In tonight’s episode of The Bachelor Australia, there was one aww-inducing scene that truly made us swoon: Shannon Baff’s romantic date with Nick Cummins.
The 25-year-old beauty scored the first one-on-one date of the season, and the whole thing was a big ‘ol cup of cute.
~Whitney Houston How Will I Know plays in the background~
It’s not often watching The Bachelor that I, a self-proclaimed cynic, manage to enjoy the over-the-top fancy dates. Give me a dramatic cocktail party and an uncomfortable pool dive any day!
However, Nick’s date with Shannon was actually 100% swoon-worthy. Though, I may have enjoyed it so much because he picked literally two things she hates the most to do on their date: jumping out of something high and eating salmon. I connect with that kind of buffoonery on a deep and personal level.
Despite the minor hiccups, Shannon seemed like she was having the greatest date of all time with Nick, 30. After all, she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face!
Here are six of our favourite moments from their first date…
1. When Nick compared Shannon’s shoes to (dead) bunny rabbits
Nothing like a dead bunny rabbit shoe compliment to get a date started off on the right foot! Pun intended, pals.
Shannon sauntered in to the date in a summery white dress, with a straw hat and some ruffled beachy slides. When the Honey Badger got a look at her shoes, he had a bit of a ‘what are those?!’ moment.
“She looked like she’d stepped on two white rabbits and then just kept walking,” he remarked. “But they looked pretty good.”
Of course, he also offered the compliment “she looks tippy top!” so we’d say he was a fan of the ensemble.
Shannon shows off her sweet kicks.
2. When they jumped out of the helicopter
The ex-rugby player took his date to The Basin in New South Wales, to enjoy a picnic on a secluded sandy beach. The pair had to be lowered down to their exclusive location from a helicopter, and Shannon is majorly afraid of heights. Or, as she put it, “I’m sh** scared of heights.”
“I’ve watched too many of those plane movies… you know crash investigations?” she explained to Nick, as she clutched at his arms during the flight.
No words necessary, the below montage of facial expressions about sums up Shannon’s journey to the romantic lunch…
“I have to do what?”
“Someone help me.”
“No offence, but no man is worth this.”
“Dear God, no.”
Nothing better than a Honey Badger hug to calm you down…
… except, perhaps, for a Honey Badger kiss.
Bravo, Shannon!
3. When Nick rewarded her efforts by cooking her a nice piece of salmon… which she hates
After bravely jumping from the helicopter, Nick rewarded Shannon with a picnic date. There was a cute bench! Champagne! Salmon! Oh, did we mention that Shannon hates salmon about as much as she hates heights?
“How do I tell him that that is the one thing I don’t like! I don’t eat fish?” she asked the cameraman, who offered literally no suggestions.
The face you make when your date is rapidly falling apart because you don’t like anything he does.
At first, our dear Shannon powered through and pretended to like the salmon. But, eventually, she had to come clean… and Nick’s reaction says it all!
“Maybe salmon isn’t that bad?”
“LOL NO THANK U.”
“Why can’t I make a single good choice on this date?”
When they went for a dip, and Shannon was competitive about racing in to the water
When it came time for the inevitable swim – hello, this is The Bachelor and we need to see people in swimwear! – Shannon practically tackled Nick to beat him in to the water. We see you girl, with your competitive nature. We see you.
Everybody stay out of Shannon’s way.
Their little swim also led Shannon to open up about how much she is starting to like Nick.
“I think I like every little bit about Nick at the moment. I get this absolute radiating ball of sunshine. He has such a lovely energy,” she told the cameras.
5. When they shared stories (and a blankie)
After their swim, Shannon and Nick swapped their heartbreak histories and came to realise they have very similar pasts, and are both ready to find the one.
During their intense chat, the pair couldn’t stop smiling at each other… if it wasn’t so cute, we may gag. Also, Nick basically gave her the whole blanket, so that was pretty sweet!
Looks like an even split of the blanket to me.
6. When Nick gave her the first rose of the episode
After telling her about his hatred for coffee, Nick joked he would like to share some coffee with her, because that’s just the kind of high-quality humour our main man likes to dish out.
When Nick opened the thermos, he pulled out a long-stemmed rose and, for real, my heart snapped to pieces inside my chest because her reaction was SO cute.
Oh, you two!
“I am the happiest girl in all the land!”
And that’s a wrap on the first one-on-one date of the season!
So what does it mean that Shannon was given the first one-one-one date of the season? Can we safely assume she’s in with a MAJOR chance here?
Well, typically the girl who scores the first one-on-one date places high, though doesn’t usually take out ‘the crown’. Aside from Laura Byrne in 2017, the winner of The Bachelor Australia usually has her first single date with the Bachie a little later in the series.
Laura scored the first one-on-one date last season, going on to win Matty J’s heart in the season finale. In season four, winner Alex Nation was whisked away for the third one-on-one date with Richie, and in season three Snezana Markoski was given the second one-on-one date with Sam Wood. In season two Sam Frost was taken on the fourth one-on-one date with Blake Garvey. And back in season one, Anna Heinrich went on to win after scoring the second one-on-one date.
“Statistics” aside, after their cute date it seems Shannon is definitely in with a chance at winning the heart of Nick Cummins. If not, let’s get #Shannon4Bachelorette trending about two seconds after she’s eliminated.
