There's a new 'sex rule' on The Bachelor Australia. Here's how it works.

For months there were rumours The Bachelor Australia would be getting a massive revamp. And indeed, it proved to be true!

Initially, it was revealed by Megan Pustetto on So Dramatic! that we would be getting two Bachelors this season, and perhaps no Bachelorette. And then reports came out that we may be getting another Bachelor added to the mix. Because why have two, when you can have three...

So back in May, Network 10 told us to expect an update on The Bachelor Australia. And on The Project, they cleared up all the rumours and actually confirmed the news to be true – we are getting three for the price of one this season, set to air on January 9, 2023.

Say goodbye to The Bachelor and hello to The Bachelors.

We'll be getting three times the love and three times the drama and for the first time, some "steamy action". But whether we will be getting three times the ladies 'vying for their love' – we have to wait and see.

Watch: But remember when we had two Bachelorettes? Post continues below.

On The Project at the time, Osher said: "It's our tenth season of The Bachelor Australia, so we're so excited. We're doing a world first. No one else has ever had three Bachelors, and so therefore the way it works and the way everyone gets to know each other is very different this year – but you will see that as we go!"

Here's everything we know so far about the season.

It's filming on the Gold Coast.

Of course, reality TV news sites such as The Wash already spotted many of the dates taking place and gave us a look behind-the-scenes. And considering it was filmed back in May and June, it feels like we've had to wait a lifetime to see this season!

"It's already been fascinating," Osher said at the time. "We've been going for a little while now. Not only did we have to go to head office to say 'can we have three Bachelors?' – that was easy. But we want to do it without candles and without fairy lights. That was a meeting we had to get."

No candles and no fairy lights? Groundbreaking.

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But the fact the show has been moved to Queensland came at great delight to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

"The Bachelor and the Gold Coast is a perfect match," the Premier said. "Production of this reality TV series will create around 80 local jobs and contribute an estimated $4.1 million into the Queensland economy, with flow-on benefits for our hospitality and tourism sectors." 

So that's nice. 

"And fans of The Bachelor will not be disappointed by next season’s single and group dates, which will showcase the most idyllic Queensland destinations – from white sand beaches, to lush national parks, local wineries, and intimate fine dining. We gladly accept the rose."

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The Bachelors Australia 2022: Felix Von Hofe, Thomas Malucelli and Jed McIntosh.

Felix is a pro basketballer, Thomas is a former restaurant manager turned fitness icon and Jed is a drummer/musician.

When asked by Peter Helliar why he decided to go on The Bachelor, Felix (basketballer) gave the most perfect cookie-cutter response you could ask for in a sports reporter voice. 

"I wanted to jump in because I think I might have been born ten years too late. I don't use the dating apps, I'm not big on social media, I like talking to people face-to-face and we have no shortage of that [on The Bachelor]. So I'm really just enjoying having proper, one-on-one time and dates and getting to know people rather than just the Instagram DMs and all that stuff."

Jed – but we must refer to him as Machine Jed Kelly because wow the similarities are uncanny – was then asked if he would be relying on a kick-a** drum solo to woo the ladies.

"I don't know – it is one way to break the ice, but when you're standing next to two of the biggest and best-looking blokes in Australia, I need to pull something out of me [sic] pocket," he said.

As for Thomas (who has a phenomenal Italian accent) he said he's still getting to know the ladies, but it's on the right track.

"I expect things to get a little bit more loose and hotter in the coming weeks and maybe even more romantic."

From left to right - Felix, Jed and Thomas. Image: Network 10.   It's a big shakeup for the franchise, and it comes after the show struggled with ratings in Jimmy Nicholson's 2021 season, along with Brooke Blurton's season of The Bachelorette.

As for what the season properly has in store for us, it looks like things are shaking up.

Engagement rings are on the cards!

So Dramatic! reported there will be no red carpet, just first dates, with the source saying the suitors get to decide on where the date will be and what they will be doing together, and they can choose to go anywhere in the country.

In what perhaps is the best news for series, the new season of The Bachelors will apparently be introducing a popular US franchise addition: the fantasy suite. This is where the final three female contestants often get the chance to stay the night with the Bachelor. And with that in mind, sex is often on the cards – which almost always does great things for reality television.

And in a teaser from Network 10, we saw engagement rings. Yep. ENGAGEMENT RINGS.

Because nothing says committing to a lifelong partner like spending three months dating a guy who is dating a dozen people, only for you to be miraculously picked and proposed to at the end. 

Image: Network 10.

Right now, all three men's Instagram accounts are on private, but once they've been presumably deep-cleaned by producers, they'll be good to go.

There's a new sex rule that has everyone talking.

The three Bachelors were invited on the Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday, and dished the dirt on the new "sex rule" coming to this season. Namely, sex is on the cards for contestants this time around, compared to prior Aussie seasons where sex has not been allowed.

Musician Jed McIntosh said they "have the option," when former Bachelor contestant and radio host fill-in Brittany Hockley asked whether they had engaged in sexual acts with any of the girls. 

"It gets much steamier than it has on any of the other Bachelors before," Jed said. "But I will say, obviously these days there's a consent chat that happens, so if you're still in the mood after a 40-minute chat of you know 'are both parties willing'."

Jed was evidently very chatty about the whole situation unlike the other two Bachelors, explaining: "Our penthouse where we were staying, we had our own individual rooms, and there's a big spa also which we called a name which we won't mention… So you have the option if you want to 'hang out' with them later, you can do that."

To whet our appetite before the season airs, we were also recently delivered a new promo ad. And the fact one of the women doesn't accept a rose from Jed... we're now very much intrigued.

Get ready for a new era of love! 🌹#TheBachelorsAU Starts January 9 on 10 and 10 Play. pic.twitter.com/JyyhjMzFpf

— The Bachelors Australia 🌹 (@TheBachelorAU) November 15, 2022

The reaction.

Something to point out, however, is the fact there have been calls for The Bachelor Australia franchise to be more diverse with their casting. Brooke Blurton's season was great in its representation of First Nations People and the LGBTQIA+ community.

And given there isn't much diversity among these three men, we'll have to wait and see how audiences react to that.

Here's what the reaction has been so far on Twitter:

the bachelor australia: we are gonna shake things up this year!!!

also the bachelor australia: TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF WHITE MEN #TheBachelorAU pic.twitter.com/rLF6KtbAkW

— sarah (@16leclercs) May 23, 2022

australia always does the bachelor experiments stg #bachelorau

— scarlett (@scarledoublet) May 23, 2022

The Bachelor Australia: We hear you.
Also The Bachelor Australia: Here's three times the white, enjoy! #TheBachelorAU

— Samantha McDonough (@samtown87) May 23, 2022

The Bachelors Australia premiers on Network 10 on January 9. Let the games begin!

This post was originally published on May 23, 2022, and was updated on November 30, 2022.

Feature Image: Network 10/Mamamia.

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