The words that will break Irena’s heart: The Bachelor’s Bella Varelis reveals she and Locky Gilbert said ‘I love you’ to each other during lockdown
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The Bachelor’s Bella Varelis seems determined to twist the knife into her love rival Irena Srbinovska as the dating show heads into its final week.
As Locky Gilbert’s top four contestants do the media rounds ahead of the last two episodes, Bella made a rather cutting remark to TV Week on Monday.
The 25-year-old marketing consultant gleefully told the magazine that she and Locky, 31, had said ‘I love you’ to each other during lockdown.
Given her fierce rivalry with Irena, it’s likely this admission was directed at the 31-year-old nurse – who told Locky on the show last week she was ‘completely in love’ with him, but he couldn’t say ‘I love you’ in return.
He’s mine! The Bachelor’s Bella Varelis (right, with Locky Gilbert) seems determined to twist the knife into her love rival Irena Srbinovska as the dating show heads into its final week
For context, on-site production of The Bachelor was suspended from mid-March until the first week of July, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
During this three-and-a-half-month period, Locky kept in touch with the women via Zoom, text messaging and FaceTime – and it was about this time that Bella and Locky supposedly said they loved each other ‘in texts’.
However, Bella hastened to add they did so using emojis, not actual words.
Bombshell: As Locky Gilbert’s top four contestants do the media rounds ahead of the last two episodes, Bella made a rather cutting remark to TV Week on Monday. She gleefully told the magazine that she and Locky, 31, had said ‘I love you’ to each other during lockdown
Cruel: Given their fierce rivalry, it’s likely this admission was directed at 31-year-old nurse Irena (pictured), who told Locky on the show last week she was ‘completely in love’ with him – but he couldn’t say ‘I love you’ in return
She explained: ‘We’ve both said, “*love heart emoji” you” in texts, but not the full sentence yet. Those three words mean a lot to me and Locky knows that, so it’s not something I take lightly.’
Bella added: ‘There were months between filming, and Locky and I would FaceTime for hours a day. We just enjoyed each other’s virtual company.’
Bella’s boastful interview comes after Irena told Locky on Wednesday’s episode that she had ‘fallen completely in love with’ him.
Humble brag: ‘We’ve both said, “*love heart emoji” you” in texts, but not the full sentence yet. Those three words mean a lot to me and Locky knows that,’ Bella told TV Week
But the former Australian Survivor star, 31, was unable to say ‘I love you’ in return – because Bachelors are banned from doing so until the finale.
He did kiss her and offer her a rose, however.
In light of this, Bella’s revelation that she and Locky exchanged ‘I love you’s privately during lockdown will no doubt cut deep.
As of Tuesday, Irena is the bookies’ favourite to win ($1.27), Bella is tipped for runner-up ($3.50) and intruder Bec Cvilikas is expected to place third ($7.50)
The Bachelor finale week begins Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 10
Romantic moment: Bella’s boastful interview comes after Irena told Locky on Wednesday’s episode that she had ‘fallen completely in love with’ him
Gagging order: The former Australian Survivor star, 31, was unable to say ‘I love you’ in return, however, because Bachelors are banned from doing so until the finale
Don’t miss it: The Bachelor finale week begins Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 10. Pictured (L-R): Izzy Sharman-Firth, Irena Srbinovska, Bec Cvilikas and Bella Varelis