“The Whole Weekend Was Torture”: Rebekah on Why She Chose to Leave The Bachelor Australia

Last night, Rebekah from The Bachelor interrupted the rose ceremony to take Jimmy aside and tell him she was happy to leave the competition.

She knew she would be the one going home, but she wanted to leave with dignity and grace, and that’s exactly what she did.

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POPSUGAR Australia spoke to the youth worker to find out exactly what was running through her mind during that moment, and what’s up next for her.

POPSUGAR Australia: When you were eliminated, how did you feel about Jimmy at that point?

Rebekah Modernel: I had a lot of respect for Jimmy. I think throughout the process, he was really respectful and nice to me. He never made me feel uncomfortable. I’ve never really dated older guys, I’ve always been a bit of a cougar. I have older brothers so I actually find it really difficult and a little bit intimidating.

With Jimmy being older, he didn’t make me feel uncomfortable at all and was so nice throughout the whole process. He actually is a really nice guy and he’s looking for a nice girl. He was never judgemental and was very open-minded towards all the girls. He genuinely wanted to give all the girls a go.

PS: What was running through your mind during the rose ceremony?

RM: I was an emotional wreck in the lead up to the rose ceremony, like the whole weekend was torture because the journey very much started to reflect my outside journey on the outside world when it came to dating. So, it was getting harder and harder for me in there. Seeing him develop all these amazing connections with women, and I was getting left behind. He didn’t ghost me, but it just felt like I was being forgotten, not forgotten — I could just tell there was no connection.

So, it was hard, it happened so much on the outside world, I’ve been single my whole life, I’ve never had a boyfriend. It was just reiterating a theme in my life and it was really hard, that week was tough. I didn’t want to be in this experience anymore and put myself through it. I already knew the outcome and I was happy to leave and just find love on the outside, and he’s at this stage where he needs to dive deeper, it was a crossroads where he’s just going deeper with some women, so I was happy to go.

PS: Do you have any regrets about your time on the show? Would you do anything differently?

RM: I’m definitely not one to regret things, but in retrospect, there would be things I would change. I was shy, and I’m not a shy person in real life and during that whole process and watching it back, I could see how nervous I was. I was a nervous wreck, and some women are just great in front of the camera and I go the opposite way. I became an introvert and I was not myself. I think in retrospect, I wish I just relaxed, and was myself from the get-go.

[I wish I] didn’t care too much, I overthought throughout the whole thing, and [I should have] just enjoyed it a little bit more. I wish I made bolder moves at the beginning, I think towards the end I was like “I should be really intentional and show him how I feel”, but I was like “why didn’t I do that from the get-go?” This is a theme that happens very much in my real life, I just wait for things to happen and I’m not really a go-getter, and I don’t back myself. I think this is something that I’ve learnt in this process, it’s not just going to land on your lap. You need to back yourself. 

PS: Tell us, what’s up next for you?

RM: Obviously, I didn’t meet the love of my life, unfortunately, but it did spark a chain of events though that I’m really grateful for. I ended up moving out of home from the central coast to Newtown, I live back in Sydney and I’m loving it even though we’re in lockdown. I’m learning to back myself, and I have ideas of what I want to do. But before, I would always discourage myself or talk myself down. I have more of a go-getting mentality now.

If I didn’t come away with Jimmy then I’ve definitely come away with a change in attitude. At the moment I’m in youth work but I’m thinking of starting a new course which is exciting, and I think that’s what the future holds. 

PS: Who do you think will be the last woman standing?

RM: Ooooooh okay. Naturally, my besties in the house are Ash, Jay and Brooke, so I would love to see them win but after being in the mansion you just see the connections, you can see the way Jimmy looks at someone, you can just feel the chemistry.

After watching their date back, you can feel the energy — I think it will be a tough one between Jay and Holly, just based on the dates I saw watching it back and based on what I saw at cocktail parties, just the way he looks at them and the way he interacts with them is something special.