Elora is the Tahitian goddess that rendered the Bachie boys speechless when she arrived on the island for Bachelor In Paradise.
But sadly for Matty J’s former flame, while her romance candle seemed to fizzle from the get the go, the pretty brunette was ablaze in drama when it came to her former BFF Simone.
Now that she’s put BIP behind her, Elora talks to Now To Love her roller-coaster experience from not finding love, that awful letter prank to finally settling this season’s biggest and most controversial catfight, saying it was never about Courtney Dober…
And more importantly, why she’ll never be friends Simone Ormesher again.
Elora may not have received a rose, but the beauty has found love!
Elora you didn’t get a rose! Could you take me back to that moment?
I think I just knew it, from the moment I woke up.
When Osher said there were no new people then it became clear that I was going home.
You’re so charismatic and beautiful. You have such a strong sex appeal but it seems like you didn’t really feel sparks with anyone. Was that because you were set on Apollo from the beginning?
They’re really pushing the Apollo thing. I never went to Paradise to meet Apollo. I went to find someone.
I was asked who were my top 3 men that I’d like to meet and I said Jake, Luke and Apollo.
Jake and Luke were taken and that left me with Apollo.
He was my last bet. At the end of the day I just didn’t find anyone right for me.
Can you tell me about your fire-twirling moment with Apollo? It created a real bust up for Apollo and Simone.
The whole time we were in Paradise we were both waiting for producers to bring us fire toys because we wanted to do it in Paradise for the group.
That night fire toys magically appeared!
We both really wanted to do it and were excited. I knew it was going to be my last night.
It was so nice and we wanted to do it for everyone there, which is why I called everyone over.
Elora had hoped to explore things with Apollo.
So it wasn’t a way for you to try romancing Apollo? It was actually just a sweet thing for the group?
Completely!
I would have been very selfish if I was the only one spinning fire [Laughs]
They brought toys in for the both of us!
The Apollo love triangle with Simone really took a hold of your experience. How intense was it really?
It really wasn’t that intense. Simone went on a date on him and then I went on a date with him.
The night of the prank letter, I sat down with Apollo and he told me he was going to invest in Simone.
From that moment on I completely let go of Apollo.
I respected that and Simone and I even became friends again.
You see me sitting next to her – we were fine.
The only thing, I wasn’t going to not hang out with Apollo. I wasn’t going to ignore him.
He became like everyone else on the island – a friend. Just a friend.
Their catfight will remain sit in one of the biggest TV moments of 2018.
So are you now friends with both Simone and Apollo?
I’m friends with Apollo.
I’m definitely not friends with Simone… Not at all.
I wasn’t friends with her in the beginning but I was trying to fix it in there.
I wanted the environment to be a little healthier than her being angry.
That was a lost cause.
You definitely tried to extend a hand of friendship. We saw the two of you in the beginning and had no clue there was bad blood. Do you think Australia has heard your side of the story and understands your position with Simone?
Honestly I don’t really know.
The only thing I’m holding onto is that everyone sees Simone being angry and jealous.
She’s clingy, she overreacts, talking bad about so many people and there’s not one moment where I talk sh-t about people on TV.
I’m always really nice and just true to myself saying that I am interested in Apollo.
I think I’m just going to hold onto the fact that the way we both look – it makes a little more sense that the truth is, my side of the story is less dramatic than what Simone made it seem.
I did not speak about anything that happened on the outside until Simone did.
It was only because she was lying about it. We never really confronted it on camera.
The ladies seemed to be friendly on the show.
Do you think once everything settles, maybe down the track you could try and sort this out? It seems like this is more than just a guy [Courtney] that created this rift. And it seems sad because fans remember how close you girls were during Bachelor. Surely there’s a friendship worth salvaging?
No there isn’t.
To me it was never about a guy.
My problem with Simone was never about a man but she always makes it about a man.
My problem is who she is.
She’s angry, she someone who talks bad about people, she doesn’t have any respect and she is not a good friend.
When I realised this outside of the show and on Paradise, I knew that she doesn’t share the same values as I do.
I could never trust her.
She made it about a man because we were on a dating show… And everytime there was a man around.
To me it was never about that, Simone is just really insecure and she’ll do anything to be better than me.
I would never think of doing that to a friend.
You mentioned that you are still friends with Apollo. Rumour has it that Simone dumped Apollo him. Given the chance would you want to explore things with him or given the past, would you prefer no more reality TV men?
I’m pretty off reality TV guys and Apollo is too young.
There are certain qualities that I picked up on while we were in Paradise that I knew he wasn’t for me.
He was too shy and wouldn’t stand up for himself. He followed Simone around like a puppy.
I’d like a little bit more of a…
You’re looking for a man!
[Laughs] Yes a little bit.
He’s too young for me. He’s amazing and kind but just a friend.
Are you single or looking for love?
I have found love! [Laughs]
Oh my gosh! Congratulations! Would we know him?
No no, he’s an older Italian man from Naples.
You were so dignified through the show. You went through some horrible moments, including that awful prank letter from Eden. How hard was it being strong through that?
I don’t feel like I kept it together. I was very upset and angry and it’s not just Eden who wrote that letter.
It was three people involved in it.
We heard it was Sam and Tara
[Sighs] Well Eden took the fall for it.
0I don’t know why – I guess it was easy to blame just Eden for the story line.
I had hoped the others involved would have stepped up and owned up to it –like they did to me.
It might happen, who knows?
I understood that people who did it were really good friends with Simone and I understand the motives in that.
I made the decision to keep Eden in because I knew I couldn’t live with myself if I sent him home like that.
It would have hurt him too much.
And I could care less about Thomas.
1You’ve now seen the 4 remaining couples in action- what are your thoughts on each of them and do you think they’ll last:
Grant and Ali: They fell in love the quickest on the island but I’m not sure how international waters will do to them. Not too sure how it will work out. They’re the most passionate. It’s a beautiful love.
Tara and Sam: They’re the same person. They weren’t expecting it and they’re a match made in Paradise.
Keira and Jarrod: The same as Sam and Tara. They’ll both last.
Jake and Megan: They’ve proven that they can definitely not live without each other. They had a really rough path but I wouldn’t see them with anyone else. They’re also the same person.
2Elora your body is truly amazing – do you have any tips for us mere mortals?
A lot of what helped me was being in love and having a man that looks at you like you’re a queen… Seeing you want to take care of yourself.
Loving yourself is important. Don’t obsess over food – eat good food, clean.
If you want to have a big dinner – just do it.
Being healthy in your mind and you should train 4 times a week – be it cardio or weights.
If you could do it again, what would you do differently?
No I don’t think so.
3Actually I probably wouldn’t have bothered with Simone from the beginning.
What’s next for you ?
I’m currently in the process of opening a gym in Martin Place (NSW).
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