Having sex on reality TV is not as simple as just… getting down to business, according to Keira Maguire.
The former Bachie star shared some goss on her podcast The Buzz, revealing that contestants on Bachelor in Paradise need to explicitly tell the producers they consent sexual activity before it takes place.
“On the island you need to physically ask the producers for consent. You need to say to the camera, so if you’re walking into a room they say ‘You need to say into the camera ‘I give consent’,” Keira explained to co-hosts Mikkayla Mossop and Joey Carroll.
It sounds… awkward, but it’s just the reality of having sex on a show like Bachelor in Paradise, especially following controversy over consent during filming of the US version in 2017.
Filming of the series was halted following “allegations of misconduct” on the Mexico set, prompting Warner Bros. to launch an internal investigation, which later found no misconduct.
A complaint from a producer alleged that contestants were involved in a filmed sexual encounter in which one or both of them may have been too drunk to give consent.
Both contestants involved, Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson, sought legal counsel and made public statements about the incident.
Following this, a new rule – no sex unless both parties confirm their consent to a producer – was implemented, which according to Keira also applied to the Australian series.
Despite the firm rules, Keira recalled to her co-hosts entering a room with Jarrod to find packets of condoms placed by producers.
“I’m just like ‘OMG, like I know you’re trying to practice safe sex but really?'”
When asked if she and Jarrod Woodgate, who she coupled up with on the show, ever had sex on the island her answer was simple.
Hell. No.
“There was no way that was going to happen, no way, and we were there for the whole two months – if we can hold it together so can they,” she said of this year’s contestants.
“Sex on reality TV is the lowest barrel you can scrape,” her co-host Mikkayla added.
Top Comments
I understand why the producers do that, but it’s only going to go so far. Consent can still be withdrawn after, when the couple are behind closed doors.