At the start of The Bachelor Australia 2021, contestants were allegedly asked to sign a contract that included a “social media freeze period,” where they had to hand over the keys to the kingdom (read: the passwords to their Instagrams) to Ten’s social media peeps.
An insider told the So Dramatic! podcast that the show had gone to “extreme lengths” to ensure that there were no Insta leaks this season.
The source told the poddy that the gals were offered $5000 to sign the contract and if they broke the rules, they’d have to forfeit the dough.
For the most part, every contestant has abided by the strict new Bachie law, aside from Stephanie Lynch who went rogue and created a finsta (fake Instagram) one day before her eviction ep aired to spoil her ending and drag Bachie, Jimmy Nicholson.
In one post, Stephanie revealed that her time on The Bachelor was over, writing: “Ssgl out tonight. Thanks for all ur love & support over the last month!”
Then as the episode was airing, Stephanie shared footage from her Bachie viewing party, which quite a few of her mates attended, including Clare Lange who appeared on Locky Gilbert’s season.
In one video, Stephanie’s friends cheered as they watched her dramatic exit from the mansion.
In another vid, Stephanie and her mates can be seen giving the finger to the Jimmy cardboard cutout. Yikes!
Now, an insider connected to Warner Bros. has spoken to Daily Mail Australia, revealing that Stephanie has, indeed, lost the $5K.
Apparently Steph was told last week that she wouldn’t be getting her “one-off performance bonus” after breaching her contract.
The insider added that she probs won’t receive Instagram verification, either, although most of the cast are yet to receive that coveted blue tick and according to the So Dramatic! podcast, it’s causing a lot of contention behind-the-scenes of The Bachelor.
“I’ll be surprised if her Instagram even gets verified to be honest,” the source told Daily Mail. “They want to send a message to stop future contestants from breaking the rules.”
Someone claiming to be a friend of Steph’s also spoke to the site and said the reality star is “bummed” about losing the money, especially since she’d fulfilled her other contractual duties, including doing interviews with the media.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CStK2dpCkwr/
Speaking of which, we interviewed Steph just as the Instagram shit show was popping off and she legit blamed it on her dog.
Here’s how the convo went, it’s too priceless to even paraphrase:
PTV: So I just saw you made a private Instagram on the side and that you posted some Bachie content to it?
Steph: Yes.
PTV: Is there anything you want to say about that?
Steph: Not really [laughs]. I was doing so well! I hadn’t posted anything and then I went, “Okay, I’m off now.” And um, oopsie. It was my dog! I don’t know what you’re talking about!
Woof… no pun intended.
The Bachelor Australia continues tonight on Ten at 7:30pm.
