
It was 3am in the morning, during the first rose ceremony of Matt Agnew's season of The Bachelor.
No fewer than 28 contestants waited nervously, as Agnew approached, ready to give out roses. Standing there among the crowd of young women was Keely Spedding, hoping for the astrophysicist to call her name and hand her a coveted red rose to signify their potential romance.
Keely was confident, she tells Mamamia, and keenly aware of the extensive process it had taken to become involved in The Bachelor franchise.
She'd had discussions with her family, who had expressed their reservations about Keely going on reality television. She had gone through a lengthy application process. She had temporarily been placed in lockdown (before lockdown was... you know... a thing). She had pushed "pause" on work. She had packed her suitcase for an undetermined amount of time.
She'd also been told by the producers she was "one of their favourites," the 29-year-old recalls, practically given a wink and a nudge that she would be 'really suited to this guy'.
Most importantly, though, she thought her conversation with Agnew had gone well. Sure, it was only ten minutes before another contestant had interrupted and whisked him away, but it was enough for her to feel optimistic at the rose ceremony.
Although Keely does admit she questioned his authenticity.