viturino] or Cass [Mamone] since?
A: Mary has put an apology on her [Instagram] story which is nice, but no, not to Cass. I don’t have any interest in talking to Cass.
PTV: Did something ever happen with Cass in the past?
A: No, I thought we were friends in the mansion. And then I saw all her interviews and stuff and just yeah, she was speaking poorly to the media about me after The Bachelor. And honestly, I think she just has a bone to pick with me. I’m living rent-free in her head, aren’t I?
PTV: I feel like you’re living in a lot of heads rent-free, to be honest. So the rose ceremony last night, can you talk me through it?
A: I haven’t watched it so I don’t know what it’s been edited to look like, but I was just so excited to leave. [Laughs] Helena [Sauzier] hit me at one point and was like, “stop laughing”, because I was – I was being a dickhead because I was giggling with joy. I was like a kid, I was so excited to have Osher [Günsberg] go, “Abbie, you did not receive a rose”, because I never got that. I just got Matt to dump me and now I got Osher to dump me so I was stoked. I don’t know how it was edited, I’m sure it wasn’t edited that way.
If you saw me crying in the interview after, it was because I was crying tears of joy – everybody was like, “Oh, poor Abbie, my heart’s breaking.” But like, I’m smiling holding my face because I was crying tears of joy that I got to leave. Everyone in my DMs have been like, “I’m so sorry, you looked so upset” and I wasn’t watching it and I was like cackling with laughter because I was so happy to leave. Get me out of here!
PTV: And what made you so happy to leave?
A: I was just bored, wasn’t I? And Ciarran [Stott] and I didn’t like each other. I didn’t like him. At that point I knew I wasn’t going to get a rose from him. And then there wasn’t much else talent that I was interested in. I mean the guys were all lovely, like Glenn [Smith] is so good looking and so lovely and really funny, but just not my vibe so I didn’t like anyone. So why would I stay and keep filming? I did three months of filming that year, I’m over it! If there’s nothing to make me stay why would I stay?
PTV: And what happened with Jamie [Doran]? ‘Cos look, last night’s ep made it seem like you really wanted a rose from him.
A: I wanted to leave but I thought I might talk to him about it, because maybe someone could come in next week. There was a point at the cocktail party where I just walked over to the swing and sat there and cried because I wanted to go home so badly – I just hoped nobody would give me a rose. I sat in the swing looking out to the ocean thinking, “I just want to leave. I just don’t want to be here.” I don’t like anyone here, not like people, but like I don’t have feelings for anybody here. With Matt, it was so easy and this wasn’t.
PTV: And your date with Ciarran, how was it? We didn’t really see much of it last night?
A: Yeah, it was fine, it wasn’t a great date. He didn’t ask me any questions about myself, like to a point where we got back to the villa – like I knew the reason why he joined the military because his great grandfather was in the Swiss Alps in World War I. I knew about his whole life; why he moved to Australia – he didn’t know what I did for work when we got back to the villas. I clocked it. I thought, “He hasn’t asked me one question about myself.” I wish they showed the interviews because it was really funny. I was like, “What’s going on”, and so we were walking and I asked, “Do you know what I do for work?” and he was like, “Oh, you’re a bartender aren’t you?” and like, “No, no dude”.
A: It just wasn’t a good date, we both agreed it didn’t go well. It was not a vibe. And then it was made out to be like I was devastated but like truly, that was simply not what happened. And they have hours and hours of footage of me talking about how bad of a date it was and making jokes about it and being like, “I don’t like him, what am I going to do now?”
PTV: I’m bummed that didn’t make it in, that would’ve been so funny.
A: It would’ve been funnier, hey? But anyway.
PTV: Okay, so, do you have any regrets?
A: I mean [laughs]. The thing is people ask me this and I feel like if everything was shown accurately – I mean, no it’s fine. It’s all entertainment really, it’s all a bit of a laugh. Whatever, it’s not the end of the world. I think my only regret is that I didn’t take Glenn on a date or someone. Like not Glenn specifically, someone like Timm [Hanly] or Glenn or someone that was more open and into me.
PTV: And so we have to talk about The Bachelorette. Would you be keen for it?
A: Yes. I think would be, yes.
PTV: What would your season be like?
A: Oh my God, I mean – what would it be like? I’m sure full of drama, lots going on but I would get involved in the drama. I would be like, ‘What’s going on boys?’ I can just imagine me taking no shit from anyone. I think the issue though is when I like someone I very much like them and it’d be hard for me to hide or pretend that I don’t like someone. I’m sure it would be fun? What do you think it’d be like?
PTV: I would just laugh because you’d finally “get what you want”.
A: Oh my gosh, yeah. Because Abbie always gets what she wants. Did you see my story where I put up the photo where it’s like, ‘Dad leaves when born, has crazy erratic step-dad, has abortion, attempted suicide’, all these fucked things have happened in my life but yeah, I always – and I’m still single – but yeah, I always get what I want.
PTV: Why and how is that even a thing?
A: It’s a projection, isn’t it? They’re basing me off this type of girl they didn’t like in high school, who got everything they wanted or stole their boyfriends. They see me as that, but I’m not that person at all. I famously didn’t get what I wanted, very famously. My love life is an absolute fucking mess and yeah, it’s interesting that they would go, “Well, she’s the girl that always gets what she wants.” It’s just a very interesting statement, there’s a lot to unpack there, a lot to unpack on my podcast.
PTV: And will you be discussing BiP on your podcast?
A: Yeah, I’ll do one on BiP. I’ll ask people what questions they want answered on my story, I think. I’ll do a half-hour one next week just as a bonus.
PTV: Last question, would you do Bachelor in Paradise again?
A: No.
PTV: Fair enough.
A: If you catch me on Bachelor in Paradise again, it’s because I’m taking the wrong medication or something. I won’t be doing it again.
