reality tv

Leah Costa made known exactly whose team she's on between Tara Pavlovic and Sam Cochrane.

Tara Pavlovic and Sam Cochrane have each shared their version of their very public breakup on social media and in interviews.

And now fellow Bachelor in Paradise star Leah Costa has weighed in to let us know exactly whose side she’s on.

Making it clear she’s very much “Team Sam”, the 26-year-old posted a message of support to the voice-over artist on her Instagram Story on Tuesday.

“Sending you bulk love and Fiji vibes @SamualCochrane,” she began, before taking a swipe at Tara’s supporters.

“Ignore the little people with the big opinions.

“They are the ones that believe they know the truth when in reality they’ve just been blinded by clever branding.

“Your (sic) the REAL sweetheart.”

Leah Costa Sam Cochrane
Image: Instagram
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The drama first started when Tara said her relationship with Sam was "toxic" and emotionally abusive, shattering the image the couple had tried to create that the split was amicable.

The reality star has since admitted to hitting her former fiance after their engagement party this year - backing a claim Sam made in an interview with Woman's Day on Monday.

"He left me at our engagement party after he accused me of hooking up with his friend Stu," the 28-year-old explained to fans in the comments section on Instagram on Tuesday.

"He said in the article he left because I was drunk — NOT TRUE. When I got back to the hotel he wasn’t there. When he got back I asked where he was and he said he was with his French ex f*ck buddy (who he used to tell me sex stories about) and insinuated that he cheated on me (he would often play games like this to make me jealous).

"When he told me he cheated on me, I hit him and cried and told him to get out of my hotel. After he realised that the game backfired and I was done, he told me he didn’t touch her and just went to her house to help her find her cat (that was the emergency he spoke of)."

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Tara insisted she was not a "violent person" and was in an "emotionally abusive relationship with a narcissist".

"Only someone who has been through that can relate to how f*cking bad it is, and how you can be pushed over the edge."

why did sam and tara breakup
Tara and Sam at a party in June before their breakup. Image: Getty.
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Sam, however, told Woman's Day that Tara's "excessive drinking" often caused her to lash out at him.

He said after the Bachelor in Paradise finale aired "everything spiralled".

"The relationship took a back seat, the drinking kicked in and then the violence started."

On Instagram, also on Tuesday, he wrote that after deciding he wouldn't air the couple's relationship woes in public, he now planned on "doing all I can to shed light on [domestic violence] and help both men and women".

"There is no excuse, no reason or way of justifying it. I hope this will be the last time I have to discuss her or the relationship."

If this post brings up any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. It doesn’t matter where you live, they will take your call and, if need be, refer you to a service closer to home.