Apollo Jackson thought what he had with Sophie Monk was magic, but Sophie had other ideas.
Tonight Apollo – along with the rest of Australia – was left heartbroken when Sophie sent him home on The Bachelorette Australia.
We might still be reaching for the tissues, but Apollo tells us that no-one will be as upset as his folks. After a successful hometown visit, Apollo’s parents thought that their son had it in the bag!
“My parents were convinced that I’m the winner,” he told NW. In fact, they already thought of Sophie as part of their family.
“They were caught up going, ‘should we have another seat for Christmas this year?’” Unfortunately, they won’t need that seat anymore…
While his parents might still be crying, Apollo is moving on. The hunky suitor has revealed that he’s ready for a second chance at love. Does this mean we could have found our next Bachelor?
Well, Apollo sat down with NW to spill on that last date with Sophie and his future TV plans…
Could Apollo be the next Bachelor?
Apollo, we’re devastated to see you go. Tell us about your last date.
Oh, it was absolutely breathtaking. We had this awesome horse and carriage ride, and I had never been on a horse and carriage, so I was all excited.
And then there was an outdoor amphitheatre and we had our own private opera performance overlooking the Blue Mountains, which was the most magical thing ever! Then we sat down over some cheese and had a serious chat and I got really, really, really nervous.
How come?
It just all hit me it. My brain was just doing backflips and I couldn’t string a sentence together, I wasn’t answering questions the way I normally do. I just turned into a bit of a blabbering mess.
Was it to do with the fact that getting your heartbroken was a real possibility now?
Yeah, I was starting to think about the negative side of things for the first time or what if I do get sent home. I’m really starting to like this girl, what if the feelings I’m developing get really hurt?
Did you feel that you honest about your feelings or do you wish you had said more?
I felt like I was pretty open about everything. I told her about my feelings and that I could see a future with her, but at the same time I was shaking I was that nervous.
Look back at their romance in pictures here
Apollo was nervous during his date with Sophie.
Sophie sent you home because she felt that you weren’t ready to settle down. Do you think there was a way you could have convinced her that you do want to settle down?
Apart from saying it and actually being there, I can’t. I don’t think there were any other ways, really.
Well, you are only 24. Do you understand her decision?
I think it comes down to life experience and even though I’m young – I’m 25 now – I’ve had life experiences.
I’ve always said, finding someone special to share that life with doesn’t mean you have to be boring. You can have the most adventurous, fun, exciting life if you find a partner that has that same lust for life as you.
Did you have any idea that it might be you leaving?
Oh look, after I had my quiet, nervous, awkward moment I was like, ‘Oh my god, what have I done? Oh no!’ I was, um, hoping or the best but expecting the worst.
Would you do the show over again?
Yeah, 100 per cent! I think it was such an amazing experience and I have no regrets at all.
Really? So there’s nothing you would’ve done differently?
No, I came in and I was just 100 per cent myself. If people didn’t like me, or if Sophie didn’t like me and I went the first week, at least I had always been true to me and myself. I can only be me at the end of the day.
“I was, um, hoping or the best but expecting the worst.”
Did Sophie give you an explanation for sending you home?
After I was eliminated [Sophie] pulled me aside and I said, ‘My biggest thing is that you’re happy and make the right decision for you, and that’s what this whole thing is about. About you finding love, you finding that perfect person for you.’
But yeah she just said to me, ‘I want to settle down, and I know you want to travel and you’ve got your career, and I want you to get out there and take over the world. I know you’re sort of a shy guy and you just need to get out there and smash it.’ It was really hard and I was crying.
Was it hard to leave the mansion after so many weeks?
Yeah, that was pretty surreal. I’ve got a diary and I did a lot of journaling.
So I sat down and I’d always written about what I was feeling in each situation, so I just sort of went back and made a list of all the positive things I got out of the experience. That really helped.
How did your family take the news?
You know what’s crazy? My parents were convinced that I’m the winner. I was honest [about not winning] and they were like, ‘Nup, there’s something you’re not telling us.’
I was like, ‘100 per cent I did not.’
Well, we don’t blame them. We thought you had this in the bag. After all, you made it to top three!
Yeah, it’s crazy, ‘cause you’ve got three totally different people. There’s all these qualities within each of them that is compatible and then we’ve all got our Achilles heels.
Mine’s my age, and also the fact I’m a massive nerd. But for people who watch the show at this stage, it is pretty hard [to pick the winner], I think.
Will Apollo collaborate with Sophie?
Well, who do you think isn’t right for Sophie?
They both have amazing qualities. They’re both different, like Jarrod is this amazing, strong supportive dude that is always making sure everyone is OK. He’s actually got a pretty good sense of humour as well.
Then you’ve got Stu, who’s like the pub larrikin. He’s really interested in other people and how they’re feeling. Both of them are really set up in their career and financially as well. I have no idea, I am going to be as surprised as everyone else.
And we just discovered that you teased a new song.
I’ve been singing and writing music for years, like, before I was doing magic. I’d written Addiction when I had my heart attack, so when I was 22.
It’s crazy that everyone has jumped on that now. I’m like, ‘I’ve been doing this for two years.’
So will there be a collaboration with Sophie?
Maybe down the track, you never know. You’ll have to wait and see. (Laughs)
So, can we expect a song about her?
That’s a possibility down the track as well, you never know.
Finally, everyone would love to see you come back as the next Bachelor. What do you think about that?
I would probably be open to it. I think especially if people have had a glimpse of me and what I’m about. I think if I were to go on it, it would definitely attract the right people that are there for me.
And I want to find that special someone. I am looking for love so I would 100 per cent be open to it
