Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first Bachelor cocktail party showdown of the 2018 season.
As the drinks flow and the roses presented, there are bound to be more verbal bust-ups, but boy, was the premiere party spat a doozy!
The first stand-off features fashion designer Cat and property valuer Sophie, who Cat accuses of recently dating her ex-boyfriend.
“The cocktail party has kicked off, I’m just starting to relax into the evening and I look over and I see this chick called Sophie,” Cat says to camera.
“I know who she is because my ex-boyfriend showed me a photo of her. We have a history. There is no way I expected to come into a situation like this, I thought I’d come in here and meet a whole bunch of random chicks, not bloody old mate. I’m pissed off that she’s here,” Cat fumes before promising, “I’ll be bringing it up first chance I get.”
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Cat vs. Sophie: The ex wars!
Perhaps looking for safety in numbers before going into battle, Cat confides in political adviser Alisha telling her in detail that Sophie and her last serious boyfriend were “doing the deed”, and not only that, they were, “going out on his boat on weekends.”
Cat says her ex paid her a visit to Bali, where she resides and told her all about Sophie.
Meanwhile, Nick Cummins — eager to chat to the blonde beauty — whisks Sophie away for some private time racing the remote control boats she presented to him when they first met.
They hit it off immediately with Nick gushing, “I love it. A bird who loves outdoors, nature, activities — that’s my thing. And shes got a very nice light presence to help me open up a bit.”
Fresh from her one-on-one time with Nick, early front-runner Sophie returns to the group where Cat is waiting to spill the beans.
Anita helps Cat bring up the topic by saying across the room, “So Sophie, apparently you and Cat have something in common.”
Sophie, innocently responds: “We know each other, cos we’re both from Brisbane.”
Cat interjects: “And you’ve been seeing my ex.”
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Sophie is quick to defend herself explaining she and the unnamed guy had a few dates but stresses, “That was a long time ago. Like a really long time.”
A gobsmacked Sophie says to camera, “I don’t know why Cat’s bringing this up. It’s the first night. Why are we creating negative energy so soon?”
“The intention was not nice. I had the whole room looking at me and I had to defend myself for having a few dates with a guy? He wasn’t seeing anyone else, I wasn’t seeing anyone else. No one is doing anything wrong. But I’m getting questioned for it. It just didn’t make any sense to me.”
Strong-willed Cat is not convinced by Sophie’s explanation, as she tells the camera: “I know that she’s lying, but I don’t really care that much. I think Nick will think she’s a basic b—h who doesn’t have much to offer.”
Have we just met our new Keira Maguire?
Who is Cat and Sophie’s ex-boyfriend?
So who is this unnamed man who was in a serious relationship with Cat and casually dated Sophie for a short time? Well, we did some digging.
A little scroll through the Bachie girl’s Instagram accounts and we came across pictures of Cat and a man named Tim Crooks, who by all accounts appears to have been her boyfriend.
The pair were last pictured together in August 2016.
Sophie also appears in an Instagram snap with Tim, which was posted to the photo sharing site in September last year.
Tim is the only man to have been pictured with both Bachie babes, making it seem like he is the bloke behind the fiery cocktail party encounter.
Both Cat and Sophie received a rose at the first ceremony – we can’t wait to see this love triangle unfold!