She came, she cooked, she left with a bang.
But it turns out Jen Hawke didn’t even need the The Bachelor Australia to fall in love.
In this exclusive exit interview, the 27-year-old opens up the new man in her life, why Matty isn’t her type and why she’s not really a mean girl…
Well, that was one hell of a mic drop. Talk us through your grand exit?
Would we expect anything less than drama from me when leaving?
A few days before the rose ceremony I’d heard Lisa, she’d gone into Flo’s room with Elise, and she was saying how she didn’t think Matty J was there for the right reasons and he’d pick somebody who would fit into his lifestyle, not because he loves her but because it was easy…
Basically calling him a complete fraud. For me, my protective instincts kicked in and I hoped that if someone heard that, they would tell him. I ended up sitting Matty down to tell him, I didn’t feel good doing it, I felt like a complete dog dobbing Lisa in. I said to Matty, “You need to talk to her and you need to find out why she’s saying this!” So he did, and while he was talking to her, I ended up being cornered in the drama cabana. I had Elise yelling at me, I had Elora yelling at me, Tara was having a good go.
It just got to the point where I was calling Elise a straight out liar because she was saying Lisa didn’t say it. I was like, “You were there. She did!” Florence had my back and was like, “No Elise! She did say it, I was there.” Unfortunately you guys don’t see Flo saying that! I ended up crying, then I just got my bag and left. Yeah, I smoke bombed.
Wow! Did you say goodbye to anyone at all?
I’d been planning to walk from the house for about two days. I’d said goodbye to Florence that day. I’d given her all my coffee pods, my blonde shampoo and thanked her for taking care of me while Michelle was gone. She was like, “Why are you talking like this?” It was all premeditated for me.
I did say goodbye to Simone in a subtle way, I’m not sure if she picked up on the cue. I knew I would go home that night. I was hoping I could give Matty the chance to send me home without a rose but I couldn’t wait that long.
Jen and Matty never went on a single date.
You were pretty vocal about never getting a single date, how disappointing was that?
If I’m completely honest, it was at the time [annoying.] I didn’t really realise why I wanted a single date until post-production and you have time to analyse how you felt about this person.
At the time it sucked but it was more the rejection, than not spending time with Matty. Just the fact that somebody isn’t even willing to try and get to know you! Towards the end of it thought, I actually became more angry he wasn’t trying to get to know Michelle. I was like, “What is wrong with this guy? She’s easily the most amazing woman here and he’s just slumming it with some of the others.”
Your mum says Matty wasn’t your type, do you agree?
He’s not my type at all! He wasn’t even who I was hoping The Bachelor would be. He’s lovely, he does have a very similar personality to one of my ex-boyfriends but all my major relationships have been with strong men who aren’t afraid to put me in my place.
I’m lippy! I need a man to tell me when I’m being a bit of a “b—-.” I don’t see Matty as someone who is able to be that strong and that gentle at the same time. He’s nice but I’m also a bit more into guys who are going to push me to my limits and make me experience things I’ve never done before. He’s not what I would look for in a partner.
There’s been reports that you’re still in love with your ex-boyfriend Jake Ellis?
I am with somebody at the moment! I’ve been with him for the last month, we’re very happy.
WATCH: Matty and Elise share their first kiss. Post continues after the video!
That’s so great to hear! Is it someone new or a previous flame?
I’m not going to comment. Right now I’m just going to keep it to myself for probably the next three months I’d say.
I think my love life has just been paraded around in the media lately and I would like to have something for myself for a little bit. I wake up in the morning and I can’t wait to see him and speak to him! It’s just him as a person – he’s so funny and understanding .
He’s watched this entire season and he’s like: “I love how savage you are!” He knows I’m not 100% savage all the time. He knows I’m only savage when it comes to business or work, but he really likes that. He makes me really happy and makes me laugh!
You played the villain so well. Is that who you really are?
The real Jen is most definitely not that villainous but in this situation I did have an option where I could become the wallflower, or I could become the villain. It was do you want to be a filler no one remembers? Or do you want to be the best damn villain that Australia’s ever seen?
You and last year’s villain Keira Maguire have a bit of a competitive villain off happening!
Look, I’m not fussed with Keria. I didn’t even watch her season so she’s completely irrelevant to me. I just think it’s hilarious that she’s trying to keep herself in the spotlight by talking about me. The most offensive thing so far is that she keeps using the word peasant, like come on babe!
It’s been 12 months, let’s get something fresh. I’ve never met Keira, I look forward to the day that I do because I think we’ll have a bit of a laugh. I can’t have war with words with Keria at the moment, so she gets free reign without right of reply. It will be very interesting when I can have a right of reply!
Rumours are flying that some girls did more than kiss Matty?
[Laughs] No! There’s no way in the world we would ever – any girl – would ever be allowed to do more than kiss Matty.
We have minders with us all the time, he has a minder with him all the time. We’re kept so completely separate. He stays in a different house! He leaves after cocktail parties! It’s ridiculous but I have loved reading about it and I have loved people losing their s— about it! It’s friggin great.
What about your right-hand woman Leah, have you guys caught up?
I’m seeing her this Friday and I’m so excited! She’s had a bit of a rough one and copped it a little harder than I have. I mean, I might be painted as the bigger villain but I don’t have dirty laundry being drawn out about me.
I think the way Matty sent her away from the show was really degrading and rough. I lost a lot of respect for Matty when I watched it.
Who do you have your money on to win?
I would love to see Florence win but I think she needs more of a man to put her in her place.
I think my money is on Laura, she’ll spice up Matty nicely but she’s not too much at the same time.
I love Laura and out of all the girls there, I think she would make a really great couple. I mean, they looked so cute together in case you missed my comment!
Yes, tell us about that comment! It almost broke social media this week
I was firstly commenting about Laura and the champagne glass which was a joke from inside the house. It’s not about Matty and her being cute, it’s about her and the champagne being cute and that goes back to our chair dancing days.
“I think my money is on Laura, she’ll spice up Matty nicely,” she says of who she thinks will win.
What about Elise, after her single date tonight sparks seem to be flying. Is she one to watch?
Elise is a nice enough girl but I think her and Matty would be far too similar that it would be a boring relationship to watch.
That’s no offence to them as individuals but I think too much same-same in a relationship can get quite old very, very quickly. My money is on Laura!
Who won’t you be keeping in touch with?
Obviously Elora grated me the most but we’ve cleared the air and all’s good in love and war. She comments on my photos, I comment on hers, we’re liking stuff [on Instagram] and we message each other. I just think on the show, things are heightened. Whereas in the real world, you’d be like “Babe, we’d never date the same guy!” So none of that would be an issue.
But people I’ll never talk to again – Steph and to be honest, I’ll probably never bother with Tara again. In the lead up to Leah leaving, I saw this really nasty side of Tara and she was just really passive aggressive.
She was completely ignoring Leah’s existence and I don’t like that. If you have a problem with a person, say it. Don’t pretend they don’t exist. I think it’s quite negative and quite fake, I don’t do fake people.
“I saw this really nasty side of Tara and she was just really passive aggressive.”
You gained 10kgs in the house, how’s your diet and fitness been since returning to the real world?
Because when you’re in the mansion, you can’t go out and get Thai food, you can’t go to a café and get coffee. The first three months I’d say was really difficult to drop the weight because all the things I hadn’t had for two months I was like “Oh my god! I need it.” That was really hard.
Since I left the show, I’ve dropped five-kilos. My abs are coming back! I’m nowhere near as tiny as I was when I first went on the show but I’m about three-kilos off my goal weight. If I can get back there in the next few weeks I’ll be happy.
I hate exercise and I hate organised exercise! It’s just so lame. I’m not a gym goer. I believe in incidental exercise, I surf, I walk my dogs, all that kind of stuff. If I do feel like I need to go to the gym or something, I do the Stair Master for half-an-hour. And honestly that’s it, I do it once every two weeks.
What’s next for you, would you be keen to do more reality TV maybe MasterChef?
[laughs] MasterChef, the next Bachelorette and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! have all been thrown around.
At the moment I’m about to launch a new swimmer and lingerie label so I’m, knuckling down and doing that at the moment. And I’m back to my normal job [as a marketing manager] as well. So pay the bills with one, reach goals with the other.
The marketing manager wouldn’t rule out a return to reality TV.
