It was the finale that had everyone bright-eyed and tense with nerves. And it was, perhaps, not quite the result Australia had expected.
Tonight Alex Nation, the 24-year-old single mum from Victoria, stole Richie’s heart.
So how does she feel, winning Australia’s fourth season of the a show and taking home a new boyfriend to her family?
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Speaking to Mamamia today ahead of tonight’s finale, Alex said it was the normal, everyday experiences she was most looking forward to sharing with Richie.
“I’m just so excited to … go for a drive with him, be out with other people and just being able to be open with my friends and family about the relationship and just not have to keep this big, huge secret from everybody,” she said.
Although the show ended in heartbreak for fellow contestant Nikki Gogan, Alex says the duo will always be close and have an enormous amount of respect for each other.
“We’ve actually really enjoyed doing it together, it’s been really nice. We will definitely be friends for life, Nickelodeon and I,” she said, referring to runner-up Nikki as Nickelodeon.
For Nikki, her excitement was much more geared towards the finale airing and being able to be out in the open and have conversations about what really happened.
"I’m so excited, I just can’t wait for the finale to air and for it to be completely out there. Then I'll be able to speak openly and have no more secrets. I’m excited."
Despite her obvious heartbreak, Nikki reiterated Alex's claims that the two will remain firm friends.
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"Every Bachelor story is different, but Alex and I have been together from the very beginning and no matter what we’ve been together," she told Mamamia.
"We will just have this unique bond that no one else could possibly understand. This will forever hold us together. I love her to bits and no matter what, I want her to be happy and I’m sure she would say the same."