Ultimate escape from very un-fairytale lives

What I find interesting is when someone doesn't stick to a "happy ending” script on reality television, the ripple effect travels far further than the screen.

Letea Cavander with her daughter Tallulah Stuart at Coolum Beach. Picture: John McCutcheon

BACHELOR in Paradise is back, baby. In the early episodes, Brooke Blurton from Honey Badger Nick Cummins' season dropped a bombshell that she has been carrying around since the show finished.

She says, during their last date, Nick muted microphones to tell her he would not pick anyone at the end of last season's The Bachelor.

Brooke says she left following the revelation. Social media was aflutter with commentary following the Bachelor in Paradise episode.

What I find interesting is that when someone doesn't stick to a "happy ending” script on reality television, the ripple effect travels far further than the small screen.

The women of Nick's season are obviously hurt. Multiple women ended up in Fiji having another crack at that ol' love business.

Good on them for giving it another go. Like we all do.

Would we prefer it if the Honey Badger had picked someone he did not love, in the end? I think the answer might be in the affirmative.

From childhood, men and women hear these fairytales of people finding each other despite sometimes huge odds.

Sleeping Beauty comes back from the dead for her prince.

Cinderella ends up with royalty despite her housekeeping job.

In "real life”, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's romance and the ensuing baby-watch fervour has highlighted our collective need for love to find a way.

Unfortunately also in "real life” separations are on the rise, as are sexually transmitted infections thanks to dating apps that encourage casual hook-ups.

When we want to escape reality by watching reality television, the last thing many of us want is to deal with the idea that happy endings do not exist for everyone.

I am not sure how the train wreck that is Married at First Sight factors into this theory, except that maybe people cannot look away even when they really want to. Some of us will end up alone.

Many of us fear that more than we would like to admit.

It was a thought that kept me up at night when I was single. I think Nick's decision to walk away, alone, forced the rest of us to assess our relationships, or our singleness, and that is not a reason people tune in to shows like The Bachelor or Bachelor in Paradise.

Letea Cavander is a freelance journalist. Get in touch via Facebook at Letea Cavander Journalist or on Instagram @letea cavander.

Originally published as Ultimate escape from very un-fairytale lives