We have no doubt eyes rolled across the nation on Sunday when Bill Goldsmith shared a photo on Instagram of his Bachelor in Paradise co-stars Zoe O’Brien and Ivan Krslovic cuddling on a couch with the caption ‘secret’s out’.
While most of us assumed it was Bill’s attempt at perpetuating a (ridiculous) new Bachie relationship rumour, the photo made its way to a number of social media groups, prompting Zoe herself to respond.
And it sounds like Bill is in the dog house for his cheeky post.
Prefacing her statement with the caption "A little bit sad that this is happening....", the 29-year-old was quick to stamp-out rumours she was romantically involved with Ivan, also 29, calling Bill out for "provoking a reaction and causing unnecessary drama".
"Just to clarify, there is nothing going on with Ivan and I, we are friends. This photo is a joke that Bill got us to pose for on my couch when I was kind enough to have them both over at my house for dinner and to watch an episode," she posted to her Instagram on Monday.
"The point of having them over was that I was checking in on Bill's mental health as he was getting so much hate on social media and the last thing I ever want is anyone to be struggling or upset and think they have no one to turn to to talk about it."
"I have been nothing but kind to Bill and I am so disappointed that he has deliberately and maliciously posted this joke to provoke a reaction and cause unnecessary drama," she concluded of the 31-year-old plumber.
Bill quickly established himself as one of this season's villains after he denied Florence Alexandra's accusations that he had sexually propositioned her during their date, claiming that she was lying in an attempt to sabotage his blossoming romance with Alex Nation.
“You’re so malicious you f***ing want to make s**t up because I didn’t give you a rose,” Bill yelled at Florence.
“Are you for real? Why would I make that up?” Florence questioned.
“Because you’re malicious and it didn’t go your way,” he responded.
Watch a snippet of Bill and Flo's altercation below. Post continues after video.
In just a few hours, Bill had abused and undermined Flo to tears, and convinced Alex she, too, was crazy for believing her.
He was branded a 'disgrace' by viewers on Twitter who saw it as a clear example of gaslighting. He later issued a public apology to Florence.
But speaking to Mamamia last week, he defended his actions by saying Flo was "being crazy" and that her actions were "conniving and manipulative".
“I’ve never even heard of that term, gaslighting, that’s been thrown around a lot.
“I put an apology out to Flo for speaking ill of her and calling her those names because that’s not on… but the rest of it…"
He also copped backlash for his absence from the Bachelor in Paradise Tell All special, where Alex explained that despite professing their love for each other in the finale, their relationship only lasted a few weeks.
"We had a discussion about our relationship and he told me that he didn’t love me, even though he told me he loved me on the show. So that kind of finished our relationship,” Alex told Mamamia last week.
Yikes.
It sounds like Bill is in a lot of dog houses right now...
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