This was published 7 years ago
The Bachelor Australia 2017: Artistic licence taken over Matty J's 'first kiss'
By Christine Sams
A blushing Matty J described it as his "first kiss" – well, for this particular series of The Bachelor anyway.
In a television moment Ten's producers were hoping for (and had no doubt constructed) the network's new Bachelor Matthew "Matty J" Johnson had a warm smooch with Bachelorette Laura on Wednesday night's episode of the show.
It was a far cry from the moment he rejected the advances of pushy Leah, when she tried to plant a kiss on him previously.
With soft lighting, soaring music and a rather besotted Bachelor, the romance quotient lifted significantly in this particular episode of the show, well for those viewers who aren't in the least bit cynical.
But even for those who were enraptured by the moment between the Bachelor and Laura on their solo date, surely no-one was convinced Matty J earned his kiss through his artistic skills.
Moments before he had unveiled what was perhaps the most unflattering portrait of a romantic partner ever. The picture speaks for itself.
The Bachelor had invited jewellery designer Laura on the solo date because he was "intrigued by her creative side". The pair enjoyed a cruise on Sydney Harbour before suggesting they draw each other.
Easels and flirtation seemed to go hand in hand, as the pair were drawn to each other (the puns are now writing themselves here, just in case Ten needs another cheesy scriptwriter for the show).
Faced with her unflattering portrait, Laura took it in with a huge laugh, no doubt masking the fact she will be disturbed by the five-minute "speed drawing" image for life.
"Matty J's portrait of me was possibly the most offensive thing I've ever seen in my life," Laura admitted, with a smile.
A Fine Arts graduate herself, she had scrawled a quick portrait of a male head – not particularly similar to Matty J, but compared to his drawing, it looked like a masterpiece (it wasn't hard).
Her male head was surrounded by stick figure Bachelorettes – appropriate really, given they are all about the same dress size – clutching roses.
But artistic skills aside, it was the chemistry between the pair which upped the ante at the end of their date, with Matty J confessing: "I wanted to kiss Laura from the very first moment I saw her today".
In gushing about his companion, the Bachelor also inadvertently revealed he has a thing for … eyebrows. Who knew? "Yours have a great kink," he told Laura. She got a rose, if that helps.
Meanwhile, back at the mansion the rest of the Boganettes … oops, Bachelorettes … were getting excited about news of another group date.
With a medieval theme, it was a chance for some of the contestants to either catch a piglet, jump in a sack race or play medieval football (soccer), to have a feast with the Bachelor.
Matty J noted Leah was a good "pig-catcher" – not the warmest words for a Bachelorette – but he later saw her "softer side", during the group dinner, or so he thought.
"I'm happy to play the sad, crying one or be a little vulnerable if I need to," Leah said, coolly to the cameras before interrupting another contestant's "date time" and settling in to tell Matty her life story.
"I've never had an issue chasing after what I want in life," she said. "Now I've got Matty alone, it's time to start playing a different game".
She managed to survive the final rose ceremony, with Akoulina eliminated in tonight's episode.