Too hot to handle

Before he’d even gotten his hands on the first rose, The Bachelor’s Locky Gilbert was pricked by thorns. Accused of ghosting his Survivor sweetheart Brooke Jowett, after they’d flirted up a storm during Australian Survivor: All-Stars, some fans weren’t happy when he was announced as this year’s Bachelor in February, rather than going to Bali with Jowett as she claimed they’d planned. “I definitely copped some criticism online,” Gilbert, 30, tells WHO. “That was full-on. But I’m a big boy. I can handle it.” Could this be the most complicated – and hottest – Bachelor yet?

- Melissa Field

THE SURVIVOR HAS FOUND LOVE AND IS READY FOR MARRIAGE

So what really went on between you and Brooke. Were you dating?

Absolutely not. Brooke and I met on Survivor last September. We were close on the show but it wasn’t anything serious. It wasn’t anything at all. Then we never saw each other after the show wrapped. We never dated, we never hung out outside of the show. Don’t get me wrong, I think she’s an amazing girl and I wish her all the very best, but we were never in a relationship.

Why do you think people were so angry when you were announced as the Bachelor?

I get that on Survivor it looked like Brooke and I were super-close and then two days after that show finishes, I’m announced as the Bachelor. The timing looked terrible for me but there were actually months in between what happened on Survivor and being revealed as the Bachelor. But I get that it didn’t look that way and fans were quick to let me know they weren’t happy.

Have you spoken to Brooke lately?

Yes, I talk to her in our Survivor group chats, but nothing one on one. We’re all still friends and I don’t think there are any hard feelings.

How did your family react when you told them you were going to be the Bachelor?

My mum and sister were pretty nervous about it. They were worried that there’s all this stuff about your personal life that comes out on The Bachelor and they were worried for me. They were also worried that I’d embarrass them. My mum gets embarrassed super-easily so she was concerned. I think they’re happy about it now, though.

Is that because you’ve fallen in love?