Bella Varelis says the Bachelor mansion ran out of toilet paper during the height of the pandemic… before revealing what it was REALLY like when filming shut down
Bella Varelis has candidly spoken out about living within the Bachelor mansion during the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.
On Thursday, the 25-year-old revealed the shocking insight that the massive estate – which was home to dozens of girls this season – even ran out of toilet paper after anxious shoppers around the country bizarrely stocked up mid-crisis.
Speaking on the Shameless podcast on Thursday, Bella said: ‘Our our grocery shops would be coming in staggered, and it would be about seven things of the 50 that we ordered. They’d be like… all of the toilet paper was out, so here are some tissues!’
Not ideal: On Thursday, Bella Varelis (pictured) revealed the shocking insight that the massive estate – which was home to dozens of girls this season – even ran out of toilet roll, after anxious shoppers around the country bizarrely stocked up mid-crisis
Bella also discussed the moment she began to realise the pandemic was becoming more and more serious.
She added: ‘We were experiencing [the pandemic] with everyone else. Because we were so closed off from everyone, we thought “surely it can’t be that bad?” – but yeah, toilet paper was out!’
Filming of the eighth season of The Bachelor – starring Survivor star Locky Gilbert – was eventually suspended in late March.
Gradual change: Bella went on to say that the ladies didn’t realise how serious the pandemic was, until the were told by host Osher Günsberg that filming had to stop
Bella added that she had no idea that the virus had become such a worldwide problem – and it wasn’t until host Osher Günsberg came in to deliver the news that the girls knew things were serious.
‘It really kicked in for us when it was that night, they were like, “we have to stop filming”. I looked at Osher and was like – are you pulling my leg? I didn’t believe it.
‘I mean, as if a virus has gotten that bad that it’s taken over Australia and the world. It was a pretty big shock. Ultimately I thought: if this is us going on halt, is this it? Do we get to talk to Locky again?
Devastated: Despite their constant contact throughout lockdown, the brunette bombshell didn’t end up winning Locky’s heart – despite the former Survivor star telling her he was in love with her in the tense finale
‘But I think it’s the best thing that happened for The Bachelor. It was kind of nice to bring the connection back down to normality.’
She added that she was told by producers that she’d get one FaceTime a week with Locky, and two days that they could text.
‘That went out the window,’ she laughed. ‘Locky ended up calling me that morning. We spoke for like, five hours that day.’
Despite their constant contact throughout lockdown, the brunette bombshell didn’t end up winning Locky’s heart – despite the former Survivor star telling her he was in love with her in the tense finale.
Instead, he chose Irena Srbinovska as his winner – leaving Bella completely heartbroken.
Sealed with a kiss: During the emotion-filled final episode, Locky chose Irena Srbinovska as his winner