As far as Bachelor In Paradise entrances go, Zoe O’Brien’s was somewhat underwhelming.
The blonde beauty hasn’t been seen on our screens since 2014, when she was a contestant on Blake Garvey’s season of The Bachelor.
Single for the last four years, and ready to take a shot at finding love, Zoe signed on to Bachelor In Paradise hoping to find the one. But her reception on her first day wasn’t exactly warm.
Zoe walked in to find only three men in Paradise, as the rest were out enjoying a group date on the water. Unfortunately those three men – Bill, Alex and Jules – already have gals on the go.
“I was just so excited and everyone was so friendly, but then I remember looking around and there’s like three guys… like, what?” Zoe tells TV WEEK.
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Zoe was flanked by ‘taken’ men for her first few hours in Paradise.
“I spoke to the first few guys and they were all in relationships, I was like ‘did they accidentally drop me in a couple’s retreat? What the hell am I doing?’ I remember just laughing,” she says.
“But then when the other guys arrived, and a few of them were very much free agents and we’re really keen to chat, that was like a really nice feeling.”
Zoe, who walked in to Paradise with a date card, was weighing up her options as Connor, Nathan and Ivan all spoke to her one-on-one. Ultimately, she chose to take Connor, revealing it was because he seemed like he hadn’t opened up as much in the group setting.
“When I was actually choosing who to go with on the date I was really torn between Connor and Nathan, because I felt like I was already… Nathan was easy to get to know and I was already getting to know him quite well.
“But I felt like Connor wasn’t as much – and looking back it’s probably because of what he had going on with Shannon – but I felt like I’d take Connor because it would be a chance to get to know him.”
Zoe had her pick of the bunch with Connor and Nathan both revealing they were keen.
Zoe’s date with Connor began well, but ended with him revealing he’s far too invested in his relationship with Shannon.
Obviously, Zoe was left a little upset by the way their evening ended, but she doesn’t regret choosing him.
“Look I don’t believe in regrets! But I hadn’t dated in four years, and Connor was so lovely, and I feel like he’d just sort of come off the US one so he was really comfortable with the cameras, and made me feel really comfortable,” she tells.
“I don’t think I really understood how invested he was in what he had going on [with Shannon]. So, no regrets, but if I had’ve been there a bit longer and seen the bigger picture I probably would have taken someone else.
“Yeah I’m not there to make friends, it’s not friendship island.”
Zoe’s single and ready to mingle after a failed date with Connor.
Now, she’s setting her sights on Nathan.
“I think when I got back then I was keen to know Nathan more and spend some time with him, and I knew he was also keen.”
As for Ivan, Zoe didn’t actually realise at the time that the avocado King was so keen.
“I love Ivan so much!” she reveals. “He’s such a beautiful person but I didn’t have an initial romantic spark with him. I also think I misread how keen he was, I just thought he was being super welcoming and lovely, I didn’t realise how keen he was until later.”
Ah well, all’s fair in love and… Paradise.
Bachelor In Paradise Australia continues Thursday, 7:30pm, on Network 10.
