When Ten snagged Matt Agnew, a tall, dark and handsome astrophysicist from Melbourne to be The Bachelor for 2019, they believed they’d struck television gold.
But just eight weeks after the show wrapped, Matt, 32, has gone from hot nerd to nightmare after he dumped winner Chelsie McLeod and sparked concerns he’s “done a Blake Garvey”, throwing himself back into the arms of none other than runner-up Abbie Chatfield!
History repeats
In 2014, Blake, 36, sparked outrage when he dumped winner Sam Frost, 30, after proposing to her at the final rose ceremony – and shockingly went behind her back, absconding to Thailand with second runner-up, Louise Pillidge, 31.
The star received harsh and universal backlash for his decision, with the outcry forcing him into hiding. And now, fans may have to relive it all after Matt released a statement on Instagram last Sunday, explaining that he and Chelsie hadn’t “translated from filming into the real, everyday world”.
WATCH: Blake Garvey proposes to Sam Frost on the second season’s finale of The Bachelor. Post continues after video…
However, perhaps tellingly, when Chelsie chose to address the split, she instead wrote a short Instagram story begging for fans to “stop sending articles about the break-up” as it only made it more difficult for her.
While Australia and Chelsie, 28, mourned what they thought was the most stable and compatible relationship to come out of the franchise, Matt began following Abbie, 23, on Instagram.
“Matt was certainly more attracted to Abbie [on the show],” a source tells Woman’s Day.
“But Chelsie fit the narrative better. Two hot scientists. The point of difference would have been great marketing and he thought they could have their own science show or something.”
“Matt was certainly more attracted to Abbie [on the show].”
(Image: Network Ten)Public image
Contrary to his on-screen shy persona, the source reveals that Matt “wants to pursue a career badly in media” and even applied for two seasons of The Bachelorette.
“He applied for Ali’s [Oetjen, 2018] and Sophie’s [Monk, 2017] seasons, he actually got through to Sophie’s but a research project came up and he had to back out,” the source says.
While Matt planned to pursue a career as the “cool science guy” on TV, Chelsie retreated and publicly stated on Instagram she didn’t want a career as an influencer, nor did she have any desire to stay in the public realm.
Matt “wants to pursue a career badly in media” and even applied for two seasons of The Bachelorette but Chelsie had no desire to be famous.
(Image: Instagram @drmattagnew)Different paths
As soon as he realised Chelsie didn’t want to be famous, he gave her the flick.
“He dumped her straight away,” the source says. “He told her their goals weren’t aligned and they just weren’t on the same path. She’s devastated and thinks that he’s maybe met someone else.”
With Abbie still firmly single, she’s made it clear the media does not faze her. Could it only be a matter of time before Matt goes back to Abbie for a second try? Ten is now scrambling trying to deflect the past Bachelor season and instead focus on The Bachelorette‘s Angie Kent and Carlin Sterritt.
But the reverberations from Blake’s scandal are threatening to resurface with Matt.
Could it only be a matter of time before Matt goes back to Abbie for a second try?
(Image: Network Ten)It’s happened before…
More than a million viewers tuned in to watch Blake Garvey drop to one knee to propose to Sam Frost with a $58,000 Bunda engagement ring in South Africa in 2014, but behind the scenes he had dumped Sam even before it went to air!
While Sam was at a loss as to what happened, Blake quickly made a move on second runner-up Louise Pillidge, writing a five-page love letter to win her back.
“Here is the absolute truth. In the weeks, days, hours and minutes since I last saw you, not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought of you and our time together,” Blake wrote before arranging a meet-up with Louise in Thailand.
The couple were together for almost two years, before splitting in 2016.
‘Pulling a Blake Garvey’ has become part of the Bachie lexicon.
(Images: Network Ten)