The Bachelor finale: Honey Badger warned us about shock twist months ago

THE shocking Bachelor finale left all of our jaws on the floor — but this forgotten interview served as a warning this would happen.

IT WAS the shock Bachelor finale twist that left fans gobsmacked — but probably shouldn’t have.

Nick “Honey Badger” Cummins earned himself a spot alongside Blake Garvey in The Bachelor’s Hall of Infamy last night when he chose to dump both finalists — Brittany Hockley and Sophie Tieman — after claiming he wasn’t ready to fully commit to either of them.

The frosty moment he dumped Brittany … after also dumping Sophie.

But he told us he didn’t like any of the contestants all the way back in August.

In a Men’s Health interview published just as the show began airing, Nick, 30, appeared to throw shade at the cast of 25 women who’d signed up to date him.

When asked about his ideal partner, the former rugby player said: “It wouldn’t be one of the ones on the show, that’s for sure.”

He certainly SEEMED keen on Brittany.

… and Sophie.

CATCH UP ON THE BACHELOR FINALE RECAP

MORE: Angry fans react to Bach twist

MORE: Lisa grills Nick in awkward Project interview

He then appeared to backtrack a little, adding: “Did you mean on the show? I mean … it. It wouldn’t be anyone that I’ve already met …”

The journalist then points out that he “thinks he gets punched by the Bachelor publicist” at that point in the conversation, presumably because he’s just dropped a major spoiler.

The conversation then moved into safer territory, but quickly became a little dicey again when Nick was asked who’d be the best bet to win the show.

“Mate I wouldn’t put my money on 99 per cent of those girls,” he replied.

There’d been whispers of a jaw-dropping result in the days leading up to the finale, but it barely helped soften the blow as the actual moment unfolded.

In September, Nick gave another telling interview to the Kyle and Jackie O show, where he refused to deny rumours that he didn’t pick anyone in the finale and had instead reunited with his ex-girlfriend.

“Is there any truth to that rumour? Tell me that’s not the truth,” Jackie O asked Nick.

“Oh good lord, yeah, fair enough, darl, I get ya … But what I can say is not a lot … but I’m bloody happy, all right?” he replied cryptically.

“You’re a happy man?” Kyle clarified.

“Very happy. Take what you will,” Nick told the hosts.

Meanwhile, the Honey Badger may have fled the country for Papua New Guinea on Monday ahead of finale week, but not before he was grilled by Lisa Wilkinson for The Project.

“Going in, I felt like I was almost a boy compared to how I see things now …” he can be heard telling the presenter.

She then asks him the question all of us were shouting at our TVs last night: “But you do understand on The Bachelor, you’re meant to be in a place where you’re ready to have a relationship?”

Nick squirms as he’s grilled about his decision.

The interview will air during Sunday night’s episode of The Project.