"I'm just done, one f—ing thing after another," Leah says, storming off when Rachael's predictably given a date card to spend quality time with Jared Haibon, just to get under her skin.
In one of the franchise's more telling blow-ups, Leah flips off a spying cameraman while deep in conversation with a producer, and tells him to "f— right off" for added measure. "I don't wanna be here… I'm exhausted with all of it, the process," she adds, trying to escape the cameras.
The show's producers have been a constant in Ten's spin-off, meddling endlessly in an attempt to dial up the "unscripted, behind-the-scenes scandal" aspect of the franchise, trading on the audience's desire to see how the sausage is made, UnReal-style.
A producer tries to calm Leah down.
Of course, it's more mirage. The mics are conveniently off during Leah's serious chat with producers, and the cameras reveal nothing despite hovering behind walls, palm trees. And minutes later, Leah's inexplicably changed her tune, saying she'd love to stay in Paradise while chomping on crisps. Ive been hangry before, but that's ridiculous.
It's all set-up for another dramatic cocktail party and rose ceremony, with Leah taking Jared aside to convince him she's really keen on him, and that she'd only stick around if he gives her the rose.
Keira Maguire, ever the voice of reason, isn't buying it: "No bitch, we know what's going down," she says. She grabs Jared to tell him Leah's manipulating him, that he should give his rose to Rachael and cut Leah loose, once and for all.
Jared's convinced. "After what happened tonight? My rose is going to Rachael," he says to no one in particular, and viewers roll their eyes at the fore-shadowing of another predictable rose ceremony "twist".
Leah at the rose ceremony.
According to script, Thomas goes rogue, giving his rose to Rachael before Jared has a look-in. With no other course in sight, Jared gives his rose to Leah, completing her great escape. Keira taunts her fellow "drama queen", hinting at fireworks to come. "You're all talk, Leah," she says. "If you say you're leaving one more time, I'll kick you out myself."
In the end, newcomer Sasha Zhuravlyova's sent home and, despite having mere seconds of screen-time since she's arrived, gives the show its sign-off of the season to date. "I have a very limited amount of f—s to give, to be honest. I am not sparing my f—s on this shit."
Ah, words all Bachelor in Paradise viewers can live by.
Comments disabled
Rob Moran is an Entertainment reporter for The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and Brisbane Times.
Morning & Afternoon Newsletter
Delivered Mon–Fri.
