There’s no doubt Leah Costa brings the D-R-A-M-A to The Bachelor Australia 2017 with her outspoken and feisty AF attitude.
While she’s totally rubbed her fellow Bachie babes – as well as most of Australia! – up the wrong way, her ex-boyfriend Ben reckons we’ve got her all wrong!
“I mean from what you see on TV it would be understandable to think of her as a villain but it’s not really the whole story,” the Sydney-based personal trainer, 24, exclusively tells NW of his once lady love.
“I mean she is definitely confident, quite flirty and you know, quite self-assured but, you know, there’s also that whole other side to her that is really caring.”
Wait, are we talking about the same Leah?!
“It’s a bit of a front when she puts on that over confident [personality],” he explains. “It is a bit of a defence mechanism I think, especially when she is around big groups of people. I guess it’s to come across as not vulnerable.”
The former couple met while studying at university in 2011 and dated for a year before Ben ended up called things off. But the two have stayed in touch.
“We talk fairly regularly,” Ben spills, even more so now, given the backlash Leah’s received following leaked explicit photos showing a topless Leah at a buck’s party with suspicious white powder on her booty.
“I just messaged her to see how she was dealing with it all,” he says. “I know she is not ashamed of the things she has done in her past.”
As for if there are any feelings still between them…
“I think, looking back, I can’t actually imagine dating her and I know she feels that same way,” Ben tells NW. “I look at her as a friend.”
Well, that’s lucky given Matty’s the guy Leah’s after now. In fact, Ben even had some advice for him!
“You’ve really just got to be able to handle her.”
We’ll soon see if he can!
