When Big Brother‘s most genetically blessed housemates, Chad Hurst and Sophie Budack, turned their flirtatious conversation into a steamy midnight kiss in bed, fans couldn’t have been more excited.
However, Woman’s Day can exclusively reveal their romance has all been set up from day one, with producers sneakily orchestrating their affair from their seats in the editing room.
“Producers were desperate for a love story,” a source tells Woman’s Day.
“It was something they knew the show very much needed.”
The source says both Chad, 27, and Sophie, 25, feel producers are “cherry picking” their loved-up scenes to make it look like a romance, but they both knew it was all fake and was just part of a strategic move to keep them in the game.
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“Sophie is very competitive and wanted to win, so she definitely was playing the part of Chad’s love interest for the camera,” says the source.
“[But] most of the scenes where we’re shown a ‘giddy’ Sophie talking about Chad were cleverly edited – she was just talking about most of the hot guys in the house and dating in general.”
The pair’s lovey-dovey behaviour was cut together cleverly in the edit room.
(Image: Channel Seven)
Other contestants even think the pair were simply hamming it up for the cameras.
(Image: Channel Seven)
Sophie and Chad sharing an intimate moment in bed together in the Big Brother house.
(Image: Channel Seven)The “love affair” appears to not only be amusing to Chad and Sophie, but also to the rest of the contestants, who are re-watching the episodes and laughing at the absurdity of it.
“Sophie and Chad being portrayed as these lovebirds onscreen is a joke to the housemates because they all know it wasn’t really like that,” adds the source.
It comes after housemate Kieran Davidson spoke out about the pair’s romance, accusing the show’s producers of “playing up” their affair for strategic purposes.
“The Sophie-Chad dynamic is interesting. It makes me think, ‘Is this legitimate or just being played for the audiences and housemates?'” the 21-year-old said recently.
The onscreen romance between Chad and Sophie isn’t all it’s been made out to be.
(Image: Channel Seven)
Is Chad faking his onscreen romance?
(Image: Channel Seven)Chad’s got a girlfriend!
Chad reportedly has a girlfriend in LA.
(Image: Instagram)To make their romance even more laughable, the source reveals there was “constant chatter” in the house around Chad having a secret girlfriend in Los Angeles, where he spends half of the year for work.
“He was really careful not to admit anything too specific about his LA life and living arrangements, [but] it was very suspicious,” says the source.
Sophie was believed to be none the wiser about Chad’s overseas lover, and despite having no real romantic connection with Chad, our source says she would’ve been devastated to hear he was in a relationship while in the house.
“Sophie would never kiss another girl’s man,” the source adds.
“Sophie would never kiss another girl’s man.”
(Image: Instagram)Big Brother 2021: It’s On!
With the 2020 reboot of Big Brother delighting both long-term and new fans, Seven is said to be capitalising on the hype by giving the green light to season two.
An insider tells Woman’s Day that the show’s crew have already been assembled and given contracts, securing them for the next instalment.
“They’re going to shoot as soon as possible [due to COVID-19] and it’ll most likely air early next year,” says the source.
“While the ratings haven’t been exactly amazing, Seven are said to be ecstatic with how much chatter it’s generated so they’re keen to get the ball rolling.”
WATCH BELOW: Big Brother alumni Tully Smyth answers fans’ burning questions.
